Page 109 of The Princess's Chosen

He caught my attention at that and I met his eyes at last, a deep brown color that held warmth.He means Griffin, I think. Or perhaps that I had won the friendship of shifters at large with this stand against the council.

I spared the viscount a smile as he bowed briefly. "So is a determined princess," I said, and he laughed. "If you'll excuse me, Lord McCallum, I think it's time for my Chosen and I to take our leave."

He stepped back, and Cresswell followed me to Daniel, Owen breaking off to gather the others.

"…I don't know what you think you're doing, but at the very least you can dig into Emory's disappearance," Jonathon was hissing as I reached them.

"Emory's never been reliable, and he only aligned with you where he thought it would serve him," Daniel answered, his eyes holding mine over Jonathon's shoulder.

"As did you, I'm sure," Jonathon spat.

Daniel smirked as I withheld my laugh. "That may be true. It hasn't worked out exactly as I planned, but perhaps I did get the better end of the deal."

"Oh, perhaps?" I answered back, arching an eyebrow. Daniel grinned and Jonathon whipped around, schooling his fierce expression as he faced me. "Excuse me, sir, but you stand between a woman of the queen's line and her Chosen."

Daniel's dimples flashed as Jonathon stumbled back, glaring at him. "Of course, Your Highness. Always a pleasure seeing you again."

I didn't bother hiding my scoff, but I grabbed Daniel's hand, drinking in his deep sigh as he moved away from the wall. We left Jonathon Roderick, the rest of the council, and his horrible father behind in the hall as we headed for the doors.

"Ride back in the carriage with me," Daniel murmured at my side, his eyes focused ahead but his cheeks full of a smile he kept trying to hold back. I would make it break free.

I bit my lip and looked behind me for the others, stumbling slightly when I got a good look at Cresswell and his grave and shuttered expression. His eyes were focused over my head, but his face was pale and it looked as though someone had struck or stabbed him. As if I had. Had he known before now what was growing between Daniel and I?

Guilt churned in my stomach, but when he glanced down at me, hollow and cool, that turmoil hardened. Cresswell knew how I felt about him. I was of the queen's line and I had taken Chosen before him, and Daniel didn't change those bonds, and they didn't change what was frozen between Cresswell and I. Only Cresswell could fix that now.

Wendell, Thao, and Owen met us on the steps of Danser Hall as the carriage pulled up, and Thao eyed the way I was pressed to Daniel's side with narrow eyes and a thin smirk. He'd admitted to his jealousy over Daniel when the Hunger had thrown us together, and I wondered now if it wasn't just Cresswell who resented my newest Chosen.

"I'd like to ride back in the carriage with you," I said to Thao and Wendell, glancing at Owen. "Crescent won't mind riding back alone, do you think?"

Owen laughed at that and shook his head, heading for his horse, while Thao and Wendell exchanged a slow smile.

"I'd rather like to stretch my legs," Wendell said.

"Mm, yes, it was nice to shift but too stifling to be expected to behave. You two take the carriage, we'll run along," Thao said, winking at me.

My breath caught, and I pulled free of Daniel to run to Thao, clutching at his collar and pulling him down for a fierce, pressing kiss.

"Ah, well in that case I want one too," Wendell teased, and I pulled away laughing, twisting in Thao's arms to let our lover kiss me more gently. Wendell sucked briefly on my bottom lip and then leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Enjoy him. Enjoy the ride."

I blushed as they pulled away, shifting into their feline forms and jogging ahead down the road. Owen snatched me up next, kissing my forehead and cheeks and chin and nose until he pressed his mouth over my giggles and kissed me till my breath ran out.

"You did good princessly work today," Owen said, grinning and pulling away. "Take a reward."

Another blessing from my first and sweetest Chosen, I blushed and nodded as Owen moved to seat himself on his stallion. Daniel was waiting by the door to the carriage, and I stepped forward to join him when a soft touch on my elbow made me pause.

Cresswell stood at my side, studying Daniel at the carriage with a deep frown on his face that turned to worry as he met my gaze.

"Bryony, are you certain about him?" Cresswell asked.

I was glad he asked me now, and not a week ago. I was glad I could tip my chin up and smile at him and say, "I am."

Daniel had never really actedagainstme, he'd only been placed in my court with the intention to distract me. And in spite of our duels and arguments and the ugly way we'd come together the first time, I had somehow won Daniel's loyalty. He had mine now too. But that wasn't all Cresswell needed to know.

"I'm certain about you too, Cress," I said softly.

His fingers on my arm squeezed briefly, and his breath stuttered, eyes widening. And then he closed himself off from me, the pain as sharp as it had been in my sitting room, cutting through me as his shock was shadowed under a stern acceptance.

"You have my loyalty and my vow, Your Highness," Cresswell answered, dropping his hand away from me.

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