Page 16 of The King has Fallen (The Kingdom of the Krow #1)

~ YILAN ~

I wanted to scream, but I knew drawing more attention to Gall’s confusion and fear would only make him feel worse, so I kept my lips tightly closed, but watched him closely. And when he remembered me and turned to me—fear in his eyes that he’d been witnessed to be weak—I offered the softest smile I could manage and winked when he smiled back.

His throat bobbed and his eyes were still red, but he lifted his chin and made himself stand there, waiting quietly for his father to leave.

Everything happened quickly then. Jann and Melek consulted briefly, Jann wrote a couple of notes, then Melek clasped forearms with him, then Gall, and turned for the door.

For a moment I forgot he was the enemy. For a moment I saw only a warrior shouldering the burden of carrying a nation and my heart went out to him as his eyes lingered on his son.

But then he turned to the doorway and caught me watching and his face went tight.

Yet, he didn’t speak to me.

Instead, he addressed Gall. “I need you to watch the Fetch closely. If anyone attempts to order you to other issues, you have orders directly from me, and me from the King, that you are to guard our prisoner. It’s a very important job, do you understand?”

Gall’s jaw tightened and he nodded once. “I understand. I won’t let you down.”

Jann and Melek met eyes then and understanding passed between them. But Melek hesitated, then pulled one of his spears from his back, hefted it for a moment, then strode back to Gall.

“Hold this for safe keeping,” he said quietly, handing the legendary spear to his son.

Gall’s mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide. “Papa, you can’t—”

“I don’t go to fight, Gall. I go to inspire. I will be back within a day, probably less. Until then, I need you to use every skill you have to keep her in that cage, fed, watered, and safe.”

“I will—of course. But—”

“No buts, Gall. You carry that for me until I return, then you pass it back to me. Understood?”

Gall swallowed audibly. “Yes. Yes. I do.”

“Good man. I trust you, Gall.”

Then Melek turned on his heel and strode out of the tent at pace, on his way to the King. So he missed the question on Gall’s face as he watched his father stride away.

But I did not.

When Melek was gone, Jann sighed. “I need to send a couple messages, and make certain I have cover for my duties. You stay here and watch over her until I return, okay, Gall?”

Gall nodded, still staring at the tent flap where his father had disappeared.

My heart panged.

Jann caught my eye over his shoulder, and I nodded.

I would fight tooth and nail against any of these creatures. But I would never take advantage of Gall’s trust.

Melek may have appointed his son to bolster his son’s confidence, but he could not have appointed a more effective guard for me.

There was a fleeting question in my mind that perhaps he knew that, and maybe this had all been a very intentional decision on his part, but I discarded it. Even if Melek was that calculating, it didn’t change where I found myself. Which was in the position to protect and strengthen this precious heart.

So, as Jann left the tent almost as quickly as Melek had, I just watched Gall.

He stood there for a long moment, his eyes distant and his expression sad. Then, when he realized he was doing the wrong thing again, he blinked and approached the cage with a heavy sigh.

He turned his back to me when he reached the cage and began to settle down—sitting on the floor, cross-legged. But his father’s spear was longer than he was accustomed to handling, and he had to turn it awkwardly to position it over his thighs. Then he realized it was pointed away from the door, which was less effective in the event of an attack. He maneuvered it until it was correctly pointing at the entrance and resting on his thighs.

He sighed heavily again and leaned back against the cage.

My heart squeezed. I could disarm him in a blink from here, but I wouldn’t. It just reminded me that—

“Did you mean it when you said you weren’t my enemy?” he asked quietly, not turning his head to look at me. His head was dropping, his chin low, as he stroked the etched metal of his father’s spear in his lap.

“Yes,” I said simply. “I meant every word.”

He did turn his head to meet my eyes over his shoulder then. “Will you give me your word that you won’t steal my father’s spear because if he lost that it would… it would be bad.”

I inhaled sharply. “Gall… I will never take another weapon from you, unless I need it in defense of my own life—and even then, I will return it when I’m done. You have my word.”

He nodded. “Thank you.”

Then he turned away again and looked down at the spear. And his posture was so full of grief and frustration—exactly the way I had seen my sister hunch when the world hurt her—that I wanted to weep.

“Gall—”

“I’m your guard. I don’t think we’re supposed to talk,” he muttered.

I sighed. “Well, I understand. But if you ever want to talk, I will listen, okay?”

He nodded again, but didn’t look at me.

The minutes that followed were some of the worst since I’d stepped foot in this camp. I was washed with grief, missing my sister, my family, but frustrated and sad for Gall too. And for the men around us who didn’t understand what he needed and were trying to force him into this mold in which he did not fit.

But even as I began to rant in my head, planning all the ways I would curse Melek for not truly comforting the boy, and for putting him in his position, Gall only sagged more.

Jann still hadn’t returned.

The first time I heard Gall’s breath catch my own tears spilled over my lashes.

I took a step towards him, stopped myself, then cursed and hurried to where he sat with his back against the bars of my prison.

If it were my sister, I would verbalize her feelings for her—make the whole situation less confusing. But I didn’t know if Gall would be wounded by the admission. Yet, I needed to help him.

With a sigh, I knelt, leaned into the cold steel letting my knees press against his broad back, and reached between the bars to wrap one hand over his head and slide the other down his chest. I couldn’t fit my head through the gap, but I could rest my forehead on his hair.

There wasn’t even the beginning of a warrior’s length growing at the back of Gall’s head, I realized. Which meant he hadn’t yet made his first kill, so his fellows didn’t measure him as a true soldier.

My heart broke all over again, and when he tensed at my touch, whipping his hands down to brace on the ground as if he’d stand, I only hugged him harder.

“I’m sorry you got hurt, Gall,” I whispered. “I’m sad too. We can be sad together.”

He froze.

Then he sighed.

I held him, breathing into his short hair and holding him as I would my sister if we were in this position.

And after a moment, he relaxed.

And then he lifted his hands to hold my arm that was clutching his chest.

I felt his chest hitch and closed my eyes, tears sliding down my cheeks. “You are a good man. If they can’t see that, that’s because they are wrong,” I whispered fiercely. “One day I will introduce you to my sister. She would understand your heart, Gall.”

“Women don’t like me,” he muttered.

“She would,” I insisted, cursing whatever women had refused to look beyond his Nephilim ness to his gentle heart. “Her name is Istral, and if I cannot introduce you, when I next see her, I will tell her about you, Gall.”

I felt his body slump, and I squeezed my eyes closed, praying he’d believe me.

“Don’t tell her how big I am. It scares girls,” he whispered back.

I did weep then, for this poor boy and his life and his heart. And for me, and my sister and the world that could be so cruel.

And because… fuck.

Sometimes life just sucked.

We stayed that way a long time, but eventually Gall wiped his eyes and straightened his head, almost smacking me in the nose because he hadn’t realized I was still leaning on his skull.

“Thank you for being kind to me,” he said, then pushed to his feet. “I know I’m not supposed to let you touch me. But you’re nice and I was…”

“It’s okay, Gall. I won’t tell anyone.”

He looked at me gratefully. Then cleared his throat and took his father’s spear and leaned it against his shoulder. “I’m supposed to be your guard until Jann comes back, so I’m going to do that now.”

I blinked, then nodded, biting my lip when he started walking back and forth—marching—in front of my cage, his eyes fixed on the middle distance.

I sighed and settled myself at the back of the cage, praying Jannus would return soon and distract Gall from his determination to be a good guard.

And I hoped he’d bring lunch. It was a little early, but a girl could hope.

I must have dozed off, lulled by the steady beat of Gall’s feet on the dirt, but when I snapped awake it was with every instinct alive and alarmed.

I gasped and leaped to my feet—startling Gall who jerked aside and immediately whipped the spear down and towards me.

I was impressed. It seemed he did know how to handle a weapon. I supposed it made sense that it was something Melek could train him in consistently.

Then I realized that Jann wasn’t there, and Gall was still marching.

“Gall,” I breathed. “How long have I been asleep?”

He shrugged, uncomfortable. “All afternoon,” he mumbled.

I blinked. “Has Jann returned and left again while I’ve been asleep?”

Gall shook his head, his forehead pinched to lines of worry. My heart sank and nerves twisted my guts. But there wasn’t time to discuss it as I scanned the tent looking for whatever had made my senses prickle.

My first thought was that another Shade was making an appearance and adrenaline jolted through my veins, but a moment’s consideration revealed that I didn’t feel the shadows as I had the night before.

Whatever was near wasn’t a supernatural threat, but a physical one.

“What’s wrong?” Gall asked, looking around, following my gaze.

“I don’t know, but you should keep your hands on that weapon, Gall,” I said quietly, still scanning.

Then a shadow passed over the tent flap before it moved. I prayed it would be Jann. But my heart sank to my toes when more shadows joined the one. Then the flap pulled aside to reveal a young but very tall Nephilim, his face clean shaven and handsome, but with sly eyes.

When he saw that the tent was empty except for Gall and me, he ducked back out, then a moment later four young Nephilim entered the tent, eyes bright with cruel delight.

“Hey, Gall… whatcha doing?” the leader of them asked casually.

Every instinct screamed.

Gall frowned but he relaxed his stance, letting the butt of the spear drop to the dirt as all four of them walked towards him, their eyes bright with mischief.

No. No no no nononono.

“I have to stay here,” Gall said immediately, making me think these young men had forced him to go with them before. “I’m the guard. I have to keep her here until Jannus comes.”

The young men looked at each other, grinning, and my senses shrieked.

“Jannus got called by the King to attend with Melek, so they won’t be back for hours.”

Gall blinked and his eyes swiveled to me in surprise.

Unwilling to let these young bucks see me taken off guard, I folded my arms and glared at them.

“Well… then, I really can’t leave,” Gall said a moment later, turning back to them. “I was given the orders by Melek and he said they came from the King.”

“The King isn’t giving orders to a drong like you,” the leader sneered. “And even if he did, it’s fine because they aren’t here. We can all go for a little walk—it’ll be good for her and means you don’t have to stay here all night. Right?”

Confusion flickered on Gall’s face. “No, I don’t think… I mean…”

“C’mon, Gall, while the cat’s away, the mice will play!”

I could tell Gall didn’t have a clue what they meant, but the lascivious look on the young men’s faces made me very, very nervous.

“Gall, remember your instruct—”

“Shut up, bitch. Gall doesn’t have to listen to you—he’s a Neph. And you’re a fucking woman.

“A smokin’ woman though—and stronger than our others. She might survive a breeding,” one of the others commented, peering over his friend’s shoulder.

I wished for a blade to plunge into his throat to shut him up.

The leader tipped his head at me and smiled. My blood ran cold. “I mean, I doubt it. Plus, Fetch stink. But still…” He walked closer and Gall hurried to put himself—and Melek’s spear—between the male and me. But the young warrior just shoved him into the arms of his friends, who teased and cajoled to convince Gall that they were there to have fun. I swallowed hard and stifled a shudder as their leader approached the bars and ran a finger up and down the length of metal as if he were touching me. “What do you say, Fetch? I could fill you better than any Fetch male ever would.”

“Don’t… don’t try. Don’t open the door, she’s dangerous,” Gall said uncertainly—not entirely sure if he was lying or not. “She has to stay in the cage.”

“We won’t tell if you don’t, Gall,” the young Nephilim said in a quiet purr. “After all, we’re friends. We keep each other’s secrets, right?”

He turned and looked at Gall, whose brows pinched as he looked back and forth between them and me, licking his lips nervously. “Yeah,” he said finally. “Friends. Friends keep each other’s secrets.” Then he looked at me with hope in his eyes.

My heart sank as I started to sweat.