Page 96 of The King is Dead
When we’d both stopped twitching, he drew his feet up, pulling his legs forward so he was sitting, me still straddling his lap, but slumped backwards over his chest.
The hand clamped over my mouth freed me for a second time, but slipped up to my hair, the weight of that great fist holding my head down against his shoulder.
And so we sat there together, as close as two bodies could be, and gathered our wits again.
A few minutes later, neither of us had spoken. Our breathing was slowly returning to normal. My body was wrung out with pleasure, but my skin felt cold as the sweat dried on me and my heartbeat returned to its steady, slow pace.
Melek kissed the side of my neck, then let his hand drag down my side. And when he felt the goosebumps on my skin, he sighed deeply. He shifted his weight slightly, then there was a snap. A pair of large, raven-black wings unfurled, the right one curling around and over me, the feathers fluttering against my skin and warming me.
I sighed happily and let myself sink against his chest.
“That’s perfect,” I breathed.
“Just like you.”
I gave a breathless laugh, then snuggled deeper under that wing. “I love you, Melek,” I whispered.
“I love you, too.”
I must have dozed off. I was vaguely aware at some point of him moving me, of curling into his side and being warm with my skin against his. But then exhaustion overwhelmed me.
I didn’t wake until dawn light was filtering through the windows, and my side was cold.
I blinked, smiling, reaching for Melek… only to find the bed cold, and the pillow mashed in the shape of a large, male head, but now empty.
I sighed and opened my eyes properly, but I already knew he’d gone.
The servants would be here to help me bathe and dress soon. He’d made the right decision. But I could notwaitfor the day that we no longer had to hide.
I was ready for this charade to be over.
36. Two More Days
~ YILAN ~
It was two days until the Jubilee. I left the cook’s kitchen after approving the final menu and had an hour before I was expected to sit down with the bookkeepers. Seeing my chance for a moment alone, I picked up my pace in the corridors so I looked like I was moving towards something important until I made it to my private library.
When I stepped inside, I sighed happily. The sun was beaming in the window. I stood in its warm glow and leaned my elbows on the deep windowsill to peer down on the gardens below.
The only human in sight was one of the gardeners, her broad back flat to the sun as she crouched, weeding a flower garden alongside the lawn.
Then, I was at peace. Things would be well. We would get through this. And eventually everyone would be aligned. No more of these suspicious eyes and warning glares.
When the door creaked behind me my stomach sank.
“Yilan? I’m sorry to interrupt you, but could I have a word?”
At the sound of Turo’s voice, I sighed and straightened, looking at him over my shoulder before turning back to the view outside.
“What is it, Turo?” I asked as patiently as I could.
He cleared his throat. “I, uh… I wanted to tell you that I’ve received confirmation from among the ranks that your Nephilim are… well, they’re honoring your belief in them.”
I went very still. “Oh?”
Turo waited, probably hoping I’d turn around to witness his humility, but I thought I knew what he was about to say, and I didn’t want my smart-ass grin to add insult to his injured pride, so I stayed where I was.
He sighed. “Yes, I’ve had watchers on both of them. And while I am still not entirely comfortable with the, er, recent events, I thought it was prudent to acknowledge to you that they do indeed appear to be living peacefully. And with honor. The younger is taking great pains to serve Lady Istral, and… and the General’s insight regarding the ranks and position of the Nephilim has proven true. We are still waiting for some of the scouts to return, but those that are back report camps positioned exactly as Melek conjectured they would and… and in the numbers he suggested.”
