Page 144 of The King's Man
“One more night, Dee. We’ll reach Braventhall in a few hours from here. I’ll have to remain for at least a day, maybe two, to keep them happy—they have very strict etiquette. We’ll sleep in a proper bed and… it will get better.”
Her lips thinned and I felt a jolt of worry from her through the bond, but she nodded.
“Talk to me about Gall,” she said a few minutes later when I winced taking off my jacket because my back ached. She’dobviously decided to distract me, and I was grateful for the thought. “How could they say those things about him—he was with you all when you came through in the war, right? Wouldn’t people have seen him or met him? Weren’t there rumors about his… limitations?” she asked carefully.
I sighed. “Melek and I always kept Gall out of sight of outsiders where we could. He was easily wounded by ignorant words. And besides, it was always a dance with keeping him out of Gault’s way. Gault knew who he was, but didn’t acknowledge him. We didn’t want to give the King any reason to see him as a threat—or an annoyance. In truth though, it wouldn’t have mattered if we’d paraded him at the front of the army in every city and town.”
“Why not?”
“Because those outside the Neph wouldn’t know the truth of Gall’s heart or mind. He doesn’tlookdifferent. Imagine if you ran into him in a dark forest—without hearing the way his mind works, you’d find him terrifying.”
Diadre nodded slowly. “It’s true. All of you are intimidating in size and…” she glanced to the side and scanned me, “erm, stature.”
I snorted. But the humor passed quickly.
“In truth, a commander is always a legend. Even Melek—who earned his fame—was unknown to all but those closest to him. And when a land has been conquered and is submitted… well, most have little interest in challenging what they’re told by their new rulers. They just want to stay alive.” I rubbed my temples and rolled my neck to loosen the tension in it. “Haven’t you observed that during a monarch’s reign you’ll never hear that they were weak or sick—yet history will reveal those truths to later generations?”
“I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
I shrugged. “While someone is in power you won’t hear of their flaws, only their strengths—and usually greatly inflated in order to intimidate. We took the middle lands of the continent so quickly primarily because the legends of whatMelekhad done preceded us. No one dares speak of a conqueror’s flaws while they’re still in power and could retaliate.”
“So these rumors… they’re pure fiction?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I do fear… but there’s no way to know. Tomorrow, in Braventhall, I’ll gather what intelligence I can and send it back to Melek and Yilan, and another forward to… to Caelan,” I said, shifting in my seat when Diadre’s brows pinched over her nose. “In truth, I would have expected to meet her before now. I am worried,” I admitted.
Diadre blinked then turned to me. “You think she was hurt?”
The choice to sayhurtrather thankilledwas a kindness. I reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I pray not. I’ll admit, I worry. Who knows what’s happened in Ebonreach while we’ve all been gone? But there’s no point speculating. When we arrive in Ebonreach, I’ll have to secrete myself and find out if she remains in my household and what news is there before I reveal myself.”
Diadre frowned deeply then. “Why would you hide in your own City?”
I managed a weak, but cocky grin. “Because, my dear, your mate is a… recognizable figure. And everyone knew I was allied to Melek when we left. While some will wait to see if my loyalties have shifted, at first glance, they’ll assume Melek sent me. And it might be… unwise to have myself aligned with his bid for the crown. How I deal with my return will determine everyone else’s assumptions and expectations. It suits me to be seen as… working independently ofbothfactions. At least, for now.”
“So… wait, you aren’t going into Ebonreach as Melek’s representative?”
I shook my head. “No. The Neph follow strength. When I return home, I will align myself with whomever is seen as winning that battle—and get word back to Melek as soon as I can.”
Which only conjured more worry for Caelan and where she might be.
But there was nothing to be gained by wasting energy on speculation. I ate the food my beautiful mate provided, then curled up in the furs and slept until the dark descended on the world and it was time to fly again.
I could no longer leap from the furs and fly. My body sore and joints aching meant I needed time to move and stretch and prepare my body for flight. Even the drag of my wings once they were manifested caused pain.
I was disoriented and frantic for half a breath when I first opened my eyes because she wasn’t in my arms—because Diadre had risen before I woke and found a place to bathe.
But it was a relief to strip off the sweaty leathers and dive into the pool, though the chill sucked the air from my lungs and shrunk my cock to rather dismal proportions.
While washing, I caught Diadre looking sly and smiling.
“Speak your mind,” I growled.
She giggled. “Just reminding myself that youaremortal,” she said, then snorted when I splashed her with the cold water.
But soon we were dry and dressed, fed and packed, and it was time to launch.
I buckled her to me and slid an arm around her stomach as I took a deep breath, bracing against the pain I would feel for those first few minutes. Taking off was the hardest work for my wings, and unfortunately the first work of every night.
As I was about to launch, Diadre put a hand back to take mine, and her voice bloomed in my mind.
