Page 14 of The King is Dead
The guards rushed forward to find me gone and the anteroom empty.
Unable to face them, I fled silently. Sprinting down the stairs. Praying they were too focused on Melek to see the signs of my shadow walking. And cursing myself for weeping.
5. Mirror Souls
~ YILAN ~
Turo caught up with me later as I was crossing the courtyard on my way to the unused barracks where the Wielders were holding Gall asleep.
To keep the royals out of sight of potential assassins, the paths between the royal gardens and various external courtyards, stables, and other buildings, were each hedged by tall, ivy-covered walls. This path was one I especially loved to walk in the evenings, positioned as it was, due west, so the sunset was bracketed, giving the impression that I walked directly into the light. However, it left very little room for maneuvering.
I was still trembling, but my breath had stopped hitching and my eyes were clear, thank God. Because the first thing Turo did was rush to stand in my way so that I almost ran into his chest. I was forced to stop and look up at him, because if I’d hidden my face he would have known.
He looked down at me, frowning. “Why are you wearing your spy clothes?” he asked warily.
I looked down at myself and the soft, pliable leather I wore from throat to toe, a double-breasted leather jacket with a high throat, trim black leather pants that hugged my skin but didn’t restrict movement, and the soft but sturdy black leather boots that kept my steps quiet, even on the pebbles of this path.
“It’s the closest I had to what Gall would be used to seeing me in. I don’t want to confuse him when he’s been asleep—”
His tone shifted. “Yilan—”
“Don’t fuss about the yelling. I was speaking with Melek about Gall, who I also kidnapped, and whom I’m about to go see. He… took issue with some of the things I had to say.”
Turo stood in front of me, staring, his face tight, waiting. “That’s not what I’m worried about and you know it,” he said finally through gritted teeth.
I frowned. “Well, that’s what happened. Now, if you’ll step out of the way…” I muttered, slipping past him and continuing down the path. Turo muttered but fell into step marching just behind my shoulder, his disapproval a silent, heavy shadow over me. “There is no need for your presence in this, Turo,” I said after a few steps. “There are several guards posted already, and they will ensure that I remain safe—”
Turo huffed. “You seem obsessed with these Nephilim. I’m going along to make certain this one doesn’t also attempt to attackyou.”
I closed my eyes to hide that I was rolling them. “Gall is far more likely to attackyouthan me. But even you’re safe unless you raise a weapon to me.”
“Possessive bastards, aren’t they?”
I stopped walking and whirled on him, then caught myself as I was about to give him a talking to. He was doingnothingexcept trying to protect me. And I was angry with him for it? So instead of flaying him with my tongue, I shook my head. “You’re wrong. About both of them. But especially Gall. You’ll see,” I said.
I was turning to walk again when he caught my arm and tugged me back to face him. He wasn’t angry, his face was pinched with concern. “Yilan, please be careful. I watched Gall. I understand that he’s… not like the others. But… but even sweet Istral has hurt people while lashing out when she’s angry or confused. A nearly seven-foot-tall Nephilim presents averydifferent type of threat if he loses control.”
Instead of yanking my arm back, I sighed and pulled slowly out of his grip. “That is good advice,” I said. “But truly, Gall won’t hurt me. He believes he has to protect me. The very best thing you can do to stop this getting messyis stay back and keep the other men back as well.”
“But—”
“Turo, you have two options: Either you accompany me and stay well out of the way—in the doorways, or outside—or you don’t accompany me at all, and Iwillmake it an order. Which will it be?”
He exhaled noisily, glaring at me, but finally nodded once. “Fine. I’ll stay back. But I’m inside the room,” he said through his teeth.
I agreed and smiled to ease the tension. “You’re a good man, Turo,” I said quietly.
I turned and kept walking, the hair on the back of my neck standing up, because I could feel his eyes on me for every step.
Harris was waiting for me outside the barracks. She’d left Istral grooming ponies with the maids at the stables. We had agreed that once Harris met Gall, if she thought meeting Istral quickly would help, she’d fetch her while we were still settling Gall in.
There was still a small problem. I didn’t want to cage Gall, but I knew the guards would beextremelytwitchy about him being free. I hoped to convince Gall to visit one of the hunting lodges, or… something. I wasn’t quite sure. I just knew I wouldn’t put him behind bars. He didn’t need them.
Praying I wasn’t mistaken, Harris and I entered the barracks, watching to make sure Turo hung back at the wall. We approached the Adepts—wielders of the power—standing at the end of the room where four of the narrow barracks beds had been turned and pushed together to make a single bed long enough for Gall.
My heart pinched when I saw him lying on his side, hands under his cheek, his hair falling over his eyes but still short at the back.
He looked like a child.
