Page 36 of The Kingdom's Crown

"Young Mr. Clemont Goddard, of course."

The room was quiet at her answer, as if we were all too disgusted or horrified to move, like the moment might be erased if we just held still and waited. Lily was sniffling and hiccuping softly, still dazed from my magic, and the guilt of pulling these secrets from her left a bitter flavor on my tongue.

"We assumed the family might be involved after the two women fled earlier," Amos said in my direction. "We sent word for their estate to be searched, but there was a report of a sighting by the docks. We think they might've fled Kimmery."

"Speak to their staff then, to any extended family that might be tracked down. Anyone with a chance of confirming Lily's claim," I said.

"Yes, Your Highness," Amos answered.

I straightened in Aric's embrace, and he wiped my tears away, careful not to allow anyone else to see. Daniel and Cresswell had moved in to surround me, a reassuring blockade against the rest of the room.

"Frances Goddard is now Lady Roderick," Daniel said to Amos, adding to me, "although the Goddard family has no members on the council themselves."

I nodded and squared my shoulders, turning as Cresswell and Daniel stepped back to my side. Head Guard Amos stared back at me with naturally narrowed dark eyes, awaiting any verdict I might give on the girl's fate.

"I would like Lily to be taken somewhere more comfortable. Please… Not with the others," I said, frowning as I thought of the dark cells I'd passed on our way down.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"She should be guarded, protected," I said, and his eyes widened slightly. "We suspect that those responsible for her orders have fled, but I would rather not assume that means there is not someone else who will object to Lily's honesty."

Forced honesty. Dragged out from a magically drugged tongue.

But at least I know now that her violence was born of desperation rather than a genuine interest in seeing me dead, I thought.

"And…perhaps a doctor?" Head Guard Amos asked very carefully.

I frowned, wanting badly to turn to Aric or Cress or Daniel for advice. Could we trust a doctor?

"Not a castle doctor. Someone from the capital," I said, weighing the idea in my head. A castle doctor might be aligned with the council. At least a hired doctor from the city would be an unknown. "And either I or Aric should be present." We would have the magic to intervene if anything went awry.

"I'll go," Aric said quietly behind me, and I nodded, reaching back gratefully and pushing him more magic. We were both low now, and I'd probably never been inlessof a mood to be made love to.

"Of course, Your Highness," Head Guard Amos answered with a bow. He rose again and looked over the four of us before back to the wearily weeping Lily. "An attempt on the crown is a serious offense. If Your Highness has the time, we should sit and speak soon on the matter."

He spoke cautiously with no direct glance at the other guards around us, but I appreciated what was unspoken. Head Guard Amos understood our suspicion against the residents of the palace, even against his own men.

I nodded curtly. "It would be greatly appreciated."

10

Bryony

The conversation did indeed take place soon. The very next morning in fact.

"And you only have the former Chosen's word in regards to your sister?" Head Amos asked. He'd worn the same grim expression for the entire meeting in the small meeting room of my suite, sitting stiffly at the edge of an armchair.

"Why shouldn't that be enough?" Cosmo snapped, and I slid my hand into his, drawing it to my lap and soothing the fingers of my free hand along the inside of his arm.

"Yes, and he never made any attempt," I said simply, Cosmo huffing but leaning his shoulder against mine.

We sat on the couch facing Amos, Thao and Wendell pressed closely on my other side, Daniel and Owen perched on the back of the couch. Aric was with Cresswell, guarding Lily through the hired doctor's visit.

"We are speaking frankly, Your Highne—"

"Bryony, please," I said for the third time.

Head Guard Amos pressed flat lips into an even thinner line. I couldn't tell if he disapproved of my informality, or if it simply made him uncomfortable, but he nodded briefly.

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