Page 10 of The King's Man
“After we reach your brother and his troops. It would be impossible to find them from the sky in this fog.”
Diadre nodded, but her face fell.
It was my turn to smile. “You didn’t like the flying?”
She shrugged and turned away again, but she kept talking. “I could see how it could become fun. But it was frightening. I was completely out of control. And being so high up, if you’d dropped me…”
“I’d be happy to show you how much fun losing control can be…” I purred.
But instead of laughing again, or flirting back, she shot me a dark look over her shoulder. “Are you capable of having an adult conversation?”
I snorted. “I’d hope adults are theonlyones having these conversations.”
“God you areinsufferable.I don’t know why I even try,” she grumbled. But as she turned back around I caught the tiniest edge of a smile on her lips.
“If this is you trying, I’d love to see your indifference,” I muttered.
She did grin then, turning to look at me again, readying a quip, and that thrill fizzed in my chest. The push and pull of flirting was water to my soul. I adored it. A matching of wits, a competition towin,yet also a gain for both parties. If she could be cajoled into flirting over these days we travelled, it would make the time pass so much more quickly.
But this time when she turned with that evil little grin on her face that made me want to rub my hands together in anticipation, she locked eyes with me—then froze. The smile fell from her features like it had been knocked off her face.
“What?” I asked her—half irritated, half-alarmed.
Her gaze held a worried accusation until she averted her eyes and returned to facing the front. “Nothing.”
“Well, that’s fucking bullshit,” I muttered. “You’re all strength and surety until someone asks you to own your thoughts?”
Her chin dropped and she shook her head. “I wastryingto be polite. But if you insist.” She turned again, locked eyes with me and spat through her teeth. “I was merely reminded about your eyes—and that I don’t trust you,” she said coldly. She held my gaze a moment longer, then faced front again.
“Youdon’t trustme?”Defensive anger raised my hackles. “Me, who saved your ass?”
“Saved my—what?! You’re the one who said you owed a life debt!”
“Because I’m honorable and recognize my debts, whether you do or not.”
“Debt?! What debt do I hold to you?”
I gaped and heeled my horse up next to hers. On the narrow trail it forced us to ride knee to knee, but I didn’t care. “Have you so quickly forgotten the way I claimed you when the otherNeph arrived? The way I’ve continued to keep you safe when my people—”
“The people who needed you to continue that alpha male bullshit are dead. I’m grateful, Jann, don’t get me wrong. But we have bigger things—”
“No, Diadre, wedon’t.In days, possibly hours, you and I will return to that camp and you’ll continue toneed mejust as you did that day, and every day since!”
Her jaw dropped. “God, I knew you were arrogant, but this… wait, is this about that fucking life debt? I said I didn’t care—I did for you what I would have done for any ally. If this is some ruse to convince me that you’re repaying it—”
The rage that rose in me made no sense. If she wanted to make stupid mistakes around my people when we got back and get herself hurt, why should I worry? If she was stupid enough to deny my protection, let her learn. Why should it anger me?
But the thought of watching her treated like a mare in heat by the brothers who hadn’t yet understood that things were changing enragedme. And I wasn’t even sure whether it was the men, or her that sparked that volcano. All I knew was that something in meneededher to understand the risk she faced without me at her back.
“You think you’re safe, Diadre? Safe among my people?”
“Safe under Melek’s rule? Yes. Yilan has made it very clear that he, at least, has some modicum of honor. And I’ve seen how gentle he is with her—”
“I’m not talking about Melek, he wouldn’t touch you even if you weren’t claimed,” I snarled.
Her head snapped back and her mouth dropped open in offense. “You fucking prick.You think I want toattractMelek? Or any of you brutes?”
“I think if you continue to believe yourself capable against a Neph, youwill,whether you wish to or not.”
