The Kingdom's Crown (Inheritance of Hunger #3) - Kathryn Moon Page 0,129
more tissue, was a cape in pale shades of white and cream and pink and blue. There was a heavy shoulder armor, embroidered with stones and cording and threads of silver, but the rest of the cape was cascading white feathers.
"The two-natured?" I asked as Daniel leaned in, lifting the shoulders up out of the box. I ran my fingers over the feathers. Some were fine and downy, others long and broad and hard like blades. My mouth parted as it sank in.
Nora was bouncing on her toes, hands wringing together in front of me. "There's a few of my own. The milliner asked for permission to strip the color out and I think it looks—"
"Beautiful," I breathed.
This wasn't just a purchased gift from the two-natured, it was their actual feathers. I remembered Griffin keeping Sam's feather in her pocket and knew that this was meaningful to them, even if I didn't understand it fully.
"A token of gratitude and of confidence," Nora said softly as I blinked rapidly, trying to fight tears.
"I don't know how to say thank you," I whispered.
"You already have, Your Highness," Nora said.
"Stand up and try it on," Owen urged.
I shook my head quickly. "No! No, not until the day."
"Not long now," Wendell murmured, kissing my jaw.
Daniel's fingers were stroking around my sex, teasing, his mouth alternating at my breasts, as Cresswell thrust against me, his breath panting on my back, hips snapping against my ass.
My fingers combed through Daniel's strands, moans stuttering with Cress's rhythm, but my grip turned tight as Daniel focused his touch directly on my clit. I came with an exhausted cry, and Cresswell's landed heavily against me, the clutch of my orgasm drawing his on. I was sandwiched between my two Chosen, Cresswell plastered to my back as he bucked deep and quick through his finish.
Daniel was still swirling his touch on me, and I reached down to still his wrist, shuddering through the aftershocks, his chuckle vibrating against my breast.
"Enough," I pleaded.
Cresswell sighed into the nape of my neck and twisted, lowering us gently to the bed, Daniel sitting up and smiling at me, his fingers lifting to his lips. I closed my eyes to ignore the tempting sight of that red tongue licking away my taste, and Daniel laughed.
"Give her a few minutes to recover at least," Cresswell said. "For my ego, if nothing else."
"More than a few minutes," I said, opening one eye as Daniel settled himself on his side. I'd already enjoyed them both twice. I felt I'd earned a decent nap.
Daniel didn't disagree, but he leaned in, pressing feather-light kisses over my throat and collarbone, and I knew that in a few minutes, I'd be pushing his face between my thighs and starting all over again. He probably knew that too, and Daniel liked to see how far he could go before I really pleaded to be left alone.
Thankfully, or maybe unfortunately because his kisses were divine, there was a knock on the door.
"Her Majesty is here to see you, Bryony," Morgan said quickly through the door.
Daniel grunted and sat up grinning. "You're free," he said, head tilting as I started to scramble out of the bed, Cresswell growling at the interruption. "You're nervous?"
"A bit," I admitted. "She hasn't reached out much, and the coronation…"
The coronation was in two days, and sex with my Chosen had been a necessary tool to fight against my anxiety—along with its usual benefits.
Daniel scooped me up and carried me off the bed, Cresswell following after us. I cleaned myself up quickly, finding a simple dress to wear as Daniel and Cress hurried into pants and shirts to join me.
When we reached the sitting room, we found my mother unattended, and my heart pounded in my chest.
"I'd like to speak alone if that's all right," my mother said.
Daniel started to return back to the bedroom immediately, but Cress's fingers squeezed my shoulder and I nodded to him. "Go ahead." They left together, wearing frowns.
"Can I get you anything?" I asked.
"No, come sit."
Unease swooped through me as I moved to join my mother on the couch, facing her. "You've changed your mind?"
It was the only thing I could think of that she might want to speak on, and there was an unexpected sense of relief at the idea. Certainly, I knew I would be a stronger ruler than my mother had been thus far, but the coronation was looming, more daunting by the day.