Page 97 of The King is Dead
“Just as he said?” I couldn’t help asking.
“Just as he said,” Turo affirmed tightly.
I gave him a grateful look over my shoulder, but didn’t leave it lingering. I didn’t want to encourage him to seek greater intimacy. “Thank you, Turo. I know you’re eager to protect me. But I’m grateful that you’re willing to see the evidence to counter your concerns.”
Turning back to the garden, I smiled—and my heart rose as a large, dark shadow followed by two smaller shadows, moved out of the Palace and onto the lawn below.
Melek, and the guards Turo had set on him—that he was pretending not to be irritated by.
My handsome mate crossed the lawn confidently, his long strides eating up the space, two guards hurrying in his wake.
Turo cleared his throat behind me, but just as I was about to turn, Melek’s appearance startled the gardener.
She gave a short, sharp shriek, and Melek caught himself midstep, raising his hands to soothe the woman.
I still couldn’t see her face, but she clutched her plump chest.
Inching forward, Melek dropped his stance with his arms extended, as if in some strange bow—I was frowning, confused. But then he reached down to pick something up. The metal of a tool flashed in the sun as he handed it to her.
My heart thudded in my chest when she left him standing there for a breath.
But to my great relief, she nodded once, then hesitantly took the thing, nodding again and even bobbing a low curtsey to him asMelek backed away, bowed beautifully, then continued on his path without looking back.
The gardener watched his progress until he and his guards passed out of sight, then turned, but for a short time she just stood looking at the tool in her hand before returning to her task.
My heart pinched and I clasped my hands together, hoping and praying.
They’d see. All of them. They’d all been twitchy about the Neph, especially because of their size. But now the initial shock had passed and people were getting a chance to see their true character…
My heart sang.
“Yilan, are you listening?”
I blinked. Turo was speaking, and I hadn’t heard a word.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly, turning from the window. “I was… distracted.”
He frowned, then strode over to stand at my side, peering down to the garden—just in time to see Melek disappear into the trees, the guards hurrying in his wake.
I saw his shoulders drop and I hated myself a little bit more.
“What was it you said?” I asked, hoping to distract him.
Turo was stiff, his hands locked on the edge of the windowsill. He didn’t turn away from the sight below, but cleared his throat again and spoke quietly.
“I said… as the General suggested, we have sent the first messengers to extend an invitation to Jannus the Halfling. I will… I will let you know as soon as any word is received on his whereabouts, or… or what his reply might be.”
“Excellent. Thank you.”
He finally turned from the window. Dark smudges underlined his eyes. The lines above his cheekbones and crows feet suddenly seeming far too deep for his age.
Two more days and the Jubilee celebration, then this torture will be over for all of us.
After staring too long, Turo nodded, bowed once, then walked out, leaving me relieved. And exhausted.
Thankfully, those last days passed too quickly to count.
I only rarely saw Melek. He was always gone from my room when I woke no matter how early I opened my eyes. He spent every waking hour carefully winning over those within the Palace, or calmly arguing with the Council. Even when we attended Advisorymeetings together, he cautioned me to let him fight his own battles. So I did, treating him as I would any other Advisor.
