Page 54 of The Kingdom's Crown

"Well…you could. If you were serving someone who understood your situation." I hadn't really known what I would do until I found myself sitting across from Lily, meeting her eyes. Cresswell was almost certainly going to strangle me. "I would like for you to stay here in the palace as my personal maid."

"What?!" It came from three directions, and when I glanced over my shoulder it was clear that Daniel, who was leaning against the wall and smiling patiently back at me, was the only one who wasn't horrified by the suggestion.

"Bryony," Cresswell growled, and I ignored him.

"Obviously, arrangements will need to be made for when your child comes," I began.

"Your Highness, I could never," Lily said, quite breathless and pale, so much so, I was afraid she might faint. "I tried to kill you!"

"Not verywell," I said in a small voice.

Cresswell yanked me up from the seat, spinning me to face him and glowering down at me.

"I can attest to her determination, Bryony," Cresswell snarled, arching an eyebrow.

I winced and nodded. "I know, of course. And believe me, if I thought she was a threat, youknowI wouldn't be offering this," I answered, willing him to understand me. "You know I'm not that forgiving, Cress."

He frowned, eyes narrowing, remembering the morning he'd tried to persuade me not to kill Emory myself.

"This is…not quite the leniency I imagined, Your Highness," Amos said slowly, watching us all.

"It's not really what I would imagine either, but I do think it is the safest option both for Lily and myself. No one will be able to punish her or influence her, especially not if she is being guarded and in my company. You will have to work within my suite, I think," I said to Lily as I reached out and placed my hand over Cresswell's chest. His heartbeat drummed under my palm.

"Think of what will happen to her," I whispered to him.

"It's not my duty to think of her," Cresswell answered, but I could see his frown turning thoughtful.

"Your duty, myChosen, is your love for me." I rose to my toes, smiling against Cresswell's glaring stare, and pressed my lips to his.

"My love for you drives my need to keep you alive," Cresswell muttered into the kiss, but he sighed as I pulled away and turned to face Amos. "What do you think?"

"I think we might assure both Your Highness' and Miss Johns' safety outside of this arrangement," Amos said, glancing between us. "But if you're determined—"

"I am." I was close to determined, if not absolutely.

"Then I will ensure you have no cause to regret it," Amos said. He stepped forward to Lily, not really intimidating but undeniably threatening by his stature alone. "If you ever try to harm so much as a hair on anyone in the princess's court and company—"

"I won't, I swear it! I don't ever want to see a knife again!"

"I will have the entire guard escort you to the gallows myself," Amos finished, glowering down at the girl who began to cry with some mix of relief and terror.

"I swear to be good, I really do."

"This is a risk, Your Highness. And not one I'm sure you'll find especially fruitful," Amos said.

He was right. Even if Lily was obedient and loyal and trustworthy, what was I gaining but a maid with a child? One who would certainly need more care and attention from her than I did. But as I looked at Lily, who was trying to contain her sniffles, a hand pressed flat and protectively over her rounded stomach, it was relief and not worry rushing through me. I was doing this because I didn't want this girl to fall prey to any more men or women who would use her for ill, because I was stronger than she, and I could use my own strength to offer protection, even without gain.

"I understand," I said, nodding.

"You're giving me gray hairs," Cresswell whispered in my ear as Amos told Lily that she would be attended by a guard—for my sake more than hers, I suspected.

"I think you'll look very handsome with gray hairs," I whispered back, trying not to smirk at his answering snarl.

15

Thao

On the morning of the funeral, I found Bryony seated at the long vanity in her dressing room, her new maid twisting her curls up in an intricate style. There was a guard stationed closely, watching every shifting of the maid's hands, but Bryony was staring blankly into the mirror.

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