Page 10 of The King is Dead
“I would say there are very few Nephilim that could be trusted, but the two we have are among them. And one… one I will need your help with.”
Her brows rose. “Mine?!”
I nodded. “His name is Gall. He’s still asleep, but we’ll be waking him this afternoon and I’d like you to be there. I’d also like your advice on whether Istral should be.”
“You’d put Istral in the same room with aNeph?”She stared at me like she wondered if I’d taken a blow to the head while I was gone.
“Trust me, when you meet him, you’ll understand,” I said with a smile, my heart both warmed and gripped by thoughts of Gall.
I wasn’t sure how his mind would process such a sudden and dramatic jump in both time and environment, which was why I wanted Harris’s input.
Harris stared at me thoughtfully. “He’s like Istral?” she asked quietly.
I nodded. “But he’s had averydifferent life. And he was extremely stressed and overstimulated before we knocked him out. I’m not sure what he’ll remember or how he’ll feel when we wake him. He knows me and trusts me. But… it would be good to have you there to offer any thoughts on the best care,” I said carefully.
Her brows pinched. “And Istral?”
“I think they’ll adore each other,” I admitted, taking the first sip of my chocolate and almost weeping with the pleasure of it. “But I’m not quite sure how she’ll react at first. I can’t decide if they would help each other calm faster or whether all the disruption would be too much for both of them.”
Harris frowned, clearly considering the question. “If I could meet him first, I’m sure I could make a judgment quickly.”
“Let’s think on that. He’s down in the old, unused barracks, because I wanted him somewhere quiet where it wouldn’t matter if he woke early and did damage. But I’d like to bring him to the Palace as soon as we’re sure he’s calm.”
“And he’s like Istral? You’re certain?” she pressed, clearly shocked.
I nodded. “I recognized it in him the first moment we met. They are twin hearts. Or perhaps their twin minds have molded their hearts. Either way, they’re alike.”
“ANeph?”
“I know. It surprised me too. He’s even royal blood,” I said, unable to resist the little seed of gossip.
Her brows shot up to meet her hairline. “He’sroyal?”
“Well, their version of it,” I said with a shrug. “But he will never lead, I assure you.”
“Who?” Istral piped up as Berne turned away, murmuring that he would get our breakfast.
I blinked. “A visitor. I brought some home with me,” I said quickly.
“Oh, those awful Nephilim?” Istral asked, her pretty brow furrowed in fear.
I took a deep breath. If Melek was the man I thought him to be, the man I prayed he could be, then Istral would need to get used to having him around. And Gall as well.
“They are Nephilim,” I said carefully. “But they aren’t awful, Izzy.”
Her eyes went wide. “The rumors aretrue?”
I nodded and reached for her hand. “You have no need to be afraid. Truly. It may take some time for them to settle in, but I think you’ll enjoy them once you see…”
Harris distracted Istral quickly, reminding her that she had a story to tell me about puppies due to one of the cattle dogs, and a funny moment when one of the footmen had tripped on the stairs. Soon Istral was babbling stories again. But her voice was a little higher, a little tighter.
By the time we’d eaten my sister was more relaxed. But that line in her brow hadn’t disappeared entirely.
Berne announced a messenger for me, and I told him I needed one more minute. I wanted to hug Istral before I went back totasks.
When I stood up from the table and opened my arms, Istral leaped out of her chair and into my chest, hugging me with abandon and sighing into my hair.
“I’m so glad you’re safe,” she whispered in my ear.
