Page 34 of Crown of Wings and Whispers

“That makes no sense. If he was held captive within Moire’s Embrace for thousands of years, whoever wronged him must be dead and gone.”

“Must they?” Muddy shrugged. “WhenBridiehad four ancients under her own roof?” He bit his lip and looked away as if he’d said something he oughtn’t, but it was probably intentional. Muddy liked to give the impression he was more interesting than he actually was.

Griffon changed the subject. “You know, I never saw him leave the house…”

“Well, we had our hands full, ye might say.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean The King didn’t leave empty handed.” When he realized Griffon didn’t know what he meant, Muddy laughed. “I’m sure ye’ll figure it out soon enough.”

“But he definitely took the woman to the Embrace? He told you?”

Muddy started to nod, then realized the trap he’d stepped into and cursed.

“That’s it, then? No other confessions?”

“Confessions?”

If a messenger didn’t want to be killed, he shouldn’t deliver the whole message. In addition, Griffon didn’t appreciate the inferred threat to his family.

“Doesn’t matter,” he told the traitor. “Like you said, I’ll figure it out soon enough.” Griffon noted the distance between them, the height of Muddy’s shoulders, then he scanned the yard for any onlookers. Satisfied they were alone, he unfurled his wings, spun in a circle, and sliced Muddy’s head off with the tips of his lethally sharp pinions. His wings were half-furled again before the first drop of blood fell.

The bastard had the gall to look surprised.

* * *

Moire’s Embrace—itwas reason enough not to hear Lennon’s heartbeat. It didn’t guarantee she wasn’t alive, but how long would that be true? Hopefully, Orion believed he had a use for her. If he were Ambition, he was as old as Gloir and Afi. He would have answers…

Griffon was going to get Lennon back, and he knew just how to do it. He still had a card to play--a small but powerful card--and it was time to lay it on the table.

11

Unexpected Guests

Persi…

It was obvious now. Everly was pregnant.

Persi began to suspect when Urban was rummaging through the kitchen looking for ginger beer and crackers at six o'clock in the morning. But soon, Everly was nauseated later and later in the day. At first, after Lennon ran off, Persi thought it might be an emotional reaction that forced Everly out the doors to puke in the boxwood hedge. But now that they'd all come to terms with the fact that they'd had a DeNoy living among them for a year, Urban's pretty wife still puked throughout the day, and with little more than a strong smell to trigger it.

Persi hadn't been around pregnant women much in her life, but she wasn't blind.

She wandered into the couple's bedroom and made herself comfortable on the bed while she listened to Everly wrench her guts up in the bathroom. "Urban's going to take you out of the game, isn't he?"

Her friend rinsed her mouth, splashed water on her face, and pressed a towel to her face as she came out. "I may take myself out if I can't even leave my bedroom."

"I looked it up. Sometimes it only lasts for a few weeks."

"It's already been a few weeks. I've lost ten pounds."

"But you eat all the time."

Everly shrugged. "Who knows. The only advice the doctor gives me is that each woman is different."

"You know, I'm almost glad Lennon's not here. Envy would eat her alive if she knew--"

"She knows. She knew at the ceremony, when she realized I was drinking soda and not champagne."

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