Page 45 of The King's Man
“God, who are you? Yesterday you bellow at me tostopbeing emotional, and today suddenly you want me to melt into a puddle? I’m telling you, I’m fine. And I need to eat.”
Jann’s jaw rolled, but he nodded. “If you change your mind, or need a break, let me know.”
“I won’t.” I turned and strode out of the tent, shoving the flap back so it snapped. Five steps and I was on the path and turning towards the scent of cookfires.
But five steps more and two Neph appeared from between tents, laughing and cajoling each other.
And I flinched.
Dammit.
I caught myself and raised my chin, but it was too late. Then that heat appeared at my back and the two men’s gazes shifted over my shoulder. A moment later they both turned up the path ahead of us and I could breathe again.
I needed to move. To follow them. But I would wait a moment, to give them some space.
“Diadre?”
“Thank you,” I said, my voice clipped. Then I started walking again.
Jann sighed, but he didn’t say anything else. And his footsteps continued to make the ground behind me shake, all the way to the cookfire.
*****
~ JANN ~
When she strode out of the tent, for a moment I thought I’d misjudged. Her chin was high and she stared down her nose as if everything she saw displeased her.
But then the two Neph appeared unexpectedly from between the tents and she instinctivelyrecoiled.My heart sank and thatplace at the center of my chest, the part that sensed her, ached for her,yearned,flared hot and cold.
She turned as if to flee, then caught herself. The two men saw her and their eyes brightened, so I stepped right to her back to glare at them over her shoulder and remind them who she belonged to.
But though they moved on quickly, Diadre didn’t. Had she changed her mind about going to breakfast? It would be understandable.
“Diadre?”
“Thank you,” she said bitterly. Then started up the path again. I remained at her back so there would be no furtherlooks, but the meal was a shitshow. Instead of striding around, daring men with her eyes and generally making a nuisance of herself, she shrank.
I had been happier when she wanted to flee—at least then her instinct was to take action. But as we gathered around the cookfires and took plates, she didn’t inch away from the others and watch for paths to freedom.
She pulled in on herself and averted her eyes, barely responding when the cook offered her gravy, and leaned closer to me when anyone moved nearby.
Shit.Shit shit shit.
Her confidence had been eroded. A soldierslifewas their confidence. I couldn’t blame her after what had happened. I hoped it would be a temporary state. But I had to figure out how to help her. How to remind her of her strength.
We walked back to the tent, the sun bright but still low in the sky so the tents cast deeper shadows, and I saw her eye them as if she’d walk the shadows and disappear.
Though I was glad she had that power in a pinch, it clearly wasn’t foolproof. And if it drew from her strength, when she was feeling this weak…
“Diadre—”
“Jann! Sir! There’s news!”
One of the guards came running. Diadre whirled to face him, but held her ground as he drew closer.
“The King and Queen have returned and he’s calling for you and for… the Captain,” the male said with a glance at Diadre.
“Thank you,” I said wearily. “Run now and tell them we’re on our way.”
