Page 124 of The Stolen Princess
Myka’s eyes dropped.
“There is a letter, though,” Sharlette said, pulling it out of the pocket of her skirt.
Myka jumped out of her throne, grabbing the letter. She looked around at all of the guards and servants, staring at her. She nodded back at the room.
“That will be all. Thank you.”
She watched as the room emptied, and once the door was shut, she collapsed back into the soft gold cushion of the throne.
She sucked in a deep breath, then tore the envelope open. It was thick, like there was more than just paper inside. She unfolded the creased letter and a single pine nut rolled out into the palm of her hand. Myka smiled as she held the nut in between her fingers. She glanced down at the paper. It was blank.
Did Drake have to be so vague?
Then she flipped the paper over. There was a single sentence.
Don’t shoot.
Her smile widened.
Myka stood.
She needed to find her pants and t-shirt.
39
Myka
Myka steered Bronze down the dirt path that led to Rommel and Joett’s house. A rush of emotion spilled through her the way it always did when she visited their cottage. She sucked in a deep breath. They would have been happy for her today—happy that she wasn’t alone. She dismounted her horse and tied him up to the post in front of the house. She saw Drake’s personal transporter pulled off to the side and blood rushed to her cheeks. She was excited to see him…and nervous. It had been three and half months since they had seen each other. And although they had exchanged letters, there were still a lot of unknowns. Myka wiped her palms on her pants and peeked around the side of the house, half-expecting to find him shirtless and pumping water like he had been the day they had met, but he wasn’t there.
She walked to the front door, pausing before she twisted the door knob. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to tamp down her nerves.
What she needed was a pep talk.
Drake came all this way. He obviously likes you a little bit or else he wouldn’t have come. And you’re a queen, so you’re pretty much the most powerful woman in Tolsten right now. If that isn’t impressive, then I don’t know what is.
The pep talk helped.
She exhaled and twisted the handle, pushing the door open.
Drake sat on the kitchen table. He was dressed in his signature black, holding a bag of pine nuts. As she stepped inside, he popped a single pine nut in his mouth, raising an eyebrow. He looked unnecessarily sexy as he sat there, confidence hanging off of him like a cape.
“You took a long time opening the door,” he said, smiling at her as he chewed.
She rolled her shoulders back. “I meant to. I thought it would be a nice touch.”
“It was,” he said as he threw another pine nut into his mouth. “Great build up, excellent anticipation.”
“How did you get in?” she asked, leaning her hip against the counter.
“Someone showed me where the key was.” He shrugged. “Under the second stone.”
“You should be more careful. I might have mistaken you for a thief. I could have shot you.”
He smiled. “But my letter said,don’t shootso…”
“So that was the hint?”
“Yes.”
