The Queen's Line (Inheritance of Hunger #1) - Kathryn Moon Page 0,111
what would come out of my mouth if I did.
"Not a good time, I'm afraid," Cosmo said, exchanging a grin with Owen. He looked back to me and frowned, shaking his head and pulling me back a step. "Seriously. She's busy speaking with her Chosen. Leave them to it."
She was alone with Thao and Wendell? Could they be trusted? Can I?
"Leave them, Daniel," Cosmo said, words growing hard.
Outside the tent, the sound of armor approaching echoed in my head. I eased back, glancing one last time at the curtain as a soft, feminine gasp sounded. I rolled my shoulders, pulling free of Cosmo's grip, and headed for a seat to wait the night out. Rushing in and spilling my guts to the princess was probably the surest way to have my guts spilled for real. I just needed time to think through all the pieces and sort out where I fit in the mix.
29
Bryony
“Oh!”
The tiger blinked a set of pale eyes, silver with blue near the pupil, and his head hung shamefully low. He was as big as Thao, perhaps a little more, or maybe it was only that his fur seemed fuller, wider around his face and a little shaggier on his sides. I reached out in an automatic impulse to touch, so fond of doing so with Thao, and then paused and clenched my fingers back into fists.
"We didn't want him to register when we came back." Thao spoke slowly, stepping forward and kneeling down so that Wendell could butt his massive pale head against his shoulder. "And in Mennary, this was a secret. Only my family and royals by marriage are given the bite of our bloodline so they might take their second nature. But Wendell and I are…we are—"
"More than lovers," I said, resting my hand against Thao's shoulder. Wendell released a low, pleased rumble and nuzzled a warm nose against the back of my hand, his massive jaw and brutal teeth brushing against me.
"It was his right to share this gift with me," Thao said, nodding. "He is first in my heart."
I smiled at that and the way Wendell was leaning his weight into us both. "You missed this, didn't you? All these weeks without getting to be this other part of yourself? Wendell, you were never at any risk with me."
Wendell continued to purr as I sank to my knees, although it was closer to a roar than the sweet rumble the castle cats made when they sat next to my chair at dinner and begged with wide eyes.
"I think you both know you are welcome to express your love for one another however you choose in my court, and that includes your second natures," I said, digging my fingers through Wendell's fur, feeling the rough vibration of his purr thrumming in my fingers. "I am sorry we didn't find time to say as much earlier."
The sensation of their magic against my hands was like the needle pricks of blood rushing back into a limb, and I held my breath as Wendell's handsome face and full smile appeared before me.
"I'm the only one who owes you an apology," he started, the blue in his eyes a perfect match for the tiger's.
"You don't!" I rushed ahead of him. "You are all my Chosen as much as you wish to be. I don't want to hold dominion over you, you owe me no explanations."
Wendell's eyes slid to Thao briefly and then back to me. "That goes both ways, Bryony. Thao and I are yours as much as you desire us to be."
My breath slid into my chest, and it was full of them both, just a hint of the animal still left on the air, as well as Thao's spice and Wendell's clean aroma.
Thao scooted closer on his knees, an arm moving around my hips. "It's not our title as Chosen that gives you power over us, Bryony. You gained that yourself with your kindness, your beauty."
"Your care and open heart," Wendell added gently.
"Your ability to tell me when I'm being a terrible lover and friend," Thao added, cutting through the tightness in my chest to make me laugh.
My head fell back with the giddy sound, and then it strangled in my throat as Thao leaned in, his mouth pressing to my shoulder and neck, wet open kisses pressed over my skin. Wendell rose up on his knees, his hands framing my ribs and pulling me into his chest.