Page 97 of The Princess's Chosen

I winced at the crunch, my head turning away at the owl's scream, and I pressed my magic into the air, feeling the prickle of it in Aric's hand, the almost sizzling sound of it in the air, cloaking around the wing. The bird's screams settled first, although it still fought against Owen who held the wing in place.

"Nearly done I think," Aric said in a thin breath, his focus on the magic. "Yes. Yes, that's good, it feels strong."

Owen released the wing and it flapped easily, Griffin's cry celebratory.

"Sam, do you want to take a break or—" Owen's lips curled up as the owl hopped gingerly around, the difference in the wings painfully clear now.

"I'm fine," I said before Aric could ask, nodding eagerly. "Let's help."

The next wing went smoother, Sam's guarantee of a good wing better medicine against the pain than any magic might be. He cried out but held still, and Aric was quick and focused, only the slightest sensation of draining dragging on me by the time we were done. It was fine. I was more than well stocked with magic and the means to make more. Sam could have any he needed.

"Done," Aric said with a sigh.

Owen released Sam and then the owl screamed, wings spreading wide and beating roughly. He jumped and called again, rising into the air.

"What's wrong?" Aric shouted over the sounds of the bird screeches, Griffin joining Sam in solidarity.

Owen scrambled back out of the way of Sam's massive white wings. "I dunno. He should be okay?"

I knew.

I jumped up from behind Aric and ran for the window, wrestling back Sam's curtains and unlatching it quickly, the sound of the predator birds loud at my back. I threw the windows open and dived out of the way with a gasp, vivid blue and white eyes meeting mine briefly before Sam paused once on the windowsill and then dove out to the cold winter air. Griffin followed him with a happy screech, and I twisted, watching Sam vanish in the snowy scenery, the only clue of him was the red and brown hawk following his tail.

My breath hitched, a pang in my chest that I held tightly in place until Owen reached my back, his arms wrapping tightly around me.

"I'm glad that worked," Owen said, resting his chin on the top of my head.

I blinked quickly through the anxious tears in my eyes and gathered an easier breath, squeezing Owen's arms around my chest. "Me too. Thank you, my love."

Owen kissed my ear, Aric and Cosmo joining us on either side of me, the four of us watching from the window the slow spiral of the red hawk and the white owl over the lake.

* * *

It wasn'tuntil after my Chosen and I had taken our dinner together that we saw Griffin and Sam again, and I wasn't expecting it to be with such grave expressions on both their faces.

"What is it?" I asked, rising from the couch in front of the grand fire, Wendell's fingers remaining tangled with mine, the book he'd been reading still perched on his knee.

Cresswell followed them into the cozy room on the ground floor, his eyes meeting mine briefly before rising to stare over me. Thao had Cosmo draped over him like a blanket on the couch opposite me, and Aric was asleep in one of the armchairs. Even Daniel was with us, chatting with Owen about the horses, or the woods most likely.

"What's happened?" I asked, looking to Griffin, watching the nervous way she shifted closer to Sam, ready to protect him from me. I was starting to get a little offended by it if I was honest.

"I have something to confess," Sam said, his voice soft.

The room hushed, Cosmo quick to sit up, both him and Thao twisting to face Sam at the door. At my back, Owen and Daniel approached, their vast shadows rising like guards at my back.

"I'm happy to hear anything you have to tell me, Sam," I answered gently.

"Keep calm, please," Griffin said, but it was directed to the men around me this time.

Aric stirred in his chair, perhaps sensing the tension of the room, just as Sam spoke.

"My mistress left me here with instructions to kill you."

Aric leapt up, rumpled and startled, and Cresswell shot forward from the door.

"No!" I cried out before anyone could grab Sam up, unintentionally causing the man to flinch in response. I hurried past him and Griffin, resting my hands on Cresswell's chest to halt him in place, his gaze blazing at the back of Sam's head. "Cress, calm down. I'm fine. We knew this was a possibility."

"I won't do it," Sam said, and there was a flatness to his tone that left the others staring at him watchfully.

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