Page 47 of Kingdom of Feathers

Me too, admitted Ari. He tilted his head to one side, causing his long neck to rotate.Why didn’t she wait for him, like Lady Anneliese has waited for Caleb?

Wren snorted before she could stop herself.Because she and Conan weren’t genuinely in love like Caleb and Lady Anneliese were. Conan was only sixteen when the curse hit, and she was even younger! It was a teenage infatuation, and wouldn’t have lasted above two months even without the curse. I’m almost certain he was cooling off before he became a swan, and I’d bet my crown she was only interested in him because she liked the idea of being a princess.

Don’t say that to Conan, Ari said dryly.

Wren shook her head, smiling.Contrary to popular opinion, I’m still in possession of my senses, remember?She glanced back at her own notes.Are you done with these? I’d better pack them up before the record keeper comes back in.

Ari bobbed his head gracefully, and Wren rolled the papers back into a scroll with deft fingers. Her instinct hadn’t erred, because she’d just deposited the rolled bundle back in its place when the door opened without warning.

The theatrical gasp prepared her for the record keeper’s inevitable reaction to Ari’s presence.

“Your Highness! A bird inside the castle! Inside the records rooms!” He paused dramatically. “Inside the inner chamber of the sealed records! I really must protest.”

Ari had begun to bugle softly, in a sound Wren was sure would be a chortle in her mind if she hadn’t broken contact with him. She sent him a quick grin before turning to the record master. Folding her hands in front of her, she dipped her head in a silent apology. Then she made as if to shoo Ari toward the window, but the record keeper protested again.

“Your Highness! The swan’s too large—it will break the casing if it tries to squeeze through the window again. You’d best take it out through the doors.”

Wren debated arguing, but decided it wasn’t worth it. At a jerk of her head, Ari flapped down from the table to land by her side. She offered the bundle of loosely tied papers to the record keeper, and he held out an imperious hand to receive them.

“Ah yes, I can re-shelve those for you, Your Highness.”

Wren drew the parchments back, shaking her head. She gestured toward the desk just inside the chamber door, where a paper sat with a neat list in the record keeper’s somewhat fussy handwriting.

He frowned. “You wish to check those documents out of the record room?”

Wren nodded serenely, and the man fidgeted.

“Princess Wren, permission is required from the king to check out documents from this room.”

Wren raised a sculpted eyebrow, touching a finger to the signet ring dangling around her neck.

“Ah,” said the record keeper awkwardly, “yes. The crown prince—or princess, in our case, of course,” he added hurriedly, “has authority to remove…quite right.” He cleared his throat, making a show of pulling a quill from the inkwell on the small desk. “If you’ll pass me the documents, Your Highness, I will note their removal from the chamber.” He sent her a hard glance. “Theirtemporaryremoval, I should say.”

Wren gave a nod, trying to make her expression as reassuring as possible. She hoped word of her intended use of the papers didn’t get back to the record keeper. Or her father, for that matter. She doubted either of them would approve of her showing sealed records to King Basil. It wasn’t as though they contained anything genuinely sensitive though, she reasoned with herself.

Oblivious to her silent wrestling, the record keeper made a meticulous entry in his logbook. Then he handed the parchments back to Wren, not quite able to hide his reluctance. With Ari waddling comfortably at her side, Wren made her way through the public records room and out into the corridor.

She’d intended to head straight for the nearest exit into the gardens, but a familiar voice pulled her up short.

“You’re too kind, Sir Gelding.”

Wren paused, peering around the corner ahead of her. Lady Anneliese sounded uncomfortable to Wren, but it might just be the noblewoman’s habitual reserve. Wren’s eyes fell on Lady Anneliese’s companion with interest. It seemed Sir Gelding had arrived in Myst for his promised visit.

Casting an eye over him, Wren realized he looked faintly familiar from her childhood memory. Lady Anneliese had been right about one thing, she realized. Sir Gelding didn’t look old. His dark hair was barely streaked with silver, and his frame was strong. To her irritation, Wren had to admit that, smiling attentively down at Lady Anneliese, he looked quite dashing. The lady’s pale coloring and the baronet’s dark good looks certainly made a striking picture. Unease curled through Wren’s stomach. It was uncomfortably easy to imagine Lady Anneliese—who’d been lonely and sad for far too long—being swept off her feet by this charismatic enchanter.

She could only see Sir Gelding’s profile, but Lady Anneliese was angled toward Wren, and she suddenly caught sight of her audience.

“Princess Wren,” she said brightly, her manner suggesting she’d just spotted a much-needed ally.

The sight bolstered Wren, and she stepped fully around the corner, summoning a smile. Ari waddled beside her, seeming impatient, but evidently intending to stick with his sister. Lady Anneliese’s eyes widened a fraction in surprise at the sight of the swan cruising calmly down the corridor, but she made no comment.

Sir Gelding, on the other hand, froze midway through the bow he’d begun at sight of Wren. His eyes darted between the bird and the princess, and the poise Wren had observed in his interaction with Lady Anneliese a moment before seemed to have fled. Wren stared at him. It wasn’t unusual for people to be thrown a little off balance when meeting her, but his reaction seemed extreme. Then it suddenly hit her. Sir Gelding was an enchanter! Could he sense the magic that coated Ari’s every feather? And if he somehow figured out who Ari really was, would that violate the terms of the curse?

Panic coursing through her, she inclined her head in what she hoped was a gracious acknowledgment of Lady Anneliese’s greeting, then hurried past the pair to the entrance into the garden which stood not far down the corridor.

Ari hurried at her side, his wings flapping as he tried to keep up with her near jog. She didn’t pause to explain. She had to get to Caleb, and make sure he hadn’t suffered further injury. Her heart didn’t begin to slow until she finally reached the pond, and caught sight of her oldest brother gliding calmly—if a little awkwardly—across its surface.

She let out a long breath, turning to Ari, who had sidled up to plonk one broad foot on top of her slipper.

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