Page 139 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
More than a few minutes had passed, yet neither of them had moved, both utterly and completely spent. Kalisandre’s head rested atop his chest, one of her legs sprawled over his thighs and her arm hugging his torso.
Graeson would have been perfectly content to stay there like that for the rest of the day—for eternity, if he could. He didn’t even care that his arm was falling asleep. He refused to ruin their moment of peace.
But apparently, the Fates had other plans for them. As Kalisandre drew circles on his chest, a toe-curling scream tore through the walls of the farmhouse.
Chapter 54
MYRA
"Get up,"someone commanded.
Myra pried her eyes open. Fatigue and anxiety coated her eyelashes.
A guard stood above her. A sneer curled on his lips, but when she found no wings protruding from his back, she almost sighed in relief.
But not all monsters bore wings.
"Now," the guard demanded, yanking her up by the crook of her elbow.
He snapped a set of cuffs onto her wrists and ankles. The metal was cold and pinched her skin. He quickly shoved a gag into her mouth before Myra could voice a protest. Still, she tried, and spit dribbled down her chin. The nameless guard only pushed her forward. Myra stumbled out of the cell as another guard led Rian out of his. The king wore the same manacles and gag as she did. Their gazes connected, and rage and fear blazed within his green eyes.
Rian tried to say something, a warning perhaps, but Myra couldn’t understand the garble that slipped around the gag. As the guard pushed him, Rian tried one last time to relay hismessage. He looked over his shoulder and glanced at the cell beside hers with wide, fearful eyes.
When Myra followed his gaze, her heart dropped.
"Where’s wo-wence?" The gag warped her words, yet the guard deciphered her question all the same.
He snickered behind her, shoving her forward. "The old captain is getting what he deserves."
Fear snaked its way up Myra’s neck. A large lump formed in the middle of her throat, one she failed to swallow. Hot tears slipped down her cheeks.
Her steps echoed in the space that threatened to swallow her. If only it had.
Chapter 55
MYRA
Myra’s breathsgrew shorter with every step she took, with every clang of metal that followed. Over a thousand voices slipped beneath the cracks of the closed doors and pounded against her eardrums.
She had imagined this moment going differently when they had started on this path—all three of them had. Rian was supposed to push open the doors to the throne room and stroll inside with his head held high. His people were supposed to greet him with open arms. Instead, the man who was supposed to put an end to this frivolous war and remove his brother from the throne was covered in chains.
Rian spun, elbowing one guard and kicking at another.
Myra reached for her power. She had to do something. She had to help get them out of this. They had to find Laurince. Her power was a dull thrum in her core, yet she latched onto it, coaxing it.
She sought the threads of the guards. Finding them, she tightened her grip. Emotions welled up inside her like a balloon, but before she could release them, they popped. The threads broke in her hands.
This wasn’t right. She wasn’t powerless. She wasn’t weak.
But there she was, unable to stop the guard from slamming his fist into Rian’s jaw. Rian bit the rod, and blood spilled out of his mouth, dripping down his chin.
Why would Sebastian do this? Why would he drag his brother, the king, into a crowded room chained? Did Sebastian wish to make himself an enemy of the people? Did he wish to turn them against him? Rian was their king, their ruler.
Before Myra could piece the puzzle together, two guards stepped toward the closed doors and thrust them open. As the crowd turned toward the sound, Sebastian’s voice broke over the murmurs.
"The people of Frenzia, our king—my brother—has returned."
Gasps echoed through the vast chamber as a guard pushed King Rian inside the room, restrained and gagged.
