Page 116 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
The bell above the door rang. All three of them turned toward it. Beneath the ringing bell walked a broad-chested man walking inside, his head swiveling over the crowd. His hair was cut short, nearly to the scalp. Myra’s mouth grew dry as she instantly recognized the newcomer. He might not have been wearing armor, but she knew without a doubt that he was a guard. And he was bee-lining it toward them.
She gripped Laurince’s arm, her fingers digging into the muscle as fear wrapped around her throat. "Laurince?—"
"He’s here."
Chapter 46
MYRA
"Am I glad to see you,"the stranger said, shaking the rain from his hair.
"It’s good to see you, too, Bax," Laurince said, standing to greet the newcomer. He pulled Bax into an embrace, both slapping each other on the back. Myra momentarily wondered if it was some competition to see who could slap the other harder, who could show the other they missed each other more.
When the two pulled apart, Bax looked at Rian. "Your?—"
"Sit down, Bax," Laurince urged, holding his hand out to the empty chair beside Rian.
Bax nodded in the king’s direction in place of a bow. Rian offered him a polite smile in return, but the stretch of his lips was strained. A river of guilt and remorse poured from Rian, washing over Myra’s senses. Since they had arrived in the capital, Rian had grown more tense, his movements more rigid, and his patience thin. Myra could only imagine what it felt like to walk through one’s kingdom as a mere ghost, hidden beneath a cloak.
As Bax sat, Laurince shifted, and his hand brushed the side of Myra’s thigh. Instinctively, she relaxed, her shoulders dropping as she let Rian’s emotions slip through her fingers like sand.
"Bax, this is Myra; Myra, this is Bax," Laurince said.
"It’s nice to meet you," she said.
Bax responded with a polite nod.
Laurince leaned closer to her. "He was one of the men under my command."
"Was?" Bax asked with an arched brow. "Found a replacement for me already?"
Laurince snorted, a half-smile pushing at the corner of his mouth. "I could never replace you, and you know it."
"Oh, do I. Who else would you get to do your grunt work?"
Laurince laughed. "Don’t act like I didn’t give you your money’s worth for those jobs."
Before Bax responded, Han came around and dropped off four pints of ale and a basket of bread. "Anything else I can get you while you’re here?"
"You’ve already done plenty," Laurince said with a sincere expression.
Han tucked the empty serving tray against his side and shifted his weight, as if wanting to say more. But as his gaze slid to the other patrons in the tavern, he simply nodded and returned to the bar.
Bax took a swig of ale. As he brought the cup down, his eyes widened as he looked at Myra again. He leaned forward, ale spilling over the rim of his mug as it smacked the table. "Wait, aren’t you?—?"
"Yes," Myra said, already knowing what he was going to ask. "Well, Iwasher handmaiden." She took a long sip of her drink.
"Was? Is she dead?"
Myra nearly choked on the ale.
"By the gods, Bax," Laurince mumbled, rubbing a hand across his face. He brushed his other hand against Myra’s thigh, drawing small circles with his thumb. "She only meant that she isn’t her handmaiden anymore."
Myra wiped her mouth. "As far as I know, she’s still alive."
"Oh." Bax gave her an apologetic smile.
Laurince bumped her knee with his. "She’s all right," he reassured quietly.
