The Queen's Line (Inheritance of Hunger #1) - Kathryn Moon Page 0,65

you sure the oak was dead?" Wendell asked, eyes tracing the words on the page in front of him.

"Positive," Cosmo said, his fingers trailing back and forth on the inside of my wrist. "Hollow branches and not a leaf in sight until…"

Until I'd come on his fingers. I looked up and met Cosmo's eyes on mine, my lungs freezing for a moment in response to the warmth of his stare. The corner of his eyes crinkled with laughter, and I wondered if he was intentionally stirring me up to see what would happen.

You could be like Camellia and plant yourself on his lap right now, just hike your skirts up and he could slide right—

"Ah, wait a moment. The year the queen stopped attending the harvest festival, the council replaced her and attended themselves," Wendell said, looking up.

"What do we know about the council?" I asked, more to myself than the others.

"They're intended to lighten the load for the queen. They're universally nobles, and they manage local magistrates. They appoint ambassadors, set taxes, and coordinate kingdom spending," Wendell said, looking up from the page.

"All which seems to go to the capital," Cosmo added.

"Or their own pockets," I said, and then I laughed. "We sound like Aric."

"We could call him here," Cosmo offered, and I flashed him a glare.

"I think I'd rather he wasn't…aware of this new development," I murmured. "He thinks the queen's line and the Hunger are the cause of the inequity of wealth in the kingdom. And in some way, he might be right. I'd rather he wasn't suspicious of me while I'm trying to help."

"At this point, I wouldn't recommend attracting any unnecessary attention to your newly revealed magic at all," Wendell said. "Most people are assuming you have it, but I don't know of anyone who would expect the Hunger to manifest so…"

"Lushly," Cosmo said, tongue wrapping decadently around the word.

I rolled my eyes at him, and he laughed as my hand seemed to rise unconsciously to toy around my collar. I was growing too warm.

"There should be texts in here somewhere on the council's duties and the formation of their number, wouldn't you think?" I asked, wiggling away from Cosmo and Owen's stray touches.

My skin was itchy and tight, Hunger nipping at me and trying to drag my eyes back to the men at the table. I moved around my chair and bounced on my toes, trying to ignore my cravings to focus on the actual conversation.

"Are you tired?" Cosmo asked, and I shook my head. "Owen, why don't you go with her to find more useful material on the council."

"Here's a candle," Thao said, lighting one and placing it in a holder before passing it across the table.

I didn't argue with them, although I wasn't sure having Owen at my side would make me feel calmer at the moment. Mostly, I was left thinking about the rich pressure and full feeling Cosmo had given me and now what that might feel like with Owen.

The candlelight cast my shadow up the dark and warped shelves as we moved down the aisles. Owen's palm was warm at the base of my back, seeping through my dress and directly to my skin. I'd taken Cosmo's advice and left my uncomfortable corset behind in my bedroom with my shift, and the kiss of silk directly against my skin was liberating and tantalizing.

"Are you excited at all?" Owen asked.

"I…I am a little,” I said, and then I blushed and looked back at Owen, grinning. "I think I am more excited about sex than I am about the magic. Perhaps that's the flaw in the queen's line anyway. I just don't know how I'm supposed to help the entire kingdom. Am I meant to go have a fuck in every field?"

Owen nearly dropped the candle laughing, and I grinned up at him. "If it comes down to it, I'll do my best to help," he said. "Cosmo and I both would."

"Well it's an option at least," I said with a sigh.

"You're trying to heal an entire kingdom overnight," Owen said softly, voice lowering and gentling. "It can't be done, Bryony, even with magic. I'm just glad Kimmery has you at all. But don't wear yourself out trying to take an axe to make a road through a mountain."

I paused, and Owen passed me, turning to face me as I stared up at him. "Thank you, Owen," I said, reaching and catching the front of his shirt, pulling him in as