Page 148 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
"You truly do have a death wish, don’t you?"
At Laurince’s voice, Myra nearly collapsed on top of him. Instead, she forced herself up and peered down at him.
Rian moved, and Myra quickly took his place at Laurince’s side. "Are you…are you all right?"
"Areyou?" he asked, swiping away her tears with a shaking hand.
"I’m not the one who got crushed by a drakonis," Myra argued.
Laurince shrugged. "Maybe not, but you kind of look like you did."
She scoffed, aghast.
"Care to let me up?" he asked, raising a brow.
Myra looked down. Her palms were pressed against his chest and stomach. She removed her hands instantly, cheeks flaming.
"Sorry," she mumbled, standing and holding out a hand. He grabbed it. His hand was large in hers, and she could feel the calluses covering his palm from years of wielding a sword.
Once on his feet, Laurince stared at her, his gaze dipping down to her lips. He caressed her cheek.
He was alive.
He wasalive.
Myra didn’t know who leaned in first, but before their lips met, a trickle of pain wrapped around her. Myra leaned away. Pain pinched his brow, and sweat dripped down the sides of his face.
"Laur—"
The captain keeled over, his back contorting.
"By the gods," Rian hissed, his gaze falling on Laurince’s back.
Then, Myra finally saw it. The burn had spread down Laurince’s flesh, and his tormented skin was smeared red.
"The tunnels," Laurince croaked, pointing to a wall.
Rian slipped one of Laurince’s arms over his shoulder, and Myra immediately did the same. As she held onto him, she sought the source of the pain and sedated it as much as she could, as much as her draining power would let her. Phaia hurried after them as they bee-lined it to the hidden tunnel within the wall.
Behind them, the drakonises continued to wreak havoc, their hunger insatiable and unrelenting.
Chapter 57
KALLIE
Kallie and Graesonburst through the doors of the farmhouse. The front door slammed against the wall, and the pictures hanging on the wall rattled.
"Watch the damn door!" Menz shouted.
"Menz?" Graeson shouted. "What is going on? Why did we hear someone?—"
A loudthumpcame from upstairs, followed by a crash.
When Kallie and Graeson reached the living room, they came to an abrupt halt. Menz was sitting, chipping away at a piece of wood with a small blade. He lifted the small wooden object up to the window and squinted as he inspected it. He pointed his blade toward the ceiling. "They’re upstairs."
"What’s happening?" Kallie asked, wanting to know what they were running into first.
Menz shrugged. "I’m staying out of it. But if they damage any of Lois’ paintings, I’ll kill both of them. I don’t care who’s to blame."
