Page 63 of The Princess's Chosen

"Why not?" I asked, glancing down at my gown. It was vivid red and low cut, the fabric airy and flowing. It didn't look like any of my other dresses, and I was fairly certain my magic had fashioned it at some point.

"Because you look…" Aric struggled, brow furrowing, and I thought I knew what he was going to say until what came up was, "Very distracting. You'll attract too much attention."

"She'll attract attention if you put her in a potato sack, Aric, she's stunning," Cosmo said.

"From whom?" I asked, grinning.

"From me," Aric grumbled.

I started to laugh, but the sound stalled in my throat as Daniel stepped into the room, our eyes connecting. The few words he'd spoken yesterday ran through my head.I'm not going to apologize to you, he'd said to Thao. Did that mean that he felt he owed me one?

I thought I might owe him one too, but I wasn't sure what that would mean for either of us.

Before Daniel could make up his mind about whether he was staying or going, the doors opened again, Cresswell appearing with Griffin in tow, both of them rushing past Daniel to the table.

"I need to speak with…" Griffin frowned, her eyes flicking between Aric and I before settling on me. "You, Bryony."

I stood from the table, and Aric hurried to do the same, Griffin moving to the far end of the room. She paused in the corner, opening her mouth to speak but I shook my head. Cosmo and I had found a secret passage on this side of the room weeks ago when we were…fucking about the palace, basically. I leaned into it, pressing the knot of molding shaped like a grape bundle, and then looked over my shoulder to find Cresswell just behind me.

"Oh, good, you better come too," I said, taking his arm and pulling him into the small compartment room that led to a narrow hall that ran a circuit through the heart of the first floor. It was dark as the door closed, and Aric's fingers circled my wrist briefly, a little fizzle of energy running through me before candles on the wall lit up, casting orange shadows over us. I stared at him, a little surprised he could just pick magic off me in that way, and his thumb stroked over the back of my wrist before releasing me.

"What is it, Griffin? I have Aric safe and sound this time," I said, enjoying Aric's amused scowl.

"Emory, he escaped. One of the men we had guarding him is dead and the other is missing. I'm assuming he had more support in Aric's court than we realized," Griffin said, frowning and pacing the space. "It happened sometime in the night, after midnight, and we found the body at dawn. He could be nearly anywhere."

"Who can we actually trust?" Aric asked gruffly.

"Even ifyoucould trust them, that doesn't mean Bryony can now, Aric," Griffin hissed. "And it's not your head wearing the crown anymore! Who do you think he's after?"

"I didn't have any trouble the last time," I started, but the thieves spoke over me.

"You think I don't know the position this puts her in? I never intended for her tochallengehim. You were supposed to send theguard—"

"You should've found someone before now!" Griffin shouted back.

"I foundyou! I just needed to buy time to prepare you for it!"

"If the two of you would please shut up, none of this is doing us any good," I snapped. Aric and Griffin caught their breath and turned away from one another, shooting me equally exasperated looks as if I were meant to sympathize. "Emory will need to be found. Aric and I were already going to Rumsbrooke. We can start questioning—"

"You're not leaving the palace," Aric said quickly.

My jaw dropped as I stared at him. "I'm what? Aric that'smycourt now."

"I know. I know it is," Aric said nodding and stepping forward, hands out and raised to placate. "But King of Thieves isn't youronlyduty, and if Emory is a greater or vaster threat than we anticipated, if he has more support than I thought, it puts you in equally great danger."

"I can fight—"

"You fought Emory in an outright challenge, in front of many witnesses, Your Majesty," Griffin continued, softer. "He was abiding by a set of rules, loose ones, I'll admit, but still. He wasn't allowed to sneak up on you. Wasn't allowed to have help from anyone."

"Your Highness, I agree with them. You are more than a King of Thieves. Emory is either looking for outright escape or revenge. You shouldn't be the one to track him down, you should be the one who makes the order once he's been apprehended," Cresswell said, stepping up to join the others in front of me.

Aric was tense, prepared to argue with me and not give an inch, and I knew it wouldn't matter that I was his king, and he was my Chosen. He would never submit to an order from me like the others would, not if he thought he was doing what was best for me.

"You're making me remain here," I said, flatly, staring back at Aric.

"I'm pleading with you to," he said softly, taking one step forward and holding his hand out, waiting for mine.

Oh, sneaky. He was too smart.

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