Page 1 of The King's Man
PROLOGUE
~ DIADRE ~
As the sun rose the morning after the Nephilim battle, I left the King’s tent, the camp’s pathway dirt and pebbles crunching under my boots. I needed to breathe the dawn air. And I had a job to do.
I didn’t care about fucking Nephilim traditions. Among the Shadekin it was a Captain’s duty to see to the battlefield. If enemies were discovered alive they needed to be dispatched with mercy—and without further torment. And if our allies were discovered…
No common soldier should have to endure the pain of assessing a brother-in-arm’s life. Those decisions belonged to their Officers.
Frankly, I was surprised the Neph who spoke of honor were so quick to dismiss the task to underlings. I didn’t know why I was surprised. Melek was a good man, but he was unique amongthem—and his eyes had been green all along. If I understood Yilan correctly that meant he’d already stood in opposition to the Fallen.
I wasn’t quite clear how that changed the color of a Neph’s eyes, but it couldn’t be denied that the men who’d stayed and remained alive were all now in possession of emerald gazes.
As I walked slowly onto the silent battlefield, my breath made a cloud. When I inhaled, my nose wrinkled. The stench was still mild, but even now in the cool months the bloat of dead bodies was already beginning and the sun’s heat would bring far worse this afternoon. Either the Nephilim planned to live among that putridity, or they would have to start burying bodies.
Shaking off the dark thoughts, I headed for the corner of the battlefield to the north and west of the rocky outcropping where I’d done most of my fighting. I had some looting to do. Some of those fuckers had fallen under my blade, and whatever weapons or valuables they held belonged tome.
I would check those areas first, then branch out to wherever the Neph hadn’t already cleared.
But I’d only just taken a strange, gold pendant from one of the warriors that seemed very out of place among his otherwise rough and ready clothing, when a throat cleared behind me, and even though I hadn’t seen him coming, Iknew.
Fucking Jann.
Fury simmered in my chest, which made no sense. He’d barely spoken to me since the battle started—hadn’t even been a jackass when the others were joking around.
“What is it, Jann?” I asked flatly without looking up, turning that pendant over to see if I could decipher the symbols on its back.
“I came to thank you,” he said quietly.
Thank me? I almost laughed.
The breeze rose and I lifted my chin to inhale the clean air deeply. It wouldn’t last long. But when I was done, Jann remained there, staring at meexpectantly.
“It’s not necessary,” I said, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I tucked the pendant into my cleavage before turning to walk to the next body. Except, fingers slipped around to cup my elbow and turn me and my bodylit upin alarm.I hissed and whirled on him, snapping my arm around to break his grip as I faced him and sank into a defensive stance, hands up to fend off an attack.
Jann sighed and stepped back, holding his hands up as if in surrender. “I’m not trying to take you.God,”he muttered. “I want tothankyou.”
“So you said, and yet here I am,being touched.”
A very low rumble started in his chest, but he didn’t give voice to whatever fuckwitty thoughts he was having. Instead, to my surprise, hebowed.
Had he lost his mind?
“I am Jannus the Halfling, a Captain—no, General—of the Nephilim. And your servant,” he said through gritted teeth. “We stood shoulder to shoulder in battle, and I live and breathe today because of your—”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. I warned you a guy was coming and planted a knife in him. I would have done the same for a fuckingmessenger boy.You’re welcome. Now, let it go.”
“Trust me, I wish I could,” he ground out. “But my honor demands—”
“Honor, my ass,” I hissed, stomping to close the space between us and point a finger at his chest. “Honor doesn’t come from you being humbled. Honor would have recognized a fellow soldier.Honorwouldn’t have dismissed me simply because I am in possession ofbreasts,”I snarled.
His eyes drifted down to my chest, but then snapped back up. I scowled. He cleared his throat.
“Idorecognize your skill. My life is indebted—”
“I don’t give two shits if I saved your life or not,” I spat. “Our little charade isdone.You touch me again without my permission and I will remove your testicleswith my teeth.Stay the hell away from me, Jannus the Half-ass. Don’t touch me. Don’t talk to me. Don’t evenlookat me unless it’s in service to my King and Queen. Do you hear me?”
His lips thinned. “I hear you.”
