Page 161 of The King has Fallen
She folded her arms under her breasts and tipped her head.
“I have not brought you here to kill you—unless you try to kill me,” she said.
“Then why?” Like I didn’t already know.
“Because I have been told that you are, at heart, a good man. That perhaps you even possess a soul—remarkable among your kind, you’ll agree.”
I growled, but she ignored me.
“Your personal reign of terror on the Continent ends now, but that doesn’t have to mean—”
“Thank you, Keely. I’ll take it from here.”
One of the women in the line behind her, face hidden in a deep hood, reached out for the Queen’s shoulder, and the Queen immediately stopped, turning to face her.
I frowned, instincts alert—but then she flipped her hood back and my heart sang.
Black hair.
Slanted eyes.
Full lips that wanted to smile.
And eyes that lit up when she lifted them to meet mine.
Yilan.
56. Mate. Mine.
~ MELEK ~
Mate.
Soulbond.
Mine.
But then I inhaled sharply, because as she revealed herself, everyone in the anteroom—including the Queen—turned and bowed or curtseyed to her…
“Yilan—” Turo growled.
“Hush,” she responded calmly, though I heard her tension. “You wanted to be sure he wouldn’t jump to attack. He has not.”
I blinked, confused for half a breath, until Yilan stepped forward, and theQueentook the circlet and diadem from her forehead and offered it on open, flat palms to Yilan, who took itand quickly settled it on her head, threw back the sides of her coat and walked right up to the bars.
The men twitched when they realized she moved closer to me, but she shot a look at Turo, then turned to face me… and they all remained behind her.
When our eyes locked, I was the only one who could see hers. And see the plea in them.
My breath stopped. She stood silently, her eyes big and deep, liquid. I wanted to fall into that gaze. My hands twitched to reach for her as her name tore from my throat and I stumbled forward—but then drew up short when she only dropped her chin and gave me a fierce warning look.
“Turo… the General has been asleep for days and will be concerned about how his countrymen are faring,” she said quietly. “Please give him the report you gave me an hour ago.”
Turo spluttered. “But—”
“Now please,General.”
Turo gaped at her, then clearly gathered his thoughts. He raised his chin and cleared his throat preparing to obey, though his eyes flashed with anger when he turned to me.
