Page 180 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
"Myra,listento me." His fingers dug into her sore shoulders. "I will be right behind you."
"No, you won’t," she said through clenched teeth as she held back the tears.
"The others need you—the wounded and the dying. They need you to help them," Laurince pleaded.
"Youneed me," she whispered, the tears escaping.
"Ineed you to be safe."
She chewed on her bottom lip, hesitating. "I can’t help them," she said at last. "I’m not a healer."
It was something she recalled saying to Domitius before when he had asked her to assist with the experiments. She had no choice but to listen then, and look where that had gotten them.
Laurince tipped up her chin, beckoning her to meet his eyes. "You helpedme, Haze."
Another explosion erupted, this one even closer than the last. The earth beneath their feet quaked. Laurince held her tighter.
"You can do this, Myra. Your gift is a blessing, and those who are in pain will be grateful for a single ounce of it. Phaia will go with you."
"Phaia? But she’s—" Myra choked on her words as the woman appeared beside Laurince.
Phaia’s blouse was disheveled, a sleeve torn as if someone had snatched it. A smear of soot was spread across her forehead as if she had wiped the back of her hand on it. She carried a small blade. As if tracking Myra’s gaze, she slipped the stained weapon behind her back.
"We’ll go together, yeah?" Phaia held out her other hand with a trembling smile. She was afraid, too. But she wasn’t giving up. That much was clear.
Myra glanced at Laurince. She saw the plea in his eyes, and although she hated to part from him, she knew she would only be a distraction.
She nodded.
"I—" Laurince cut himself off though and wrapped her in his arms, squeezing her tightly. "I’ll find you afterwards, all right?" he whispered into her ear.
Tears soaked Myra’s cheek and fell onto his shoulder. Her throat swelled up, stealing her voice. Squeezing her eyes shut, she nodded, holding him tighter. He kissed her cheek.
Without another word, Phaia snatched Myra’s hand and peeled her off Laurince. Phaia ran in the opposite direction of the castle, pulling Myra behind her.
Myra looked back, but Laurince was already returning to the fight. And as she stared at his disappearing figure, she couldn’t help but wonder if that was truly what he had wanted to say or if he had been going to say something else before he had stopped himself. She wondered if she would ever get the chance to know.
Chapter 72
GRAESON
Graeson jumped into his trousers,swiftly buttoning them despite his trembling fingers.
The transformation still hurt like nothing else he had ever experienced, but the breaking of his bones was marginally easier this time. Unlike last time, he was only knocked out for a few minutes before Kallie was shaking him awake.
He had landed in a clearing just before the forest outside the capital’s perimeter. It was as close as he was willing to get without knowing the full scope of what was happening.
As Graeson tossed on his shirt, Kallie held out his scimitars.
"Thanks," he said, grabbing one and placing it in its sheath. He reached for the other, but she held it out of reach.
"Are you sure you don’t need to rest?" she asked, hesitant.
Graeson swept his hand through his hair, shoving the thick locks away from his face. They hadn’t flown as far as the night before, but Graeson had flown harder today. Still, he wasn’t tired. Quite the opposite, in fact. Since he was no longer fighting half of himself, his energy wasn’t spent on caging the beast within. Now it was as if he was overflowing with energy. The tips of his fingers buzzed at his sides.
"I’m good," he said, holding out his hand for the weapon.
Kallie eyed him warily. "Would you tell me if you weren’t?"
