Page 117 of The King is Dead
I had tears in my eyes as Turo nodded once, then let go of Melek’s hand, and avoiding my eyes, began to issue orders.
Jhonas and Granbull leaped to his instructions. Diadre and Hughes listened on with disbelief all over his face, his eyes flicking back and forth between Melek and me. But Shen looked relieved as he took instructions from Turo, then raced for the door to gather more men and runners.
Turo faltered before finally turning to me and meeting my eyes with a strange distance in his own.
“We’ll get Lady Istral into the Palace with no vulnerabilities. Let the Neph come with her, or move himself as he chooses, but he needs to get here too. House them here...”
I was breathless with disbelief and hope as Melek listened carefully, then asked pertinent questions, and Turo answered them—stiffly, but without challenge.
They were workingtogether.Reluctantly. Warily. But still…
“It’s almost like you attract good men,” Diadre whispered in my ear.
I had to swallow a snort, but when I looked at her from the corner of my eye, she was smiling.
“God knew who would be needed here tonight,” I whispered back. “Now, if we can just get Istral and Gall here before these fuckers find them…”
Melek’s hand appeared at my back, pressing silent reassurance into my skin. Then everyone was in action, moving, calling, expanding on plans.
Somehow I found myself ushered to the other end of the room, near the door, alongside Melek who wasn’t leaving my side.
But when Turo started out the door, I caught his elbow—my heart sinking when he jerked his arm back like my touch burned him.
I drew back a step and opened my mouth to apologize, but Turo moved first.
Bowing to me, then after a split-second hesitation, to Melek, he cleared his throat and spoke to Melek.
“Your Majesty. Once we have the Princess and her cohort safe, we will coronate you.”
“There’s no time. A coronation would require days of preparation—” I started.
Turo raised his hand to stop me. “We will not have an event with the people. Not yet. But in wartime, the Council can coronate. The people will be informed and can celebrate later.”
“This isn’t wartime,” Melek muttered. “Not yet. I still have hope we can avert that.”
Turo stared at him, sadness in his eyes. “Enemy forces have infiltrated our nation, and now the palace grounds. An attempt was made on the Queen’s life. That is an act of war.”
Melek and I both watched Turo bow again, then turn stiffly to walk out and instruct the forces he’d gathered to move Istral safely back to the Palace.
When I finally turned to Melek, it was to find him frowning, and his hands clenched to fists at his side.
“Melek—”
“He’s right,” he muttered.
“It’s an act of war, but—”
“No, Yilan… He’s right. I hate it, but he’s right.Dammit.”
I blinked. “You’re… you’re saying that you’ll walk to war?”
Melek’s expression was pained as he clawed a hand through his hair. “I’m saying that I’m desperately praying there’s another way through this that doesn’t involve me killing my countrymen just for doing their jobs,” he finished darkly.
42. The Queen Speaks
~ YILAN ~
Twenty minutes later, Turo was back with news that his best guards had been dispatched to bring Istral and Harris, and that Gall would be allowed to make his own way. All we had to do was wait for news that they had arrived and been safely hidden away.
