Page 168 of The King's Man
I nodded and fell into his chest, but inside my chest was tight and painful.
57.Valgorath City
~ JANN ~
There was nothing to be gained by waiting. Now that I knew the state of the crown, there was nothing more we could do until we learned if this Gall was truly the Gall we knew, and understood how he’d been used so darkly.
Diadre suspected Istral was being used as leverage against him. It was a valid theory, but didn’t explain how hisoddnesshad been overlooked. Nephilim wouldn’t follow a man who showed a soft heart, or indecision. And Gall was often full of both.
I feared what may have happened to Gall and Istral, but until we knew for certain what we were dealing with, it was only wasted time.
So, despite Diadre’s concerns for my back, we rested that day, then flew that evening while the sun was still up, arriving in sight of Valgorath when the lanterns were lit, and the city glittered from a distance like a cluster of stars.
Of course, the nearer we drew to Valgorath, the more Neph could be seen in the sky. And though it was true night before we arrived, their silhouettes showed against the moonlight, as would ours.
‘Will they stop you if they recognize you?’she asked me as the glittering city came into view and we could count dozens of Neph flying to and from. All of them far lower than us because I wanted to get over the city, then descend, so there were fewer chances of being seen if Diadre’s power failed, or the lights around the Palace were too bright.
‘There are no restrictions placed on the Neph to come and go from Valgorath. But I want to evade notice so I can choose how to be revealed. And to whom,’I returned.‘Are you feeling strong? Will this moonlight be a problem?’
Diadre shook her head against my chest and the bond surged.‘I’m not the one who’s been carrying us for a month. I’m not worried about shrouding you while we fly the night—it will be in the city itself that things could get tricky. But I feel rested. Just stay in shadows until there’s no other choice.’
I nodded and squeezed her to me.
A few minutes later, as we passed over the walls of the great city, high in the sky so that even the guards on the walls looked like ants, I gathered my courage and urged her to walk us into the shadows.
I’d barely given her the instruction when I felt the air ripple and the edges of my vision blurred, sparking with tiny lights.
Dread crawled up my spine, but I started the slow, downward descent, watching for any sign that we were seen by any of the other Neph flying nearby—and there was none.
Below us the city glowed with light, which made me curse. But it was a beautiful sight. A near-circular city, the streets on the outer, near the walls, running in a perfect spiral, until they reached nearly a mile inside, where the King’s promenadebegan. There the city laid out in a rough grid surrounding the Palace itself, and the lanterns and torches lighting them at night were closely spaced so the streets seemed to glow warm, like firelight.
Scattered among the street blocks, and more common closer to the Palace walls, were pieces of land whose beauty had been retained—natural water, lush green grass, and ancient trees. I was of the opinion that there was no more beautiful gardens than those surrounding the Palace in Valgorath, but I’d chosen not to tell Diadre, wanting to see her true reaction.
Sure enough, I heard her breath catch as she looked down on this jewel and despite my misgivings, my heart swelled with pride. Valgorath was home to ruthless men. But here the Nephilim shone—our intelligence and strength applied to the creation and sustenance of a beautiful, powerful place. Of course, those most beautiful places were only enjoyed by the wealthy and powerful. But Melek would change that.
If only I could take her on a tour of the streets without the people who walked them, she would love it. I was sure.
Then she spoke in my mind, her tone awed.‘I thought I was spoiled living in the Palace in Theynor. But Valgorath outshines the Spire City, Jann. I didn’t expect that.’
I smiled.‘There are parts of my people that are beautiful, Diadre.’
We both grew quiet moments later when I flew over the palace walls and towards the eastern wing that housed my quarters and Melek’s.
My apartment was on the fourth floor of the beautiful palace built in the shape of an X, with the royal chambers at its center in the tallest tower, the audience chambers and gathering halls directly below, then the various wings to house those close to the crown… and on the bottom levels, the armies of servants and slaves that kept the rest of us running.
There was a garden between the eastern and southern wings, and I prayed that the small lights strung between trees there would be low enough not to shine on the fourth floor where my balcony was, so we could land and enter without being seen.
I kept the building underneath me for as long as possible, since there were no lanterns on the roof, only closer to the walking paths and doorways. But it was inevitable that as we dropped to the balcony, more light reached us.
Diadre hissed and I felt her shudder as we landed—my apartment wasn’t lit inside, but the windows of the chambers below and beside glowed brightly.
I hurried, ignoring my aching muscles, to backflap—wincing at the pain in my back—and drop us safely onto the large balcony each of the apartments held for this reason. Then I hurried Diadre inside, almost stumbling when my sight cleared suddenly, and that sense of being slightly separate from the world disappeared.
Diadre was gasping, trembling, panting after using her power for so long, and for both of us.
“Dee, are you—”
“I’m fine, it was just… I’ll be fine.”
