Page 149 of The King's Man
‘Some,’she sent vaguely.‘Are you hungry?’
‘Ravenous.’
‘Well, I’ll have something substantial for you soon,’she said.
I was somewhat mollified as she continued to ask me questions about my pain and how I’d slept until she revealed that I’d been asleep for a full day and night.
“What?!” The word slipped from my lips, luckily in a whisper, but the shock jolted me.‘Why didn’t you wake me?!’
‘Because you needed the rest. And you still do. I’m going to feed you and fill you in, then you’re getting back in that hammock and—’
‘Fill me in on what, Dee?’
She didn’t answer immediately, but I heard her footsteps off between the trees, and I turned to look for her, relief washing through me when she appeared, dressed in her fighting leathers, which raised my hackles, walking quickly through the scrub and trees.
When she reached me, she dropped a small bag she’d slung over her shoulder to the ground and came straight to me—but caught herself right before she threw herself into my chest.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” she breathed, placing one hand on my chest. Both of us sucked in when the bond crackled between us, and suddenly that spot that washerwithin me, bloomed to crystal clarity—and froze me in place.
She sighed happily and leaned forward, resting her head on my chest and sliding her arms gently around my waist. But I growled and pulled her hard against me, caging her in my arms and scanning the forest behind her, though she showed no signs of fear.
“Dee?” I muttered a moment later.
“Hmmm?” she said from under my arms.
“What the fuck have you been doing?”
She swallowed before she straightened and lifted her head, but she was smiling when she met my eyes. “Promise you won’t get angry.”
“I’m already angry, because I canfeelit on you.”
“Feel what?”
“That you’re being sneaky.”
She rolled her eyes and stroked my chest, which only made me more wary.
Then she sighed and met my gaze again. “I have news,” she said simply.
“What news?” I growled.
“I know why the Centaurs attacked.”
I blinked. Then frowned harder. “First you tell me what you know, then you tell me how you found out.”
Her brows rose. “I know you’re tired, hungry, and in pain, so I’m going to ignore the lack of manners,” she said airily.
“You can ignore whatever you want, you’ll still—”
“The Centaurs attacked because they believed you were part of Gall’s envoy. And they have a very serious bone to pick with Gall.”
“Gall in particular, or his people?”
“Well, they attribute the event to Gall personally.”
My head spun. That couldn’t be possible. The Fallen could move through space and time, we knew that. But we were mortal and—
I grabbed Diadre’s upper arms and leaned down, searching her eyes. “How do you know this?”
