Page 88 of The King is Dead
Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and marched out of the room, his shoulders stiff. I deflated when the door closed behind him and Melek sighed.
“Yilan, I know that was hard, but you did the right—”
“No,” I said, pulling my elbow away from the hand he was extending. He looked shocked that I avoided his touch. I rubbed my temples. “Someone might come in,” I growled. “Let’s just… let’s just get through this fucking week so we can be together. Please.”
Melek nodded, but I felt his weariness in the bond reflecting my own.
32. Honor or Death
SOUNDTRACK:I Don’t Know What You Want From Meby Willyecho
~ MELEK ~
Turo sat at the opposite end of the Council table silently, his arms folded and eyes narrowing every time they landed on me. Yet, he didn’t speak.
Clearly he’d recognized that Yilan was losing her patience with his challenges, because after we left the stilted, near silent, formal dinner and the men had gathered here in Council, he’d barely spoken. Yet half the words the others hurled at me could have come from his lips.
He hadn’t walked in here unprepared. Of course he hadn’t. I wouldn’t have either. He’d spoken to the men before anyone took a seat. Now he sat back and watched them say everything he would have said.
Apparently he’d forgotten that I, too, was a man of honor who carried the loyalty of others. I knew a set-up when I saw it. I wanted to smack the smug satisfaction out of him which I knew was bubbling behind those cold eyes, but I also knew that these challenges had to be faced. Until these men had reason to think otherwise, I was nothing in their eyes but a spy and an interloper. Turo had done a grand job of priming them to challenge me. But he’d underestimated my resolve—and ability.
I hadn’t reached the peak of our military rankings before I was forty by sheer luck. There was a reason the Nephilim followed me into battle.
Soon, these Fetch would also learn that confidence in me was not misplaced.
Turo thought he’d set himself up to sit back and watch me fall, but he’d only sped up the timeline in which I could win these other men over because he had given me a forum to make them listen.
I should be thanking him. I would, after this grilling…
“…two weeks ago you led the Neph to the edge of our borders. Now you want us to listen to advice on peace talks? Do you expect us to believe you’ve simply had a change of heart?”
The man was named Hughes. Gray haired and wrinkled, he was the oldest of this bunch and the slowest spoken. Yilan had introduced him with a strange mingling of love and concern washing through the bond. She’d mentioned that he had served the nation loyally since her parents rule—which explained why she seemed to defer to him, even as she watched him like she was afraid he might tip over.
He was obviously a man with real experience and proven loyalties, but also a man at the end of his career. Growing frail, but prideful enough not to want to acknowledge it.
“My heart has not changed in the slightest,” I said quietly, turning to address every man at the table as I spoke in answer to his question. “Bringing the Neph through the Shadows of Shade was always the greatest challenge we faced—and we were slowed reaching them by the swamps, and the alliance of your neighbors with the Aethereans. It was always going to be a harrowing battle. My preference from the start was to find a way to align our nations—or at least agree on a truce.”
“Bullshit.” The word was muttered with cold disdain by a man about my age—Granbull. One of the Captains, and a bit of a hothead. I’d seen Turo shoot him a quelling look more than once already when he’d allowed his emotions to drive his tongue.
I had no doubt he was a passionate fighter and a foe to be taken seriously on the battlefield. But there was a reason he remained a Captain despite being years older than me. He lacked the self-discipline to remain careful when he was angry, or offended.
I would be an example to him.
I didn’t let the heat in my chest flare, didn’t challenge his contention. But met his gaze evenly and explained patiently.
“I’m not… unsympathetic to your position. When Yil—Her Majesty was taken in our ranks, I questioned her motives with similar cynicism. But do not forget: The Nephilim King was killed days ago. My society has been greatly affected. None of us anticipated that and so we must roll with the proverbial punches. I am a man of honor whether I stand in my home, or yours. I am a leader of men, and carry—that is, Icarriedthe future of very real lives in my hands. If I can find a way through this without further bloodshed, I will choose it every time.”
“Such pretty words for such a butcher,” Granbull muttered, shaking his head. “You have slaughtered your way from one end of this continent to the other and you expect us to believe it is as you reachedherethat you have a sudden heart to stem the blood flow?” he scoffed, his disbelief echoed by several of the others.
I shook my head. “I’ll admit, I was surprised by how easily the continent fell, as I’m sure you were. I expected far more resistance. But it wasn’t until after Noctharrow Haven that our progress was hindered. I defy any among you to suggest that if you were at war and conquering easily, you would slow of your own volition.”
Hughes scratched at his gray beard. “So, you don’t seek peace, you fear defeat and try to save face by—”
“I amdoubtlessthat if I were to lead my ranks into the Shadows of Shade, we would eventually win this land,” I said firmly, ignoring the flash of rage from Turo and a sharp look from Yilan and Diadre who sat next to her. “However,” I glanced at my mate and sent a soothing rush through the bond. “Having had an opportunity to know your Queen, I hold the deepest respect for her courage, and am equally doubtless that your people would wound us greatly before we were able to take control. Wounds like that could fester in a recently established hierarchy like ours. I see no point in gaining the land and your people if we will not then have the strength to hold what we have taken.” That should soothe their egos somewhat. But now let these men be reminded just how successful my campaign had been. “Given the instability among the Nephilim in recent days, and the vast lands and peoples we have conquered and now need to lead, I believe it would be unwise to plow forward without considering a more peaceful resolution.”
“You suspect you’ve bitten off more than you can chew,” Turo said with an eager gleam in his eyes.
I ignored the dig and shrugged. “I’m certain wecanhold and lead the entire Continent,” I said smoothly. “But as I said, I am notstupid or arrogant enough to think we can take everything without challenge—or that we will not face further battles. It seems only wise to try and stabilize our people and what we have, rather than pushing forward when there is an opportunity here to build some kind of truce.”
