Page 129 of The King has Fallen
“So am I.”
Then I lifted her chin and kissed her. And just in case, I held her to me so tight and fast it must have been difficult for her to breathe. Kissing her as if itwouldbe the last time.
She gave a little sob, her hands clawing into my hair, and kissed me back with every ounce of intensity and fear that roiled in my chest.
“Melek!” Jann hissed from outside, and I growled.
Yilan and I broke apart, staring at each other.
“I love you,” she whispered. “My mate. I have waited for you. I am… I love you, Melek.”
God, I was going to weep like a child. “I love you too,” I graveled. “If this is it, don’t forget to mark where we can find your messengers on this side of the Shadows of Shade.”
She nodded, but her expression tightened. “Go,” she whispered. “Hurry. Take care of Gall.”
I nodded, then stole one more kiss before I straightened and let her go. I whirled to storm to the other side of the tent and grab my weapon straps and spears. To hell with the peace. If these fuckers were hurting Gall, I’d hurt them.
As I turned back, towards the door and away from her, I had to clench my hands to fists to stop myself reaching for her again.
I walked quickly and didn’t look back because I didn’t trust myself not to rush back to her. Instead, I pushed out of the tent with a snarl.
“Let’s go.” I started down the trail strapping on my weapons, Jann striding at my side, watching me warily, then looking over his shoulder, back towards the tent.
“She’ll be fine,” I muttered. “Tell me what’s happened with Gall. Is it the same group?”
We had just met the intersection of paths from my tent to the main camp. It split into three at the spot where the natural lee of the hill tapered to nothing. I looked at him to see which direction we should take.
But instead of answering me, Jann cleared his throat, then grabbed my elbow and pulled me off the trail into the shade of a gnarled tree, watching the trails from the camp back and forth as he whispered to me.
“I lied. I’m sorry, Melek—I haven’t seen Gall. But—”
“You didwhat!?”I snarled, but Jann stood his ground, his eyes dark and grim.
“Listen!You think I would do that for no reason? I just couldn’t say the true reason in front of her!” he hissed.
“You can sayanythingto me in the presence of my mate,” I hissed. “You haveno ideawhat you’ve done. Fuck! I can’t believe this.” I turned on my heel, back to the trail to my tent, but Jann caught my arm again. I swung and twisted it in a defensive move that snapped his grip, then turned back on him, teeth bared and rage blazing. He backed away with his hands up in surrender, speaking quickly, but barely above a whisper.
“Melek, there’s a rumor being whispered that you’re informing for the Fetch. That she’s magiked you with lust and… and that the sentries in the ravine have been warned and are only pretending not to know that we’re there. That she set this up from the beginning. There are whispers that you’re a traitor, Melek. Leading us into a trap.For her.”
I stared at him, stunned.
Jann stared back, shaking his head. “I know it’s not true, and so do the ranks, but Gault…”
I blinked, my breath growing short.
Iknewwhat Yilan would see in this, what she’d say the moment she learned of it.
The King started the rumor. And he would use it as a reason to blame me if things went bad—and it likely would because we had put off our advance for far too long.
In truth, it was remarkable that we hadn’t been discovered already.
I knew I hadn’t betrayed my people. But it was more than possible that someone else had. Or that they had simply discovered our presence and were playing strategy to lull us into a false sense of security.
Would Gault go that far? Would he riskallof us that way?
I prayed not.
He was not as stupid as he played. He had no desire to truly fight for his own crown. He was a fierce warrior, but he’d had no reason to defend himself for years.
