Page 85 of The Princess's Chosen

"You've certainly improved your cons since you married," Aric said, a note of warning in his voice.

Gullet grinned and nodded agreeably, holding his stare to Bryony. "Kings of our kind aren't inclined to alliance, Your Majesty. But if I might speak for a moment as your…citizen, then I would just say that your time in the north has done my people good. My court and my neighbors. You have my favor if you ever need it."

"And he'll have one in return," Griffin said immediately.

Gullet shrugged, raising his hands in a boyish shrug. "Naturally."

Bryony eyed him quietly, so removed from the woman I knew well that even I wasn't sure what she was thinking of the man before her. Then she put her still blood marked hand between them, outstretched for his taking.

"I will consider us on good terms, Your Majesty," she said.

Gullet's happy expression faltered at the sight of her hand, her reminder served. He sobered and took her hand, shaking it slowly, revealing the depth of the man beneath with a brief bow to her.

He left shortly after, managing to scrounge up another joke between him and Aric before making his exit.

"That's the last of them," Aric said, his hand automatically reaching to cup her waist as if he'd been waiting all night to do so. "Let's get to the horses."

"You don't want to stay in Rumsbrooke for the night? Manage business?" Bryony asked as we moved as a group for the door.

Aric stalled and then shook his head. "No. I really don't."

"Otto is already at Wing and Rook, and Scrapper has set up camp at the Yawning Pig until we find someone to manage it. I'll shoo the last of them out of here and come by tomorrow or the day after," Griffin said.

"Yawning Pig?" Bryony asked.

"It was Emory's bar. It's the court's now," Aric said as we broke outside. "Do you want the carriage?"

"Stars, no," Bryony muttered, flinching. "I'll ride with Owen."

"You will?" I asked, fighting my smile. It seemed foolish to be so pleased, especially since Bryony was still not herself, but the thought of holding her on the ride back to the palace was a pleasant one.

She forced a smile for me and followed me to my horse, Echo, pausing and letting me lift her into the saddle before following her up.

"I'm sorry you had to do such an ugly thing tonight," I said as I settled in behind her.

"I don't want to think about it," she said softly as the rest of her Chosen climbed into their own saddles and Cresswell and Thao readied the carriage.

"I know," I said, taking the reins. Echo was nervous beneath me, the horses still stressed from the events of the night before. I soothed my hand over his flank and clucked gently, letting him choose his own pace.

"But I will think of it, won't I?" Bryony whispered.

My heart sank in my chest, and I thought of the faces that came and went in my mind, so often and so disjointed, I wasn't even sure if they were true memories at this point.

"Yes," I said, kissing her temple and absorbing her shudder in the circle of my arms.

27

Bryony

“Are you sure about this?"

I stiffened under the blankets, curled in on myself, cramps wracking through my muscles and tearing at my stomach. Owen? What was he doing in my bedroom? He'd said he wanted to spend the day with his horses.

"Not entirely," Aric answered. "Wait here."

I held my breath, the shuffle of footsteps whispering over the carpet on the way to the bed. I wasn't entirely sure what time it was, only that Aric, Wendell, and Thao had left the bed first to organize the seeds, Cosmo after, and then Owen to check on the horses. And then I had simply…remained in the bed, my teeth clenched and my fingernails biting into the heels of my palms, my body tightening with every passing second.

I'd done what I needed to. I killed Emory. And instead of the horrible weight and drag and terror in my chest passing, it only seemed to grow. I wasn't even sure if I was capable of getting out of the bed now, and I tensed as the mattress dipped behind my back.

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