Page 40 of The Princess's Chosen

"She comes to hunt tomorrow," Wendell whispered to me, and I nodded. "Nothing will change overnight that hasn't already—"

"Already worsened since it happened weeks ago?" I asked, glancing at Wendell, who wore an equally uncomfortable look on his face even as he leaned in, an arm around my shoulders, and kissed my temple. "I know you're right."

I'd sent for Griffin in the city, but no one had been able to find her, and truth be told, I didn't know what she would or could do. She hadn'tadmittedto having a bird as her second nature, it was more a guess on Aric's part, and she and I weren't really familiar enough with one another for me to ask.

"Your Highness," Cresswell called, his tone strained from the hall. "Your Highness, there is something I think you should see!"

I rose up from my seat, brow furrowing, and moved around the table until I could see the end of the hall that led to the dining room. Cresswell was there, but he wasn't turned toward me, his eyes watching out a window.

It wasn't fully dark out yet, and I ran lightly down the hall until I could look out another window, to the front of the palace.

"Look up," Cresswell called.

There in the sky a small shadow flew, growing larger by the second, a bird in a rapid dive. A hawk!

"Open the doors!" I shouted, running down the hall, hearing Cresswell echo my words to the guards at the front door. "I think she's here," I called back to the diners.

We hadn't given any information to the men we'd sent to Rumsbrooke, but my heart beat urgently in my chest, steps stumbling slightly as the hawk screeched and Cresswell dove out of the way, a flash of rust-red skipping through the opening of the hall. The sound of flight and a predator's scream echoed around the palace entry, and I reached Cresswell's side as Griffin spun around the high ceiling by the stairs, slowing her flight to a coast before circling down the floor.

She landed on the tile as a woman, her eyes wild and breath coming in short pants.

"You received my summons?" I asked as she jogged for me.

"What? No. Apologies, Your Highness, but he sent me," she said, gasping for air, grabbing my hand and ignoring Cresswell's grunt of objection as she pressed a metal object into my hand. "He's been a miserable, self-sorry fool and he would've given you a proper apology in person, but they're coming for him, princess. They mean to take his crown and his head with it."

I glanced down at the ring in my palm, the twisting delicate vines of gold with preciously perfect leaves cupping the exquisite opal white bryony blossom. And then her words struck me.

I didn't need to ask who, not on either account. I knew who needed me, and I didn't care who it was threatening him.

"Where?" I asked, seeing the worry in her gaze and feeling it amplify to panic in my own heart.

"Wing and Rook. I've told him to stall. I promise you, he's—"

"Bryony!" Cresswell shouted as I jammed the ring onto my middle finger and ran for the door. "Your Highness, wait! Guards!"

But he gave the command a moment too slow.

"There is a man here," I shouted over my shoulder before realizing Griffin was just behind me, quick to match my pace. "A snowy owl. His wings were broken. Can you help?"

Griffin's feet stumbled as her eyes went wide. "What?"

"His name is Sam. It was my sister's doing, and I'm so sorry. You were the only person I could think to ask." I was running for the stables, ignoring the shout of men at my back commanding me to stop. I was the Crown Princess of Kimmery, and Cresswell would just have to learn to catch up.

"I—you'll save, Aric?"

"Yes, of course!" I cried, frowning at the little bite of anger that rose up at his name. "If anyone deserves to throttle him, it's me."

Griffin laughed at that, and the running drum of her feet on gravel ended behind me.

"Shout for the groomsman," Owen hollered behind me.

Yes! Yes, we have one now! And I don't know his name, damnit.

"Groomsman!"

A white-bearded man with tan skin and his shirtsleeves rolled up, stepped out of the barn as I raced closer, his dark eyes going wide.

"I need a bridle and a blanket for my gelding," I said, my own breath coming short. "The others may want saddles."

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