Page 49 of The King is Dead
Her jaw went tight. “Let’s fix that then, shall we?”
She slipped out of the window, her movements lithe like a cat, but there was barely a second to admire it because before my eyes she twisted into…nothing.I heard a creak behind me and whirled to find her shoving the cell door open, swinging it wide, then she stood there, facing me, with her hands on her hips.
“I will have them unmagik the windows when we’re done—but no, actually. There is no need. You won’t be here. You are free, Melek. There is no lock on that door,” she said tipping her head towards the anteroom double-doors. “If you want to go, go. I’ll tell the guards to leave you alone. Or I’ll tell them you’re my mate. It’s your decision.”
I stared at her for a long time, but she didn’t back down. I had no doubt she was telling the truth about the doors, and even the guards. I was certain she would let me walk.
The question was… why?
“What are you up to?” I growled.
She rolled her eyes and folded her arms. “I am fixing the problem and trying to get you towake the fuck up.”
“The problem here,” I snapped, gesturing between us, “Is that you lied and kidnappedme. I am yourmate!”
“My mate who had already made it abundantly clear that hischoicewas to plow off and get himself killed!”
“To saveyou—”
“I didn’t ask you to!”
“–and Gall!”
She jerked her head away, staring out the window behind me into the night sky. “Gall is safe,” she said quietly. “If you’re worried about him, don’t be. He’s… enthralled with my sister, and she’s equally besotted with him. I don’t know what will become of it, but at least for now… they find comfort in each other.”
I blinked at the change of subject. And my heart rose a little. Gall was with her sister? “Is he imprisoned as well?” I growled.
She shook her head. “Istral’s companion and guard is staying with them. I’ve kept a perimeter of guards around the property where they’re getting to know each other. But at least for now, there hasn’t been need to restrain him. Because of Istral, my people will be far more… sympathetic to his limitations. But with his size andNephilim-ness,they are wary, of course. I’m keeping him mostly out of sight and doing my best to give him time to become accustomed to being here without frightening him—or them.” Then she turned to meet my eyes again. “I asked him to come speak with you, so you’d know he was safe, and he refused.”
My stomach clenched. He’d said no? I had to turn away from the accusation in her eyes to take a breath and brace myself against the pain of my son’s rejection. I cleared my throat.
“He’ll come around,” I muttered. “He’s scared and confused, and I’m an easy target to blame. A safe target, because he knows he can come back to me.”
“That’s true,” she said. “But that’s not why he’s refusing. I told him the truth about us. Something I can now see that we should have done weeks ago because his reasoning for avoiding younowis that you lied to him… and you promised you never would.”
I whirled. “I didn’t lie! I just didn’t tell him everyth—” I cut off as she raised a single, pointed brow at me.
My skin felt too tight as the memory rushed back.
“I didn’t lie about anything,” she said hoarsely. “I just… didn’t tell you everything.”
“Well, you left out a whole fucking lot!”
I waited for her smugI told you so,but instead, her forehead crinkled. “I agreed with you back in the camp,” she said quietly. “I agreed that it was a risk to tell him. But we were wrong, Melek. We should have told him.”
I sighed and dropped my chin, clawing both hands through my hair.
Yilan swallowed. “And I should have told you,” she whispered.
My head snapped up and I locked eyes with her, wary.
Her eyes never left mine. “Idotrust you, Melek. Idobelieve you’re mine, chosen for me, and… and the right one to be King. But—” she said quickly when I opened my mouth, “I can see now, I should have told you the position I hold, and how that would affect you. I should have described the obstacles we faced and… and told you why I was so eager for you to take the crown. I should have trusted you with that, and I didn’t. And I’m sorry.”
I was stunned. She hadn’t looked away. Wasn’t avoiding my gaze.
“Yet, I also know that I had no choice but to bring you here against your will because your people would havekilled you.”Her chin was high, not with the disdain of a Queen but with the pride and honor of a soldier.
And the bondthrummed.
