Page 39 of The King is Dead
And not just to be near him, but tohavehim. Even with Turo’s ugly assumptions and Melek’s anger, my body ached for him.
But what if Melekhadfooled me? What if they had magik I didn’t know, or there was some kind of manipulation of which I’d been unaware?
Everything inside mescreamed.
That pang in the bond answered, so when Turo yanked open the doors to the prison anteroom I hurried through them, scanning for Melek. My heart pounded and my body slackened with relief when I found him sprawled on the bed.
Turo, still at the door, snarled at the guards ordering them to move halfway down the stairs, to guard from there, and that we weren’t to be interrupted. I rushed to the bars and gripped them, leaning against them and whispering to Melek, pleading with him.
“Please don’t hurt him—he doesn’t know about the bond. I’ve told him I took you willingly and he thinks you deceived me. Please don’t—”
“Yilan, do not debase yourself for this monster. You are aQueen.He should never have had the privilege to lay a hand on you—let alone anything else. But do not put yourself at his feet. He does not deserve it.”
Melek remained on the bed. He’d been staring at the ceiling but when Turo began to rant his eyes cut to my General.
“Strange that you lecture her on not debasing herself, and yet you speak to her as if she is a child.”
Turo hacked a humorless laugh and strode over to the bars, pointing at Melek. “You think you seemydisrespect? You’re a fuckingNeph.”
“Turo, stop—” I breathed. But he only turned a snarl on me.
“You have left me no choice but to face you with the bald truth about this fucker. Remember that when this is done.” Then he turned to Melek and pointed to me. “We know what she went through—what you did. She was a young, inexperienced woman, but I am not. So do not try to use yourcharmon me, you cunt. We heard your claim, yourroaring,we heard every word from your brothers, and it made us sick. Whatever lies you have fed her about protection, or some kind ofsick value,you tell her thetruthnow.”
“Turo,” I begged.
He whirled on me. “Iwill protect you.Iwill care for you—this fucker knowsnothingabout value or-or what atreasurehe had his hands on.”
“That’s not—”
“I understand why you shun my touch, but you need to learn the truth—”
He reached for me, and I jerked away. Melekflewoff the bed, his wings snapping out to fill the room nearly wall-to-wall as he threw himself at the bars, eyes afire.
“GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF HER!”
Fear jangled through me as Turo turned, teeth bared, reaching for his sword.
“STOP, BOTH OF YOU!” I shrieked, shoving Turo away before Melek grabbed for him through the bars.
Turo was panting, he stared at me with a pained look in his eyes, pleading with me to see what he thought was really happening here, but his eyes narrowed when he looked over my shoulder to glare at Melek.
Wary of his reaction, I kept my eyes on Turo as I desperately threw myself at Melek’s mind to show him all that was happening, to paint the picture of him as our King and how even Turo would bow once he knew what was between us. But I came up against a wall even more impenetrable than these bars.
Melek had locked me out.
The bond rang with pain.
“Please…” I whispered to Melek, but Turo was the one who shook his head.
Melek gave a deep, resonant growl that rang in the walls, then his steps began to thud on the stone floor as he paced behind me like a caged lion.
“Melek,please,”I begged.
Turo’s eyes tracked him as his pacing increased. I knew they were entirely focused on each other, neither of them listening to me.
My patience evaporated under the weight of their alpha-male bullshit. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t hold any more secrets. I couldn’t protect anyone else. I could barely keepmyselffrom falling apart.
“Fucking men,” I growled, pushing off the bars, glaring at Turo, then shot the same dark look over my shoulder at Melek. “Fucking men and their fuckingpride.”
