Page 17 of The King has Fallen (The Kingdom of the Krow #1)

~ MELEK ~

As darkness fell on the continent, Jann and I were still riding across the plains, half a field from the King because Gault’s Khalrion stallion was snorting, wanting to challenge mine.

My burnished copper beast shook his head, rattling the muzzle and stamping with his front feet as his long legs ate up the ground back to the camp.

I slapped the side of his neck and made the soothing hums that would help him ease.

Riding Baelor was very much like riding a horse, but the ranks always eyed us warily when the King and I rode. The Khalrion are only half horse with the barrel, head, and neck of a thickly muscled stallion, though broader and taller than any of the purebred animals. They were also half lion, their haunches thick and legs ending in clawed paws like a lion, with a menacing tail lashing their rumps.

And of course, the teeth. Even the Nephilim who grew up with the creatures shook in fear when a Khalrion opened what looked like a wide horse’s muzzle to reveal the fangs of a predator.

Nephilim had been breeding these beasts for centuries, though only the richest and most powerful males possessed them.

Like us, they were a hybrid. We neutered all but the biggest and strongest of them, otherwise the herds would tear each other apart. Usually only Royal bloodlines of Nephilim could own the stallions, but Gault had rewarded me Baelor when we crossed the borders of the Kyrion Vale, having defeated the centaurs.

At the time he said my efforts against those beasts deserved one of my own, and the Khalrion were the closest we could get. The Centaurs were the original model for the creatures, after all. Proof that a true hybrid could be achieved. But the centaurs were capable of reproduction, while the Khalrion, created by the fallen angels with the dark power they possessed, were always male.

I didn’t know what sex magik the Fallen had used to combine the two species, but there was no denying that the beasts were fierce, strong, and—when well trained—extremely useful both in battle, and in travel.

On foot, even fresh, it would have taken us half a day from the camp just to reach the front. But on the backs of these creatures, we’d made it all the way there, spent three hours meeting with the Captains and inspiring the ranks , and now were almost back to camp in eight hours.

If not for the fact that Gault had suddenly insisted that Jann accompany me when he’d brought a message for the Scouts as we were leaving, I might have found the day a pleasant break from the usual grind of war planning and Fetch management.

But I’d been relying on Jann to keep Gall focused… and even as I reassured myself that Gall wouldn’t make a mistake and free her, the woman’s words about the King having the power and motive to send the Shade wouldn’t stop echoing in my head. All day, from the moment I swung into the saddle and bowed to my King, my mind saw shadows around every corner, every expression, every decision of Gault’s.

Especially when we were at the front and he made such a point to keep me behind him.

I caught a dark look from Gault when the battalions cheered louder after seeing me appear in his wake. But they’d received his speech with great enthusiasm and cheered him highest and loudest at its end.

I hadn’t been able to meet alone with the Captains as I had hoped, however, because Gault had kept me at his side. Luckily, with Jann there, he could run messages and questions back and forth between us.

All in all, it had been a helluva day after very little sleep—and a threat on my life. I couldn’t wait to return to my tent, and my bed.

Even thoughts of Yilan’s cat-eyes on me seemed welcome—until I observed the thought and decided my exhaustion was muddling my mind.

The moon was high and almost full as it rose, casting everything into shades of silver and steel. The forest was approaching which meant we’d reach camp in minutes.

I caught Jann’s look from the side and nodded. “Go ahead,” I said. “Make certain he’s gone, just in case.” It wouldn’t be the first time Gault came to find my tent. “Tell Gall to keep his head down and stay in his bedroll, even if the trumpets are blown.”

Jann nodded once, then dug his heels into his beast’s side—the entire entourage were riding Khalrion geldings at the King’s insistence. After all, we’d be too slow if they had to stay on foot.

Half an hour later, my focus was on keeping Baelor calm as Gault brought his stallion closer so we could enter the camp together.

Gault smiled and handled his stallion easily, enjoying the flash of his spirited animal against the relative calm of mine.

The ranks had clearly been prepared for our arrival, because they lined the edges of the track we called a road that led into and out of the camp.

Gault raised his chin to them, receiving their adulation with a smug smile and a patronizing wave.

He did cut an impressive figure—the largest of the Nephilim astride the largest Khalrion stallion, and a cloak that made his shoulders even wider than his beast’s swirling in his wake. Even the dirt and dust of travel on his skin didn’t mar the image of a fierce, vital ruler.

And of course, the gold of the pure, angelic blood shining in his eyes.

Only those within two or three generations descent from the Fallen possessed them, and they glowed in the dark of night like tiny suns. An unnerving sight to the uninitiated.

Inspiring to those who knew those eyes were on their side.

With his chin high and body pulsing with vigor, the gold and precious jewels of his royal garb shining in the light of moon and campfire, I had to admit, if Gault was feeling threatened by my sway with the ranks, he was playing it well.

Halfway through camp, riding in Gault’s wake, and trying to keep my waving and acknowledgement of the men as subdued as possible, I heard my name barked over the roar of the crowds and turned to find Jannus popping out of the line of Nephilim to march alongside my beast.

I frowned, looking down at him, my blood chilling when I caught the expression on his face.

“What is it?”

He glanced at Gault’s back ahead of me, then back to me. “It’s worse than we feared.”

I almost kicked Baelor to a gallop but forced myself to keep my head.

Jannus was grim, but calm.

Gault, obviously noticing Jann, turned in his saddle, looking a question at me over his shoulder.

“Just an issue with some of the guards,” I said as casually as I could. “Some of them are… celebrating too soon. You know how the young can be.”

Gault snorted. “I do.” He looked down his nose at the ranks lining the road.

“I can take care of it, but I’d rather you didn’t move too deep into the camp, Sire, until I can be sure it’s taken care of. I don’t want to risk a frenzy—I can’t afford to lose guards to their stupidity and your obviously superior strength.”

Gault huffed, but he was still smiling and enjoying the adulation of the Nephilim ranks. “Whatever you need to do, Melek, just do it. Take care of the children. Eat. Sleep. It has been a good day. I plan to wash and end the evening in my tent with my girls.”

Relief coursed through me that he wasn’t going to come after the Fetch—or Gall—tonight. But even as I nodded and saluted him, my blood cooled further.

Whistling for two of his Handlers to ride forward and take Baelor for me—even muzzled the beast could be trouble if he wasn’t dominated—I swung off Baelor and threw his reins to the first of the two handlers to reach me. Then I followed Jannus, ducking back into the crowd, pushing through them to dart into camp.

“The tent is empty,” Jann said the moment we were sure we wouldn’t be overheard.

I almost stopped in my tracks. “What?!”

“Both Gall and Yilan are gone. Completely gone. And no one saw him come get dinner.”

He hadn’t been joking about it being worse than we feared.

I blinked once, cursed twice, then made myself focus.

This wasn’t a crisis. This was a battle. This was strategy. And I would win.

“I’ll change while you get food and your weapons—we can’t grow weak now. Meet me back at my tent in five minutes. We’ll split up and search. I don’t believe he would free her. But she may have manipulated him into taking her somewhere she believed she could fight her way free.”

Jann kept nodding as I hurriedly laid out the plan through gritted teeth, then peeled away towards the main cook-tent to grab supplies and send a message for a tracker. If we couldn’t locate them in minutes, we’d have to bring someone in to follow the scent trail from the cage.

Fuck.

Fuck!

I shoved the tent flap aside, rushing into the dim tent—no lanterns lit. But there was enough moonlight to make the roof and side of the tent glow. I didn’t take the time to light a lantern, especially since we might need to get Gall and Yilan back here under cover of dark.

FUCK.

I was stripping before I’d taken two steps, throwing my armor onto the bed to be stored properly later, I grabbed my black calfskin leathers from the trunk and pulled them on. Soft and dull, they were the best for furtive activities at night and would remain comfortable on my weary body.

One quick scan of the tent revealed that my second spear wasn’t here either. I prayed Gall hadn’t lost it to Yilan, though I doubted she was strong enough to wield it effectively.

Moments later, dressed and armed, I stood at the center of the tent when Jann appeared, having also changed and carrying hot rolls filled with sliced beef. We both tore into the food, quickly and carefully discussing who would take which routes through the camp, and what questions we’d ask, and of whom.

But my mind was spinning.

Why would Gall have taken her out of the cage? She must have manipulated him.

Curse me for believing her wide-eyed, earnest assurances that she understood him and wouldn’t take advantage.

Curse the King for insisting Jann come with us.

Curse that fucking Fetch for putting the questions in my mind about the King setting me up for…

No.

One problem at a time. Right now, I had to locate Gall and Yilan. There was no other option.

“You go north and east,” I instructed Jann quietly. “I’ll go south and west—he has some hiding places in the forest. If he perceived danger, he may have taken her to hide…”

Jann and I quickly determined who would cover which territory, how to leave signs for each other in the event that one of us didn’t return, and agreed to meet at my tent again in ninety minutes. I prayed that one of us would have found the pair before then.

I clasped his arm, thanking him for his help. Then we left the tent and split up, Jann to follow the paths into the camp proper where he would ask careful questions to identify where they’d been seen— if they’d been seen. While I darted around the tent and followed the lay of the land deeper into the forest that hugged the foothills of the mountain above and kept my eyes peeled for any sign of their passage.

In truth, I’d left the questions to Jann because he was less suspicious to be seen talking throughout the camp, but also because I suspected Gall wouldn’t have just marched her through the camp, even if he thought it was right to get her away.

Gall always tried to be alone when he didn’t have responsibilities and couldn’t be with me. Everywhere we camped for more than a day he’d find some dark spot or quiet clearing to be alone and breathe. He called it Being Still. I knew he’d found more than one spot within a mile or two of this camp where we had now stayed for weeks, but I hadn’t taken him up on visiting with him. Now I cursed myself for not taking the time when I was in camp before. I was sure if he thought he had to protect her he’d take her to one of those places.

One thing I could be confident of with Gall, if there had been a threat, if he’d taken her away, he would be found or he would bring her back.

But what if she’d tricked him?

My heart hammered as my mind spun with the consequences if Gall was the one to lose her—consequences to me and to him. But I couldn’t focus on the problems that had not yet arisen. I had to give all my attention to solving what I knew: Both were missing, and this left us all in great peril.

I was only minutes from the tent, slipping deeper into the forest, when the deep roar of a male crowd rose. My first instinct was to dismiss it—but as the voices rose higher, a feminine shriek cut through and I froze. Turning my head towards the camp I realized that the roaring wasn’t coming from behind me, but from my left.

Deeper into the forest.

Cursing, I began to run.