Page 37 of The King is Dead
This needed to stop. But as I opened my mouth, my gaze caught on one of the guards that ringed us. There would be more patrolling through the trees.
Even if they weren’t close, they would likely overhear.
“You want a personal conversation, Turo? Then do not raise it in the presence of others. If you want to talk, let’s go to my quarters.” At least there the guards would be on the other side of a door.
Without waiting for him to answer, I turned on my heel and started hurrying again. Turo kept pace with his long strides but I could feel the anger and unease wafting off of him.
My head was spinning. Ihopedthat Melek was calling for me because he had made a decision.
But what if that decision was to reject the bond?
Even connected as we were, he could sever it. Shut me out. Reject me. It would be horrifically painful for both of us, but it was possible. And it would free him from any commitment or—
My eyes welled, my vision blurring at the thought, and I put a hand to my chest, pressing there at the pain that echoed even at the thought.
Please… please don’t let him choose that path,I pleaded with God.
Turo didn’t speak as we walked, which only made me more tense. So, I just strode forward, first through the gardens then through the Palace, until we reached the Royal wing where the second set of guards peeled off.
The first four would stay with me until I was inside, and Turo with me.
By the time we reached the door, it was pure adrenaline rather than blood that pumped in my veins. But I managed to thank the Guards for their attendance. Turo announced that he would scan the rooms for me, and they could remain outside.
A few moments later he reappeared and nodded for me to enter. I stormed into my living room and Turo quietly shut the door behind us.
As soon as he turned from the door, I raised my hands, palms forward, to soothe him. “I amnotobsessed with thesecreatures.Firstly, they are not creatures, they are men—”
“I don’t care about the Nephilim—they are enemies. We will defeat them, and you’ll see that they are not as mythical as you think. I have avoided the cold facts of this, not wanting to hurt you. But I begin to think that we will not be safe as a people until your head is clear.”
I gaped at him. “Howdareyou! I wouldneverput my people in danger for—”
“You refuse to be proactive and walk to war when youknowthat the circumstances will never be better for our victory!”he hissed bitterly. “Who is going to pay for that if the Nephilim organize and focus, Yilan? Who do you think is going tobleedfor these decisions if you stay this course?”
“That isn’t why you’re angry! You’re angry because I have been retreating and—”
His eyes flashed and he stepped closer, his teeth bared. “I amangrybecause theystolefrom you, and no matter how else that fucker in the tower might have protected you, it was only out of hismisguided, Nephilim pride. Heclaimedyou, Yilan. Do you understand that? By his people’s traditions andwith his own hand,he claimed you as his. I don’t know what spell they cast when they do that, but it wasn’t some epic love that drove him. He waspossessingyou in the eyes of his brothers.”
“That was a ruse—”
“Bullshit!He claimed you so thatonlyhe had a right to you—not because he knew how precious you were, but to mark his fucking territory like a feral dog!”
Oh God. My anger fizzled out in a heartbeat as I saw how this looked to him. I couldn’t let this continue.
“No, Turo,” I breathed. “It’s not—”
“Yilan, that ishisshame, not yours. You do not have to make this right in your mind. And you do not have to carry the… theviolationof that pig. He wasutterly wrong,and his saving of your life does not erase that. You don’t have to—”
“He didn’t take me, Turo!” I said breathlessly.
“Yes,Yilan. Hedid. God, why do you make me say these things—we all heard the roaring and listened to the others speak of what it meant. Do you understand? You don’t have to protect him,or me.Even thechildmindknew he was dangerous!”
He drew closer and I stepped away, shaking my head, panicking. How to tell him? How to clear up his confusion without—
“Yilan, please,” he groaned softly. “I know this is… so awful. I understand why you don’t want to be touched, but that will heal with time. Let me be gentle with you. Show you that you’re safe here. Don’t let him steal this from you—fromus!”
I was shaking my head, backing away. “You’ve got this wrong.”
“No, Yilan,he got this wrong.”
