Page 14 of Kingdom of Feathers

A soft trumpet of greeting drew Wren’s attention from her task at last. An orange beak was protruding from the reeds at the edge of the castle garden’s enormous pond, and she had no difficulty recognizing it. Putting her knitting aside, she hurried over to the water’s edge, a slight frown marring her forehead. Spring had almost arrived, but the mornings were still very cold. She wished Caleb would let her sneak him into her suite at night—she’d learned the hard way years ago that openly bringing her swans into her rooms was more than her parents would tolerate—but he wouldn’t hear of it. He claimed it was a matter of her privacy, but she suspected it was more that he didn’t want to be sheltered in the warm castle while his brothers had to sleep on the frigid waters of the pond.

She sighed as she knelt beside the water. That was Caleb. Always the responsible, selfless leader, even when he had no one to lead but a bevy of swans.

She reached out both hands and helped guide the large bird over the rocks at the water’s edge. He was heavy enough that she didn’t just lift him straight over, but she tried to take enough weight to ease his awkward clamber to flat ground.

Thanks, Sis.

Caleb’s voice in her mind was as warm as always, showing neither frustration nor embarrassment at his limitation. But the familiar stab of guilt raced through Wren as she watched him steady himself, his ruined wing bent painfully. She no longer had any hope that the injury would heal with time. In over five years, there had been no improvement to the damage done by her one careless word, and by her solitary attempt to write out the truth of her brothers’ state. What the impact of the injuries would be once he resumed his human form was impossible to tell.

What are you doing out here in the cold?Caleb scolded, honking aloud with the words.

Bram waddled up, honking as well. Wren could only assume he was telling his brother that he’d already tried to convince her to go inside. She ignored their noise, her gaze fixed on the other four swans who were now gliding across the surface of the lake.

With the exception of the lopsided Caleb, her swan brothers were incredibly graceful. Even Ari moved with an elegance that was almost comical, given the madcap boy she knew to be underneath. Not boy, she reminded herself. Ari was a man now, like the rest of them. Strange thought.

Once all the swans had emerged from the pond, trumpeting and flapping their wings, Wren returned to her bench. She pulled a completed jacket from underneath, and turned to the birds now gathering around her. Kneeling down, she laid her hand on the neck of an uninjured swan about the same size as Caleb.

This one’s for you, Averett,she informed him cheerfully.

The swan said nothing, merely sending her a look that was far more human than any bird should be capable of. Wren grinned, wrestling the garment over the swan’s head in defiance of his unhappily clicking beak. She pulled it down around him, patting the wool into place to provide an extra layer of protection against the chill air. Averett let out a disgruntled trumpet, which somehow translated to a groan in Wren’s mind.

It scratches my feathers, and it looks ridiculous. Why do you waste your time on this nonsense?

“Your Highness.”

The clear disapproval in the new voice made all six swans gather around Wren. Even Averett abandoned his complaints as he joined the others in flapping their wings aggressively and jostling one another in their attempts to get between the princess and her approaching governess. They all disliked the older woman even more than Wren did.

With a rueful smile, Wren lifted her eyes from the identically defensive posture of the birds. Their newfound grace wasn’t the only thing her brothers had gained during their time as swans.

“Your Highness,whatare you doing out here at this hour of the morning, and all alone?”

Angry honks sounded around Wren, and she shook her head in amusement at her brothers’ offense over being disregarded.

The governess sent them a nasty look, but otherwise ignored them as she began on a familiar lecture about the proper conduct for a princess.

Tuning out the words, Wren touched her hand to the top of Caleb’s head, where he’d hustled up next to her.She’s not going to eat me, you know. You can all stop trying to fight her off.

We’re your brothers, Wren,Caleb reminded her firmly.We’re supposed to be protective of you.

Wren clucked her tongue, unconvinced. Of course Caleb said that—he’d always been that way. But it wasn’t just him now. All of them, from the brazen Averett to the heedless Ari, suffered from an overactive sense of protectiveness toward their sister.

Is protectiveness a swan instinct, maybe?she mused, projecting the thoughts into Caleb’s mind simply because she could.Or is it just that I’m the only one you can all communicate with? Talk about forging a sibling bond.

What do you mean a swan instinct?Caleb’s voice was unusually sharp in her mind.Surely you know why we all want to look out for you?

Wren glanced down at the large bird, whose neck was craned gracefully back to allow Caleb to look at her face. For a moment she was at a loss, then the answer washed over her, leaving a chill more pervasive than the frosty morning air.

Of course. Her quiet thoughts were the equivalent of a whisper, but she knew Caleb would be able to make them out.Your very survival depends on me. Of course you want to keep me safe.She shivered, hating the reminder that one heedless word from her might be enough to end Caleb’s life. But it was a reminder she needed constantly, to make sure she didn’t get careless.

Caleb clicked his beak in a sound that clearly betokened distress. But there was no time for further exchanges. The governess had reached the end of her patience.

“Princess Wren!” she snapped. “Did you listen to a word I said?”

Wren hadn’t, of course. But there was no need to admit that. Feigning a look of concentration, she pulled her slate from the pocket that hung from her waist and leaned over it as if to write.

“Oh, never mind explanations,” said the governess impatiently. “Just come inside now.”

Wren hid a smile at the predictable response. Her governess had never had much patience with Wren’s silent communication, a fact the princess had often used to her advantage.

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