Page 82 of The Kingdom's Crown

"They were killed?" I whispered.

"Not all of them. Not yet. But that isn't to say there's great hope for them. There's a small opening in the mountain face. Not enough for a man to fit through, but perhaps for a bird… Your Highness, the manager of the mine was an especially brutal man. He clipped wings, broke paws and legs, of any two-natured working to prevent escape." Jack's gaze bored into me, his hands clenched at his sides.

I pulled my own stare away with great effort, searching the room around me blankly until I found Cresswell.

"I'd heard of such places," Cress said with a reluctant nod. "It was the worst kind of assignment we could be given. As a bear, I was less likely to be placed there."

"Too valuable," Jack said, eyeing Cresswell. "And too hard to subdue."

"Their means of escape is now gone," I murmured, and Jack nodded. "What can I do? I could go to the north and…my magic perhaps might be of some help?"

Jack's intense anger seemed to falter at last, and he too fell into a seat, Nora moving quickly to his side. "No, Your Highness, I didn't mean for—Efforts are being made to save the men. That's not what I came to ask you. I'm here with a warning more than anything. The two-natured are angry. This feels like…"

"It's not enough to stop further injustice. What's already done must be undone," I said softly.

"Soon, Your Highness," Jack answered with a nod. "Or I fear there will be a war within our own borders."

21

Bryony

Aric was bent over his desk, scribbling in a notebook with his arm around it as if he were a schoolboy trying to guard his answers. A thief's habit perhaps, equally wary of being stolen from as he was willing to steal.

"Aric."

"No, Bryony."

I glanced at the book just an inch from my hand and considered tossing it at his head. It would be so easy. Almost definitely satisfying.

"You're worried about my safety—"

"Asusual," he growled.

I rolled my eyes. "That's very rich. Remember the time I saved your head from being separated from the rest of your body?"

Aric snarled and spun in his chair, glaring at me. But the second he set eyes on me, one corner of his mouth curled up, and a moment later he was laughing. "Vividly, princess. Never seen anything so beautiful."

My own smile soon followed, and Aric groaned, sinking into his chair, legs and arms spreading. It wasn't a real invitation, but I took it as such, crossing to him and settling myself into his lap, ignoring his grunt of protest.

"Oh, certainly, help yourself."

"You love it. Aric, listen—"

"Bryony—"

"I know there are risks. I'm listening to you. Now I'm asking you to listen to me. What is, if I decide to do this—"

"You clearlyhave—"

"—the best chance of my being safe, of the magic cooperating, and all going well?" I finished. Aric's head was resting on the back of the chair, eyes up on the ceiling, so I took advantage of the position, rubbing my fingers along his jaw and throat, over the stubble of his beard in the way I knew soothed him.

"I've been doing research on your queen's line. The mages have interesting texts, you know?"

I wasn't sure if Aric was trying to change the subject, but fighting him at every step wouldn't do me any good in this task. "What have you learned?"

"I suppose I've been confirming a suspicion. You're…you're not like us, Bryony," Aric said, head rolling to the side to catch my eye. "There's something in your magic, in your family line. There's never been a single son, did you know?"

I nodded. "Men aren't talked much about. Male lineage especially."

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