Page 45 of Kingdom of Feathers

Wren had barely noticed Averett placing his webbed foot on top of hers, but his voice rang clearly in her thoughts.

Well,she replied reasonably,strictly speaking, you haven’t ever met him. I thought introducing you as my swan-brothers might possibly break the conditions of the curse.

Averett clearly had no time for her jokes.

I’ve never heard such a load of manure, Wren. Claiming he knows nothing of the attack except what rumor says. We all heard that enchantress say she’d been sent to provoke war!

Wren frowned.She didn’t exactly say that.

Conan bustled up to her, pressing against her leg to make himself heard.I agree with Averett. What gives the Entolian the right to talk so casually about what happened that day? He didn’t even try to be sensitive, or tell you he was sorry for what you’ve been through.

Wren cast her mind back over King Basil’s words, the smallest of smiles curving her lips as she remembered what he had said. Conan was right that he hadn’t exactly been sensitive. But she found she didn’t mind his plain speaking. He might be direct, but that didn’t mean he was rude.

He called me sensible,she mused, to no one in particular.

Averett let out an angry bugle.So that’s it, then? A handsome young man calls yousensible, and that’s enough to turn your head, and make you decide he’s trustworthy? He’s our enemy, Wren! You’re not a child anymore—stop mooning.

Rett,interjected Caleb, reproachfully, but Wren found she had no desire to shelter behind her oldest brother.

I know I’m not a child, Averett. The tone of her thoughts held a snap as she glared at Averett’s avian form.And I resent the suggestion that I’mmooningover anyone! I just appreciated the compliment, that’s all. If you’d spent six years being followed everywhere by whispers about how you’d lost your wits, you might appreciate being called sensible, too.

We’re supposed to feel sorry for you because of a few whispers?Conan demanded, his weight pressing so heavily on Wren’s leg that she was losing feeling.We’ve spent those years stuck asbirds, in case you’ve forgotten! All because of your stupid prattling about swans that day!

That’s enough, Conan.This time Caleb beat Wren to a response.I won’t tolerate any criticism against Wren, or any belittling of what she’s been through.Caleb’s habitual authority radiated from him, and the group fell instantly still and silent, not a feather rustling in the morning air.We’ve all suffered, but she’s the only one who has a choice. And she’s chosen to sacrifice for us. I’m inclined to think it’s a count in King Basil’s favor that he’s intelligent enough to see that there’s nothing wrong with Wren’s mind.

So you believe him as well?Wren asked eagerly, bolstered by her brother’s praise.

Caleb stretched out his neck, weaving his head slowly from side to side as he thought.Honestly, I’m not sure, he said at last.

Wren deflated a little, disappointed. She wanted so badly to be right that King Basil was trustworthy. Her own eagerness alarmed her a little, if truth be told.

Bram waddled forward, unhesitatingly shoving Conan out of the way and pressing his own wing against Wren’s leg.

What was he saying about a promised discussion this afternoon?he demanded. Clearly he hadn’t been close enough to read Wren’s written message to King Basil.

She sighed.I said I’d tell him this afternoon. About what happened that day.

You’re going to tell him the truth?Bram repeated, his voice horrified in her mind. Only those touching her had heard her comment, but the others could hear Bram’s words even without contact, and a chorus of alarmed trumpets instantly surrounded her.

Of course not, she reassured him, shaking her head soothingly at the others as well.I’m just going to show him the official report. I fobbed him off until this afternoon so I could go to the records room and get it, instead of having to write it all out for him on my slate. If he’s telling the truth that all the Entolians know about the attack is what they’ve heard via rumor, who knows how garbled their account might be?

You’re going to the records room?This time it was Ari who’d nudged his way in, displacing Averett, somewhat to Wren’s satisfaction.Can I come? I want to look over your notes about enchantments again.

Several of the others clicked their beaks impatiently, and Wren didn’t need contact to know what they were thinking.

What’s the point, Ari?Bram sighed, his wing still resting against Wren’s leg.We’ve pored over those notes a hundred times. If there was a way around the curse, we would have found it years ago. We just have to wait—it’s only a couple more months.

Ari made no reply, ignoring his older brother as his eyes rested expectantly on Wren.

All right, she told him with a shrug.Everyone’s pretty distracted by the Entolian delegation, so we might get away with it. Give me fifteen minutes to eat some breakfast, then meet me at the window.

Ari pulled away from her, giving a happy bugle that she assumed contained a thanks. Flapping his wings, he made his way toward the pond, presumably to forage for his own breakfast. Wren tried not to think about what he would be eating. Grateful as she was for Caleb’s defense, she couldn’t help but agree with Conan that there were definite perks to being the silent human in the group rather than one of the enchanted swans.

Wren. Caleb’s soft voice in her mind drew Wren’s attention down to him. The others had begun wandering away, but he remained on the bench with her, looking up at her out of eyes that seemed troubled.

She raised an inquiring eyebrow.

Be careful, all right? I want to believe King Basil. I want peace as much as he seems to, and that will be much easier to achieve if it turns out his father didn’t try to murder us all. But you don’t need me to remind you what your research has found. That was a powerful enchantment that woman threw at us.

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