moment I couldn't imagine them between us.
The feeling faded, replaced with Bryony's thighs shaking weakly against my hips, her breasts swelling with her catching breaths, nose nudging against mine. I sighed, and the bed dipped near our hips. I rolled to the side, turning Bryony with me, and Wendell was there with a cloth, Cresswell approaching the bed with a tray of glasses. The world was closing in around us again, and even in the peace of the moment, it drew out a slightly sour note.
And then Bryony's fingers stroked my cheek, drawing my eyes to hers, a king's wealth of love in her stare.
"I love you, muse," I whispered. She nodded, our eyes closing as our foreheads pressed together.
12
Bryony
The room was stirring around me, my Chosen taking care to try not to wake me, or at least to let me continue the illusion of sleeping.
"Her ladies-in-waiting arrive today," Daniel whispered on the other side of the room.
"Doesn't matter. Waiting is in their title," Aric answered.
Someone snorted, probably Thao or Wendell, and a faint kiss brushed over my eye. There was a soft scratch of stubble, and I pressed my face into warm skin, finding a sweet and potent scent. Cosmo. My hand clutched a little against his chest, and his fingers covered mine. There was an especially hot and long body at my back, and since there weren't thunderous snores ruffling my hair, I guessed it was Cresswell rather than Owen.
"If you keep pretending to sleep, I will wake you up with my mouth between your thighs," Cosmo whispered warmly. "But you will probably miss the pies I heard Owen mention were waiting for us."
I sat up immediately, my stomach growling, and Cosmo let out that wonderful belly laugh that was so rare.
"They might already be gone by now!" I cried out at Cosmo, wrestling back Cresswell's arm that tried to wrap itself around my waist.
"I think there are a great many," Cosmo said, grinning as the others gaped at me. I was scrambling out from under male limbs and the thin blanket, stark naked, and I gasped as I looked down. There were faint little bruise marks all along my limbs.
And then I blushed and swallowed hard as I remembered the vines Aric had fashioned to hold me up for their taking and the little tendrils that had teased my skin like mouths while I'd been fucked and caressed by my lovers. I looked up, found Aric admiring his work from across the room, and huffed.
"I never underestimate Owen's appetite," I muttered.
And it must've been Wendell who'd laughed at Aric's assessment of ladies-in-waiting because there was no sign of Thao. My lovely prince would absolutely not defend my right to breakfast pies.
Daniel picked up a velvet robe from a chair and brought it to me, holding it behind his back and grinning up as I balanced at the edge of our massive bed. He was face height with my breasts, and as I reached out for the robe, his free arm wrapped around my hips, lips helping themselves to my nipples. My Hunger applauded him. My stomach growled in warning.
Daniel laughed and brought me down to my toes on the floor, swinging the robe around my shoulders and leaving me to tie it shut. I marched for the door, and Aric jogged to join me.
"If I'd known what appetite really ruled you, I might not have balked when I discovered you had the Hunger," he said, biting down on his lip to hide his grin as I shot him a glare.
"She ought to be hungry after last night," Cresswell muttered from the bed.
"What do I need to know before Nora and Morgan arrive today?" I asked Wendell, catching his arm so he could escort me to breakfast.
"We've already sorted out their rooms. I suppose you only need to give them some idea of what their duties will be. Dressing is common—"
"Don't you dare," Aric growled at my back.
I laughed at the idea of anyone but one of my Chosen getting the opportunity to undress me, and even Aric had become adept at helping me lace a gown.
"Correspondence, as well, and given who you are likely to be writing to, well…" Wendell shrugged. I was most likely to be writing to Nora and Morgan's family since their male relatives were the men on the council I trusted.
"Grandmother always said I should be hosting soirees and concerts once I had Chosen," I mused, frowning. "Camellia doesn't, but she's—"
"Feral," Aric supplied.
We