Page 72 of The King has Fallen
So, I fell back onto the cot, sighing in frustration, waiting for Melek to return. Wehadto figure out a way to tell Gall so he didn’t carry that.
But Melek was nowhere to be seen. And Gall remained guarding outside the tent.
There were a couple of hours when it rained that he came inside, but he spent the time marching back and forth in front of the cage door toprove his attention.
And after a gentle attempt to speak with him again clearly stressed him out, I stopped trying.
My frustration and uncertainty grew for two days. Apart from singing, I had nothing to do, and no one to speak with. I had only my own mind for company. And my mind was not an easy place to be just then.
Two days. Two days where I cursed myself for the indulgence of interfering with Melek’s mind like that, for revealing the truth of my power—and for finding him attractive enough to have done so in the first place.
By the third, it became clear that he wasn’t just busy, but intentionally staying away from me.
Ihadto convince Melek to relax with me again—and between us, we needed to find a way to let Gall be at ease.
On the third morning I woke and it seemed that nothing had changed. Melek’s bed was empty just as it had been late the night before when I went to sleep.
The morning sun beamed against the tent from the east, casting Gall’s shadow over the doorway and the silhouette of flickering leaves and branches across the ceiling.
It seemed it would be another boring, frustrating day.
But then a distanthumcaught my attention.
My instincts alerted, like pricked ears. I sat up, but couldn’t quite place the sound. Occasionally I caught a raised voice, but it was too distant to make out the words.
When Gall came in minutes later to see if I wanted breakfast, I asked him.
“Is something going on in camp today?”
Gall’s brows rose. “Didn’t Melek tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“It’s the Covenant Days of Peace.”
It was? I had already been here for how long? Of course. Holyshit…
Traditionally, the Days are a time of recognition for blessings, and for peace negotiations. Five days—first day, to fifth day—during which every people on the Continent rested, feasted, and called truce in battle.
It is a time to remember the Covenant of God with Man and the peace treaties between peoples of the past. A time to reflect on life as it would be without conflict or competition. And intended to motivate all toseekpeace.
The rest of the Continent celebrated the Days, yet I’d never been sure the Nephilim did. But the way I heard Melek roar at Jannus that morning outside the tent about howthis was exactly what he’d been working to avoidindicated that, apparently, they did. And Melek was not happy that they had not taken the ravine before this.
Even though the Covenant didn’t technically begin until midnight, that hum of anticipation increased throughout the day, and the strains of music and echo of raised voices began in camp early in the afternoon.
By late afternoon, the camp was awash with the sounds of men dancing, playing music, and from the sound of their horrendous off-key singing, mostly drinking.
Even Gall’s expression was a little lighter when he came to check on me throughout the day.
But the true surprise was the moment Melek appeared, just before dinner time. And it wasn’t simply to pick up a weapon ordig through a trunk, then leave again with hurried instructions to Gall.
When he pushed through the tent flap it was with a platter of food in each hand and his head turned back to call Gall over his shoulder. “Gall! Fuck midnight. Everyone else is already resting. Come eat!”
He strode to the center of the tent where he’d left the table chairs set up and plonked the platters down.
Gall pulled back the flap to peer into the tent, his brows high and expression uncertain. “I am guarding, Papa—I mean, Sir. The others—”
“Apart from the perimeter guards who cannot leave their posts, there is not a single, sober soul in a five-mile radius—including the King, and our enemies. There is nothing more to be done. What will be will be… Please, Gall. Come sit with me, Son. These are the Covenant Days—the days to remember blessings, to seek peace, and… and to forgive sins. Please. Eat with me?”
