Page 23 of The King's Man
There were too many of them. Even these little fuckers would overwhelm me if a dozen came at me at once. And if our planning back at the Palace had been carried out, there were close to a thousand of them spread among these woods, though damned if I could see the signs of them anywhere beyond the immediate clearing.
When I turned my head to glare at one of them who stepped too close to my horse, Diadre caught my eye and gave me a pointed look.
Keep your mouth shut and trust me.
It grated, but I gave her a single, short nod, and did as she’d asked, turning to examine the camp, ignoring the men around me. None of them were tall enough to obscure my view, and this camp was fascinating—as shrouded and easy to miss as the Fetch themselves.
I’d have to ask Yilan about how they made that fabric they used for their tents. It would be incredibly useful for our scouts and trackers.
Then there was a shout and the crowds parted to the east. A moment later, the tall, strong form of Jhonas, Diadre’s brother and another Captain, rushed in to gather his sister up and hold her to his chest, her feet dangling off the ground.
“Jhonas! Stop!” she hissed, slapping his shoulder. But he only smiled and squeezed her tighter before placing her back on her feet where she tugged at her clothes and tried not to look flustered.
“Now, what’s happened?” Jhonas growled, glancing at me over her shoulder, his smile fading. “Why are you herealonewith a Neph?”
She gave him a warning glare and I smiled.
“I need to speak with you privately,” she said pointedly.
Jhonas’ jaw tightened, and he shot me a warning look, but he nodded, then turned, beckoning her to follow him. I grabbed both our bags and followed her.
I was pleasantly surprised by the clear order of the camp and these troops. They couldn’t have been here more than a day, but alongside the tents and cookfires, there were small, temporary shelters constructed of branches and fallen trees to camouflage them in the forest. And even though from a distance the forest seemed empty, every step we took revealed more of those tents, and more Fetch soldiers.
These fuckers weresneaky.
Jhonas led us to one of those temporary shelters—open on one side, and a table made from the flat, sawed side of a tree-trunk propped on hastily constructed supports.
If only these little shits were a foot taller so it didn’t feel like walking into a child’s fort, I would have been impressed.
Jhonas quietly urged the men who were leaning on the table examining maps and discussing something, to leave the space.
I wasn’t stupid enough to think these people wouldn’t use their invisibility magik and listen to our words, but Jhonas and Diadre seemed unconcerned. That is, until he turned and saw me at Diadre’s back.
His face went tight.
“I didn’t want to speak in front of the men, but I am… uneasy about you being alone with the Neph, sister,” he muttered, staring at me.
I smiled and Diadre looked back, shooting me a glare when she caught the grin.
“He’s no threat,” she said quietly, with more conviction than I would have expected.
But Jhonas turned to me then. “If that’s true, then you won’t mind letting me speak to my sister alone.”
Ialmostcorrected him.Almostchallenged him. But Diadre looked at me and I remembered her words.Keep your mouth shut and trust me.
I took a deep breath. “Be my guest,” I muttered. “I’ll stand far enough back that I can’t hear you.”
Jhonas’ lips tightened. “You think you have to keep your eyes on her among her own people? With me? She’s mysister.”
“And she’s my safety through the Shadows. I won’t have you removeherto thwartme.”
“If you are an ally, I have no need to thwart you.”
“Precisely my point.”
Jhonas frowned, but Diadre put her hand on his arm. “Stop. Just… let him watch. We can keep our voices down. I’ll be filling him in after, anyway.”
Jhonas didn’t like hearing thatat all.I smiled again and walked off a short distance until I found another campfire with a few Fetch huddled around. They all went silent when I approached.
