Page 133 of The King is Dead
“Not truly. They are… simple,” Harris said carefully. “But they know themselves deeply. I know you’ve been busy, but you need to see them and listen to them. They help each other. He makes her braver, and she makes him calmer.”
I looked at them again, swallowing back a pinch because I was watching my sister turn to someone else for comfort—the thing she’d always found in me.
Gall looked over her head and his eyes met mine. His worry and grief were palpable. “Must you go, Yilan?” he asked. “Surely Melek could take another female and they’d still believe the story?”
I didn’t want to tell him how sick that proposal made me, so I just shook my head. “I’m the best shadow walker. It has to be me,” I said, my head still spinning after Harris’s words.
Gall looked down at Istral and his sadness ran so deep I worried he’d misunderstood.
“Gall, you won’t have to leave Izzy,” I said. “In fact, I came to ask you to stay close to her,” I said with a glance at Harris. “To watch over her until I come back.”
“But… I can’t,” he breathed.
Istral gasped and snapped straight, her head coming up. “What do you mean?”
“I’m a warrior now,” he said miserably. “If Papa is going to fight… I have to go too.”
Istral wailed and buried her face in Gall’s chest, even more upset than she was for me. I tried not to feel jealous as Gall shushed her and stroked her hair.
“That’s not… you don’t have to, Gall. I canorderit that you stay—”
The door behind him creaked open and Gall whirled, putting Istral behind him—but then he shrank almost at once, dropping his chin and his shoulders rolling as Melek stepped inside, patting his shoulder before slipping past Gall and my sister, to come join me.
“He’s not wrong,” he said quietly, frowning. “His place as a Warrior is among the ranks. And if I’m successfully crowned, he’s my Heir. He has to be acknowledged as well—holding that position will keep him safer.”
I hadn’t thought of that. My heart sank for both Gall and Istral. No matter what I might think of Harris’s proposal, I knew they cared deeply about each other, and I didn’t doubt Harris’s assessment that they were good at balancing each other. I didn’t want Istral to lose both of us on the same day… but what could I say?
But then, in a very humbling moment, Gall looked up at me and sighed. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll soothe her. You just do what you have to do. Tell me when it’s time to leave. I’ll make sure I have my things ready.”
I looked up at Melek, but he was nodding solemnly. Then he took my arm and drew me out of the room so we could leave them to calm together.
I knew it was the right thing to do. We left instructions with Harris to move them back to Istral’s quarters when they were less emotional. But Ihatedwalking away from my sister. And not just because I wasn’t going to see her much before I left. Also because a part of me was suddenly frantic.
Did she not needmeanymore?
50. Desperate for You
~ MELEK ~
It took hours to convince Yilan’s Council that the Neph weren’t enemies, but misguided emissaries—and even more hours to make a plan they’d all accept for bringing both groups together. By the time night fell, we were both exhausted. I hadn’t slept the night before and should have been dragging, but my entire body buzzed with a frenetic energy fueled by fear.
Conversely, my mate wasexcited.She was doing an excellent job of covering it for those who couldn’t feelher. But the bond thrummed with it. She’d spent the entire day in her fighting leathers rather than a grand gown, and every time we made steps towards moving forward on her plan, her thrill increased.
She was looking forward to this.
I, on the other hand, was burdened with dread. And yet, even in that dark place, my body burned for her. Perhaps more so.
A ticking clock dangled over my head counting down the moments until she was in danger again. So the moment we were alone in the royal bedchamber, I swept her up, pulling her to me and taking her mouth desperately.
She sucked in a deep breath, throwing her arms around my neck and opening her mouth under mine, her tongue darting out to tease and beckon in ways that made me want to growl.
“Aren’t you tired?” she gasped as I made short work of her jacket and leathers, getting her stripped and naked within seconds of locking the door behind us.
I was sucking on her neck when she spoke and let my teeth graze her skin before I answered, walking her backwards, her face in my hands, her breasts pressed against my stomach because I’d gotten my shirt off, but she was still working on my leathers.
The bond was trilling, throbbing, spinning, that cord snapping tight between us. Every time I thought of walking her into the Nephilim camp and my fear peaked, the bond would tug, yanking her closer.
She’d just gotten my belt and buttons undone and was pushing my leathers down when we reached the bed. I stepped out of the restrictive clothing, kicking it off thoughtlessly. The leather flew, landing on the small tables at her bedside and knocking over an unlit candle.
