Page 37 of The King's Man
After I killed any of them who touched her.
*****
~ JANN ~
It wasn’t until I stood over her and her eyes went wide that I realized I was doingexactlywhat she accused me of, and it pissed me off.
I wasn’t going tohurther! I was trying to help her see sense!
But I’d always been too honest. Too blunt. I was quivering with the grief of this too—did she really believe I was untouched by Gall’s death? By the thought of Istral being pawed and violated by the Fallen? Did she really think I wasn’tsickenedby that mental picture?
But I wouldn’t give in to despair. I was going tofight.
Unfortunately, she was the only opponent in sight at that moment. It wasn’t until she’d slapped me that I clicked.
“How’s that for hysteria?” she hissed, nothing short of pure hatein her eyes. “And by the way—there’s nothing mindless aboutdecidingto tell you to fuck all the way off.”
It was a mistake. All of it. Every word. I should have just held her back and waited until she’d calmed down. I should have kept my mouth shut. I should have kept her out here for a time while we swallowed back the grief and got our feet under us again. Then we could work together to prepare for what must happen next.
“Diadre—”
But she ran. She didn’t even look back, just took off down the path back to the camp.
I waited, gathering myself, trying to do exactly as I’d told her was needed:Think.Assess. Choose wisely.
Wearily, muttering at myself for being anass,I followed after her—slower so she wouldn’t think I was chasing. But knowing this conversation wasn’t over.
It had only taken seconds for her to disappear under the trees. I’d follow slowly. Give her time to calm. Approach softly instead of growling andloominglike she’d said.
Fuck.
But suddenly my heart went cold.
Diadre was emotional, grieving, running, and Melek was gone who-knows-where with Yilan.
She would tear into that camp and find herself surrounded by Nephilim warriors. And even though I knew Melek was enforcing this new peace, this newphilosophy,I also knew it had been less than a week. Even with Melek dominant, in the wake of that battle we were down so many men, the hierarchy was still bearing out. I hadn’t had to a chance to talk to Melek and see what had transpired while we were gone. Were the men settled or tense? With Gall’s disappearance, did they see a battle to be fought? Or an opportunity for their own increase since Melek would need an heir?
Were they nowmorecommitted to following? Or was he facing greater challenge?
Too many things had changed for the men to have given more than a passing thought to Melek’s new direction when it came to women and reproduction.
And Diadre had just walked into that camp?
Alone?
I had already picked up my pace when I heard a distant shriek and my bloodstream went up in flames.
Launching into the sky, heedless of tired wings, I clawed through the air, over the trees and a minute later dropped like a stone to the path where it bisected the swarm of tents—half of them empty now because of the carnage my brothers had wreaked on each other.
A few nearby heads turned when I landed hard, shaking the earth, but as I straightened, none of them seemed concerned.
“Where is she?” I snarled. Let them think I was angry and would discipline her for fleeing. I didn’t care. But those closest just looked at each other.“Where the fuck is she?!”I roared.
When one of them pointed, I tore in the direction he’d indicated, but my head and heart both shrieked, grabbing my ribs and shaking them like bars on a cage.
Where was she? Whothefuckput their hands on my mate?!
16.Got You
