Page 132 of The King has Fallen
“I have to do nothing but rid my tent of an intruder and protect my—” I growled.
“No!” Yilan whirled in my arms, turning to face me, her eyes so wide the white showed all the way around. She had her hands up again and such alarm on her features, I bristled and took an even firmer grip on my spear. But she shook her head and locked eyes with me.“No.He will not kill you—and you will not kill him.”
“Don’t be so certain.”
“Stop!” she hushed, then turned back to point at him again because he took a step forward. “Both of you!”
There was a very tense few seconds where she hissed and tried to pry my grip off my spear so she could step free of my arms, but I growled at her.
“If you want yourfriendto live, you won’t move within range of his weapons,” I growled, and she went still.
For a moment her chin dropped, then she blew out a breath before releasing my hand which hadn’t moved from the handle of my spear.
The Fetch snarled, but she raised a hand towards him again, and took a breath, swallowing hard, before speaking.
“Melek, this is General Arturo… our, well, equivalent of you, I suppose,” she said quietly. I could feel the tension in her—and the control she was exerting on herself to keep her voice calm.
“Turo, this is the famed General Melek. And no matter what you may have heard… he saved my life. You willnotharm him, or I will kill you myself,” she said, her voice going hard and clipped at the end.
His eyes narrowed, but he straightened in his stance. He stood there a moment, glaring at me over her shoulder, then he bowed.
“The Shadekin thank you for your service, Melek,” he said with a twist of distaste on his lips. Then he looked at Yilan and reluctantly sheathed first the longblade at his ribs, then after another moment and a glance at me, the sword on his back.
Yilan exhaled like she’d been holding her breath too long.
“Melek… please, put your spear away.”
I grunted, but she turned her head to look at me over her shoulder, and something passed between us through the bond. It was startling. She’d spoken nothing, but Ifelther—her desperate need for my cooperation, her ache to be in thistogether. Then suddenly an image bloomed in my head of her holding my face and speaking hurriedly, quickly.
I heard no words, but I knew. She would explain. I need only wait. She would tell me. And whatever it was, it was deeply important to her.
Reluctantly, I straightened out of my fighting stance and slid the spear back into its loop at my back. But I never took my eyes off that fucker. And I kept her at my side when she looked like she might step away.
“Thank you, both of you,” she said quietly then. She stood right between my feet, her back to my chest and clasped her hands at her waist. “Turo, I understand why you came, and I’m grateful. But I’m telling you the truth. I’m perfectly safe here with Melek—the rumors of his honor were true. This is… this has been nothing but a misunderstanding. It’s why I didn’t call anyone in.”
The Fetch’s lips pursed and he looked at me, then back at her, but he didn’t move. “I remain unconvinced. But I will not breach the… honor of your life debt.”
He shot me a glare, letting me know exactly how far he thought my honor extended towards her. My hackles rose.
I was about to bite his head off, but then it occurred to me.
This was another Fetch. A male. Clearly a strong fighter, and highly positioned in their society if she called himGeneral.
“You have the ear of your King?” I muttered to him. Yilan tensed.
But he just gave me a flat look. “Do you have the ear of yours?”
Cheeky fucker. “In that case then, your appearance is… opportune.”
He didn’t respond, but Yilan did, turning to face me again and shaking her head with a warning in her eyes. “Melek,no.”
“Yes,” I growled, never taking my eyes off of him. “He can walk the shadows like you, and if he’s capable as a fighter, there’s no better or safer way to get you out of here.”
“Melek, I said—”
“You want her gone?” the Fetch said, startled.
I let him see my teeth. “For her own safety, yes.”
