Page 95 of The King has Fallen
By the time I made it to the tent, my body felt heavy and I was considering covering her cage and going back to bed to buy myself some time and rest before all hell blew up.
Then I pushed the flap aside and stepped in… and Yilan lifted her head from where she sat in the cagereading one of my books?
I blinked, my breath catching.
She smiled. “Is that pork? I could smell you coming.”
“What are you doing here?” I hissed, hurrying to the cage—only to find it locked. I frowned. “How did you—”
“Melek, we can discuss when or how I might leave. But… I don’t believe my purpose here has been fulfilled. Not yet,” she said carefully, standing but staying away from the cage door as I opened it and stepped in to hand her the plate.
She took it in both hands because it was large for her, then looked up at me, her eyes shining and serious.
All that screaming pain that had been stabbing at me since I’d thought she would be gone flipped into warmth and hope. Had she sensed the bond? Was she going to—
“Thank you for… for comforting me last night,” she whispered. “But we must be more careful. I’m still the enemy, Melek,” she finished quietly. “The Covenant Days will end and then…”
That weight bore down on my shoulders again and I frowned at her.
But she just took the platter over to her cot, sat down, and started eating.
A moment later I sighed, stepped out of the cage, and locked her in again.
“You’re welcome,” I said, then turned away to make my bed and sort out my whirling thoughts.
32. Plans vs. Plans
~ YILAN ~
Melek stayed in the tent most of the day. I didn’t want to think about why I felt relief at that.
He’d been so busy the past couple of days, I was surprised when he didn’t rush out to another meeting, but lay on his bed with a book. Then even more surprised when Jannus appeared to tell him that the Council was meeting and Melek replied that they should come to the tent.
Jannus was clearly shocked as well. His brows climbed nearly to his hairline.
“Mel… are you sure?” Then he glanced at me.
I gave him a flat look back and he winked, which was cute.
Melek ignored us both. “I can’t leave her unattended. I don’t want to call Gall in. And… it’s the Days of Peace. Tell them we’ll meet here. Hell, tell them all to bring something to drink.”
Jann shrugged and marched back out of the tent. I was staring at Melek, who had gone back to his book. But a few seconds later he spoke without looking up.
“What?”
“Nothing,” I said, raising my hands and sitting back on my cot. “Nothing at all.”
But it wasn’t nothing. He’d been meticulous about keeping me away from their discussions of the front and their next steps. Even silencing messengers who started to relay anything to do with strategic movements, or questions for him.
“Your lips are thin,” he said absently.
I blinked. “I’m sorry, what—?”
“Whenever you’re stopping yourself from saying something, your lips press thin and you tilt your head. So, what is it you want to say?”
I gaped at him, but then the first of the Council arrived and he was immediately distracted, clasping arms, greeting, offering benedictions of peace, and hearing stories from the night before.
I noticed that he didn’t share any of his own.
