Page 165 of The King's Man
“At whose order?” Jann growled.
The man’s expression said it should be obvious. “Gall’s.”
56.The Practical Man
~ DIADRE ~
It was an uncomfortable night.
Jann was forced to pretend he didn’treallycare that his slave was being caged by thenew King.And that he didn’treallycare about me, either.
He also had to pretend he wasn’t exhausted. When Karyd, the Neph who’d found us, observed that it was early to be in the hammock when he arrived, Jann made a sly comment about enjoying a Fetch’s energy at night. The man leered. My skin crawled.
Jann was careful to position himself between me and the other man at all times, but I couldn’t shake that sense of dread, even when the Neph only looked at me a handful of times.
It was a fierce reminder that we were walking into the lion’s den, and I was the prey.
I desperately wished Jann and I were alone.
But of course, Karyd assumed he was welcome to share ourfire, which meant returning to our façade of Jann’s possession of me.
‘He won’t touch you. he’s submissive to me,’Jann assured me as Karyd rolled out his furs.
‘I know you’ll keep him in line, but if he’s an ally, why are you pretending you aren’t tired?’
‘Karyd is young and has a good heart. But he’s weak in his mind. He’ll follow the power every time. He won’t stand alone. And he trusts too easily. He will speak openly to any Neph to ingratiate himself. I can’t risk word reachinganyonethat I am… lessened.’
‘Jann, you’re not less. You’re exhausted.’
‘The Neph make little allowance for weakness, regardless of its source.’
I wanted to smack something when I felt the shocks of adrenaline through the bond when Jann moved muscles that were overworked. He gave himself no grace. I knew it was a façade, but what if he did himself more damage for this show?
Apparently some of my frustration showed on my face. At one point Karyd glanced at me squatting in the shadows behind where Jann sat with his feet to the fire, and he huffed.
“I hope you sleep armed. Your mate seems unhappy with her divine bond.”
Jann snorted like it was a joke. “She had to be taught to have caution. But she has learned.”
My stomach churned when Karyd nodded as if that were wise. Thankfully the subject shifted to Gall and the changes in Ebonreach since news of Gault’s death. I kept quiet and didn’t reach for Jann’s mind because we both wanted to hear this.
“I didn’t believe it when I first heard the roar of welcome. I assumed Gault had returned safely after all, that the rumors were untrue. But no… it was Gall on the back of the KhalrionStallion, and it carried him as steadily as it ever carried Gault,” Karyd said with an expression of disbelief and an amused shrug.
I frowned and looked at Jann, who caught my glance and explained. “The Khalrion have an awareness of our hierarchy. If Gall were not truly strong, the beast would kill him before letting him ride. It’s a mark of leadership in our kind.”
Karyd’s brows rose. “You explain to her?”
“She will be responsible to raise and educate my son, and has shown a talent for strategy. Yes, I’ll explain. And she willlearn,”he muttered.
“You believe she’ll survive?” Karyd said giving me another look like a buyer at a horse auction, measuring for assessment.
“She’s stronger than she appears,” Jann said, with a sly edge to his tone that I would have found hilarious in a different context, but made my nerves spike when it was directed at another Neph.
‘Don’t be afraid, Dee. It would be odd in his mind if I didn’t take pride in you. But I’m also not lying—and he can tell.’
I stared at the fire beyond Jann, torn between fear and warm pride.
“Was there warning of Gall’s arrival—did the City anticipate him?” Jann asked casually.
