Page 13 of The King’s Man (The Kingdom of the Krow #3)

~ DIADRE ~

Jann was tired and quiet the next morning as we gathered our things and prepared to travel.

I caught him inhaling deeply and bracing himself before he put his arms around me to launch and I felt bad.

I was achy from all that time unmoving and holding the bags.

But I wasn’t propelling us both through the sky.

He definitely launched more slowly, and glided more as we flew. But we were out of the fog in an hour and sweeping over the forests and plains on the way to the Palace. My stomach swooped when I could suddenly see how high we were.

He chuckled when I tensed, but didn’t comment. I was able to relax somewhat as we flew on, but it was with great relief that I saw the land begin to rise, and the forest thin.

Over that hill we’d come to the royal city.

“Don’t fly within sight of the Palace walls.” I broke the silence as the morning sun turned the autumn pastures gold. “They don’t know we’re coming and I don’t want anyone shooting you down.”

He grunted, but began the descent, back flapping and slowing, dropping his lower body—and mine—as we drew close to the ground.

It was both a relief to have my feet on solid ground, and a strange kind of emptiness when he let me go and his wings disappeared as we both shrugged our bags and bedrolls onto our backs.

An hour later we approached the Palace walls by the Northern Gate. The passing traders with their wagons and wares, and servants filing in and out carrying goods or messages all stared with great concern at Jann.

But, on my authority the guards allowed him entry. A messenger darted ahead to warn Turo, the General—no, Governor, I reminded myself—that we were on our way and asking if he had news of Gall or Istral.

Within minutes we were hurrying through the halls to Turo’s office. And the General met us before we’d even reached the door, marching out with his gaze wary on Jann, but easing to a smile when he locked eyes with me.

“Diadre. This is a surprise. What’s going on?”

I stopped and saluted and he nodded to accept it, then looked pointedly at Jann.

“Uh, General, Jann has been promoted to… General as well,” I said hurriedly, realizing I didn’t even know Jann’s last name.”

Turo blinked and his jaw tightened, but he offered Jann an arm to clasp. To my relief Jann received the gesture with grace, clasping Turo’s arm and nodding.

“Now that that’s out of the way,” Turo said dryly, turning to lead us back into his office. “What the hell is going on? Harris said Istral and Gall were with you! Do I have a conspiracy in my midst?”

“No, no!” I said hurriedly. “Nothing like that. At least… Harris was right. They were with us. But there was a battle, and Melek charged Gall with staying out of the fray, keeping Istral safe, and returning to Theynor if things went bad.”

Turo froze as he was about to take a seat behind his large desk. “How bad did they go?”

“They didn’t—I mean, they did. But we won,” I reassured him.

“I’ll give you a full report. But when we sent for Gall to join us among the Nephilim, he never showed up.

And further investigations have turned up nothing.

We were hoping they’d misinterpreted, or perhaps Gall panicked when it turned into an all-out battle and took her away… but…”

“The truth is, if neither of them are here, we fear the Fallen have taken her and either killed Gall, or imprisoned him,” Jann said flatly.

Turo looked at him, expressionless. “You’re serious?”

“Deadly.”

“What would the Fallen want with Is—” he cut himself off as the obvious conclusion came to him. “Oh dear God, no.”

Jann nodded grimly.

“We need to be certain,” I said, forcing myself to breathe properly, because the image of poor, sweet Istral in Fallen hands was… sickening. And if she really wasn’t here, I would have to be the one to tell Yilan that it seemed the most likely scenario.

God, that would kill her.

Turo nodded, but his eyes had gone distant. He sat back in his chair, rubbing his jaw. “There’s a few places she’s run before when she was scared. I’ll have Harris and some of our more thoughtful men search them immediately.”

“Thank you.”

Turo pushed to his feet and marched straight for the door to speak to the runners in the hallway. I looked at Jann, but he was slumped in the too-small chair, staring at the floor, frowning.

“Have them check that cottage. They both liked it there,” he said from nowhere.

Turo looked over his shoulder and nodded, then turned back to the messengers outside.

I took a deep breath, my chest tight. This would break Yilan’s heart. She’d blame herself for letting Istral get anywhere near the Neph. And for not protecting her from the Fallen when she’d been warned.

But she had tried. We all did. As best we could. These fuckers were enemies. And this was one battle they might have won. But we would make certain they did not win the war.

Turo spoke to men at the door longer than I’d expected, but kept his voice low. I gathered he didn’t want Jann hearing everything he said and wondered what he was up to. He was a clever man, and an excellent strategist—an area he’d encouraged me to focus my energies.

“We need minds that can look at a problem from a high view, Diadre. Don’t underestimate your talents.”

When Turo marched back to his desk, his face was pale. I suspected mine was too because the reality of what we faced was coming home to all of us as hope faded for something better. Easier.

He settled in his seat and his throat bobbed. “They’ll look. We’ll have word tonight.”

Then he looked at me. “I’m also sending some trackers through the Shadows. Perhaps the Neph ones weren’t as… skilled.”

Jann’s lips pursed, but Turo shot him a look. “Lady Istral isn’t deeply skilled, but she can walk the Shadows. And searching for a Shadow walker’s trail is not the same game.”

Those muscles at the back of Jann’s jaw flexed, but he nodded tightly.

“You two should rest while you can. I assume once we’re certain, you’ll return immediately?”

I nodded. “Tomorrow morning at the latest, unless there’s some sign that we might yet find them here. Jann needs to rest—where is Melek’s bed now? He’ll need that kind of space.”

Jann’s head snapped towards me, but he didn’t speak.

Turo looked unimpressed. “The King’s bed is now in the Royal Suite. I’m not sure it’s appropriate—”

“I am. Melek would want him to rest as comfortably as possible. He’s been flying me for two days. His body needs to properly refresh before we fly again tomorrow.”

Turo looked at Jann, but then he nodded. “That’s fair. I’ll tell the guards.”

“No need. I’ll tell them,” I said breezily, uncertain why I was so sure I needed to stay close to him, but since I’d stopped allowing myself to be seduced by liars, my instincts hadn’t failed me yet, and something said I needed to remain close to Jann.

That his reception here was precarious. And we couldn’t afford that kind of fight.

“Jann and I need to plan our return travel—I’ll show him the maps of the Shadows.

We can travel as the crow flies,” I said, unable to resist a slight smirk. Jann grunted.

I saw Turo tense at the idea of showing a Neph our maps of the Shadows of Shade.

But in truth, the only benefit was that it would keep Jann out of sight and busy so there’d be the least disruption in the Palace as possible.

And we could plan the shortest route since we didn’t have to follow the lay of the land, so we were in the mists—in the sky—as little as possible.

I wasn’t sure how much more my heart could take.

“Very well,” Turo said, his disapproval clear, but his intention to cooperate as well. “I’d like a briefing on the events that have taken place so far. But before we move on, is there anything else you’ll need from me while you’re here?”

“Just prepare whatever messages and updates you want going back to Melek and Yilan. That reminds me…”

I dug into my bag and pulled out the notes Yilan had sent and put them on his desk. “She gives you all the important details here, along with their plans. When you’ve read them, let me know. I’ll answer any questions I can.”

Turo looked at the folded notes hungrily, but maintained his indifferent posture. “In that case, perhaps you two should go bathe and rest. I’ll send a messenger for you once I’ve gone through these.”

“That would be… really great, actually,” I said. Jann nodded, but his eyes were still distant. Was he unhappy being here on Shadekin soil? Or was he so tired he couldn’t maintain the sunny facade?

“Tell a runner outside, they’ll bring the servants to the royal suite. You can take the apartment. I’m sure Yilan would want that.”

I shook my head. “I have my rooms and I’d be most comfortable there. There’s a few things I want to take back, too.”

“So, I should send the bath to your quarters?”

“I’ll do it,” I said, getting to my feet. “You focus on the news and send for me when you’re ready. I’ll get Jann settled in, then go to my chambers. If I’m not with him, I’ll be there.”

Turo nodded, his eyes already on the notes. “Very well. And, thank you. Both of you. For… for your service in this.”

Jann looked a little surprised, but nodded. I sighed. “Turo… I’m scared about what this means.”

He raised his gaze from the first of the notes, already in his hands and nodded, his expression dark. “We all are—this entire alliance is… shaky.”

“No, it’s not.” Jann’s hands tightened to fists at his sides.

Turo looked up at him, frowning. “I didn’t mean that the desire for the alliance was waning. I meant the undertaking of it… bringing two nations together is a precarious task at the best of times. But these two nations. We are… so different.”

“Read your reports,” Jann growled. “Then we’ll see how different we are.”

Without another word, he turned and strode for the door.