in the mirror at the purple and green bruises smeared around my throat the next morning. Aric had returned to our suite late in the night, pale and weary. I'd spent most of the day in and out of sleep, Cosmo reading to me, Thao and Wendell washing with me in the bath, every hour strangely clouded in my head.
It was clearer now.
I was the successor. Thomlinson had publicly threatened a civil war. Camellia had tried to kill me.
"Heal those," Cresswell rasped, stepping up behind me, tying up the back of my dress before bending to meet my eyes in the mirror.
"Not yet," I said. My voice was a little raw and cracking still, and it hurt to speak, but it was a reminder with every swallow.
Camellia had wrapped her hands around my neck and I'd put a dagger to her throat and neither one of us had succeeded in killing the other.
Cresswell scowled at me, one hand cupping gently over half the bruises. His head turned, and he grazed a careful kiss over my pulse.
"Heal them by tomorrow morning," he said, a little iron in the words this time.
We were about to meet with my mother and with the council and the royal guard. The bruises would be a potent reminder, although I didn't think anyone was prepared to forget what had only happened yesterday afternoon.
I nodded, rubbing my cheek against Cress's, and he sighed, stepping back and holding out a hand for me to rise. I picked up my golden snake and resisted the urge to flinch as I brought it up to my throat. It slithered gently around my collar bone, below the bruises, an eerie ornamentation, but one that made the dark colors imprinting my skin stand out more starkly.
Cress's hand was tight around mine, leading me to the front room of the suite where the others waited. Cosmo grimaced at the sight of me but stepped forward quickly, taking my chin in his hands and pressing a firm kiss to my lips. There was a little flavor of chocolate lingering on him, and for no clear reason, it almost brought tears to my eyes.
"Ready?"
I nodded, and together we traveled to the council meeting room where I'd presented my case against Camellia, and where my mother had announced her decision regarding the two-natured.
The room was quiet as we arrived, and I was surprised to see Nathan and Simon, the royal mages, as well as the castle physician in attendance. The members of the Northern Council were in attendance as well, including Lord Roderick and few of my old enemies, but I noticed that Roderick and Thomlinson weren't at the head of the table now, but shuffled down to the ends.
"Bryony!" My mother jumped up from her seat as I stepped inside, her eyes fixed to my throat.
"Your Majesty," I croaked, sinking into a curtsey. My mother's breath was shaky and gasping, eyes filling with tears.
"May I say, Your Highness, what a great relief it is to see you recovering," Sir Weston said from the council's end of the table. There were murmurs of agreement, but Thomlinson's nostrils only flared and Roderick had his back to me.
"Thank you, Sir Weston," I said with a dip of my head, moving for the large open seat at my mother's side.
"Your Majesty, Princess Bryony, I hope it is not too presumptuous of me to begin this meeting by expressing the council's sincere shame and grief for yesterday's events," Sir Weston said, and my mother, who was sitting in the lap of one of her Chosen, began to hiccup with weeping. "Specifically and especially, the opinion that was shared regarding the choice of succession made by Your Majesty. Lord Thomlinson's expressions were given by himself alone and without the consensus of the council as a whole. We certainly have no intention of seeking to influence or change your decision."
I reached a hand back to my shoulder and held my breath as Daniel's touch met mine, anchoring me in my seat. I stared down the length of the table at the men there and realized there was genuine fear in many of their eyes. I'd been so busy thinking of Camellia, but of course, it had been Thomlinson who'd tried to threaten to turn the army on me. He was as guilty of treason as she was, and it was obvious now how desperate the other members of the council were to distance themselves from what he'd said.
"Lord Thomlinson has agreed to