Page 156 of The King is Dead
His lips pressed thin and he shifted in his seat.
“Gall, please,” Yilan gasped, appearing at my side. “If you know anything—please. Istral isn’t… she’s not equipped to—”
“She’s much stronger than you think,” Gall said sullenly.
“Gall,” Yilan started, sounding horrified, but I gripped her hand to stop her.
“Gall, no one is going to hurt you or-or punish you. But if you know anything about where Istral is, youmusttell us. She may need help.”
“She doesn’t. I help her if she needs it, but she’s not—” he bit the word off, then cursed as Yilan gave a little shriek.
“Where? Where is she?!”
I stepped up and grabbed Gall’s arms, forcing myself not to shake him. “Gall, you have to tell us where she is.”
“I was just doing as you said and protecting and providing!”
“Wait… providing for who?”
“My mate,” Gall said, a hint of steel in his tone.
My heart sank.Oh Son. You can’t know…
“Yourwhat?!”Yilan gasped.
Letting go of Gall, I grabbed for her hand and pulled her to my side. She was terrified for her sister, but raising her voice to Gall wasn’t going to make him open up.
“Gall—”
“I’m not stopping. She’s coming with us. I’m bringing my mate just like you are. And I’ll claim her just like you claim yours.”
Oh fuck.“Gall, it’s not that simple—”
“She will bekilled,Gall! How could you—”
“You said the Shadows won’t kill any Shadekin. And she’s Shadekin, just like you!”
“Yes!” Yilan spluttered. “But that doesn’t protect her from injury, or beasts, orother fucking Nephilim!Gall, she’s not trained, she’s not prepared for this—where is she? Where the fuckis she?!”
I grabbed for Yilan as she darted forward like she’d grab Gall and shake him, hooking an arm around her stomach and pulling her back against me, though she fought at first. I understood the urge, but it wouldn’t help.
“Gall,” I said as calmly as I could. Gall slowly lifted his eyes to meet mine. “Do you know where she is?Exactlywhere she is?” I asked quietly.
Yilan went still, listening, but her heart was pounding against my palm. I sent a rush of reassurance through the bond and squeezed her.
Then Gall nodded slowly. Several gasps and muttered curses rose, and I growled a few as well.
“Gall, you have to take us to her.”
Gall’s jaw went tight. “She would hide. She knows to hide if anyone comes near who isn’t me.”
“She’ll let me close,” Harris said, her voice still shaky, but free of tears now. “Show me, Gall. Or tell me. I’ll go to her. She’s… she’s probably cold. And afraid.”
Gall scowled. “She is not cold, and she’s only afraid that you’ll take her back, away from me.”
Yilan clawed her hands into her hair, but when she spoke this time, she kept her voice quiet.
“Gall, please… please, I ambeggingyou… please tell me or Harris. Let one of us go to her.”
