Page 70 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
"That’s really unnecessary. I don’t mind," Laurince said.
He was giving her an out, and she could have easily taken it. She could have let him do the chivalrous thing. But it was too late to change her mind. She had already offered.
Swallowing, she gathered the courage that was attempting to abandon her. "Absolutely not. Like Rian said, who knows when we’ll be sleeping in a bed again?" Myra was already moving toward her small bag.
"I was really looking forward to that," he said, scratching his chest. "If you really don’t mind…"
"I insist," she said, rifling through her belongings. Her hair cascaded around her face, hiding the rising blush. She grabbed her nightgown, which, if she was being honest, was a little shorter than she would have liked when sharing a bed with someone. But it was the only option she had.
She looked over her shoulder at him. "Do you mind?"
"About sharing?"
Myra held up the flimsy nightgown.
"Oh, of course." He spun around, facing the door.
Myra made quick work of changing. Once done, her bare legs felt extra bare. She debated throwing on her trousers but opted against it, hating the idea of sleeping in dirty clothes. She turned around, intending to get into the bed before Laurince saw her, but she stopped dead in her tracks. Her mouth fell open.Laurince was pulling his shirt over his head, and the muscles in his back rippled as he moved. His shirt landed on the ground with a soft thump. And when she heard the quiet metal clasp of his belt, she gulped. Goosebumps spread across her arms. The belt landed on his shirt, but he stopped there.
Myra didn’t know if her shoulders sagged in relief or disappointment.
A loud snore startled her, and she swiftly padded over to the bed and slipped beneath the sheets. She turned toward the wall and squeezed her eyes shut, trying and failing to get the image of Laurince shirtless out of her mind. She was afraid it would haunt her dreams for the rest of her life. Was it too late for her to sleep on the floor?
The bed dipped from the captain’s weight, and a chilly breeze hit her ankles as Laurince found his way under the covers. He shifted, his shoulder brushing hers. She inhaled sharply.
"Sorry," she mumbled, scooting over.
Gods, she would never fall asleep. If she moved even an inch, she would touch bare skin.
"Stop doing that," Laurince whispered.
She froze. "Huh?"
"Stop apologizing for things that are not your fault," he whispered. "Ibumped intoyou, not the other way around."
"Oh," she said. Her lips parted, but she snapped them shut.
"You almost did it again, didn’t you?"
"No," she said, drawing out the syllable.
"Liar," he said, shifting again. When he spoke next, his voice sounded farther away, as if he had turned away from her. "You don’t owe the world an apology for existing, Haze."
Myra didn’t respond. She didn’t know how to. She hadn’t known how much she needed someone to say that to her. Hearing those words settled some of the noise in her headthat had been a constant companion for as long as she could remember.
With a deep breath, she sank into the mattress. And whether it was because of the mead, Laurince’s words, or his presence, Myra slept soundlessly for the first time in a long time.
Chapter 29
KALLIE
Fire eruptedbehind Kallie and cast an eerie light on the figure before her. The flames twirled across the iron helmet, painting swirls of gold and scarlet shades over the metal. Smoke billowed from the bull’s nose. Domitius tightened his grip on the reins, his leather glove stretching over his knuckles. The massive black stallion beneath him smacked its right hoof against the ground, sending up a plume of dust. Domitius kicked the side of his heel against the horse’s ribcage, and the horse bolted forward.
This time, though, Kallie was ready.
When Domitius reached down and snatched her by the arm, tossing her onto his lap, she twisted around, blade in hand. She raised her arm. But as she stared up at him, her hand trembled.
Domitius bellowed, the menacing laughter echoing beneath his full-face helmet. He snatched the dagger from her hand and struck?—
