Page 100 of The Kingdom's Crown

"Your Highness! What do you think you're doing?!"

I jumped out of his reach, racing playfully around him in a circle as Wendell and Thao waited patiently for me. The two-natured were determined to stay shifted until midnight, but I broke back into my human self, making Amos stumble to a sudden stop in front of me.

"I'm standing with my people," I said.

"It's not safe. This is mad. One of these—thesepeople, could break into the castle!" Amos yelled.

I frowned at that. "Don't let anyone be hurt, please, Guard Amos. Like you said, they'repeople. They don't want to do harm, they just want to be heard."

"They're breaking the law!"

"They're protesting the law," I said.

His jaw ground, eyes watching the gate, flicking up to the sky to see the birds circling overhead. "It's not safe."

"Head Guard Amos, I am a tiger. I'll be fine. Reassure my mother. Make her listen. I'll be back tonight."

"There could be a mouse assassin in the castle right now—"

It was such a comical but horrifying notion that I couldn't help my laugh. "Aric warded the castle. No mouse shifter, or any other kind, will make it through a door."

I didn't wait for another argument, just hurried back into a tiger, padding quickly away and around the side of the building as Amos barked new orders to his men. Thao moved up to my side, rubbing his head against my shoulder, Wendell nipping playfully at my hip before doing the same. They were too close by my tiger's standards, but I knew they were only keeping their promise to Cress to guard me like a—

Overhead, a hawk screamed. Griffin or someone else perhaps.

We passed a door, and I grinned toothily as Nora raced out of it, Morgan hot on her heels.

"What are you—Oh!"

Nora flashed Morgan a bright smile before leaping into the air, replaced in a shimmery moment by a bright yellow finch which zipped quickly around Morgan's head before settling on her shoulder.

"That's not fair!" Morgan cried, laughing.

Aric was waiting for us in the yard, a massive draft horse saddled, reins in his hand. On the saddle rested a bright snowy owl, and Cresswell the bear stood on Aric's other side, falling forward to his paws and lumbering in my direction.

But where was…

"Honestly, princess, we couldn't have come up with a better disguise if we tried," Aric said, nodding his head to the horse.

Oh! Oh, Atticus Darbywasthe horse. Well…that was convenient.

Owen, Daniel, and Cosmo were waiting in a doorway, and they came out to my side.

"It's madness inside. No one knows what to do, and I think a good percentage of the staff went missing during the shift," Cosmo said, kneeling down and sliding his fingers into my fur. "No going back now, little muse."

I butted my head softly against his chest. I wished all my Chosen were coming out into the city with us, but I wanted someone to keep an eye on the castle while we were gone, and I didn't want them caught up in any danger as humans without magic of their own. It would drive my tiger mad if they got so much as a scratch on them, and that would only lead to serious trouble.

"You'd better go. I heard the council demanding they send in the army," Owen said. I snarled at that, but Owen just ruffled my ears. "Remember that the army is one of the first places they put two-natured to work."

"Sam, go tell Griffin and then come back to find us. We should go," Aric said to me as the white owl took off overhead. Aric hadn't risen into the saddle he'd put on Darby, but perhaps the idea of being ridden was offensive for a two-natured. "They'll send guards around to the back gate soon."

I rubbed up against the legs of my Chosen who were remaining behind, nuzzling my jaw into Daniel's outstretched hand.

"Have fun," he murmured. "Don't get into any trouble."

I huffed at that, and Thao bit lightly on the end of my tail, urging me to chase after Aric and Darby heading for the gate.

There was a winding road through tall outbuildings adjacent to the castle, where carriages and stores were kept, that separated it from the city. We hurried down it now, and I enjoyed the change of scenery. It'd been weeks since we'd been to the beach, and I realized now that I had too little fresh air in my life, cooped up during mourning. The floors in the castle were slippery under my paws, and this gritty road was uncomfortable but an improvement, less likely to send me sliding into walls as I gave chase.

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