Page 21 of The King’s Man (The Kingdom of the Krow #3)

~ DIADRE ~

The first meeting of Melek’s new King’s council was eye-opening. There was a large tent not far from the King’s that was empty of any personal effects, but held a large table and a dozen chairs. Only eight of them were filled.

Yilan sat at Melek’s right and Jann placed me at his.

I was surprised to see that neither of the young officers who’d come with Jann into Theynor were in the Advisory Council.

But apart from the four of us, there were only four others, and Melek had warned us before we entered the tent that they were four strong men with the self-discipline to be an example of the new principles.

Each of them came from powerful families, which would galvanize Melek’s support when word reached Ebonreach, the Nephilim’s homeland.

I was introduced to the four when we sat down, but to my dismay, their names left my head as quickly as they’d entered. I would have to ask Yilan to remind me when we were alone.

The thought was a pang in my chest. I’d always prided myself on learning and remembering the names of soldiers I met, whether they reported directly to me or not. It was a simple way to prove that, as a leader, I didn’t overlook them.

These men were clearly leaders in their own rights—and admiring of Melek. I prayed I wouldn’t have reason to remember their individual names before we left the tent. And cursed myself for the oversight.

I was exhausted, stressed, and not myself.

And when we first began discussing the strategy for Melek’s next moves, I struggled to take anything in.

For a moment, I panicked that perhaps the events of the day before had actually stolen my wits.

I’d been feeling shaky and fragile ever since, even in moments when I knew I was safe.

I must have twitched one too many times in my seat, because to my surprise, Jann’s hand landed softly on my knee, pressing gently down.

My breath caught. The instinct was to slap him away, but I caught myself. His head was turned towards Melek, his hand below the level of the table. None of them knew he touched me, and there was no accompanying smirk. He didn’t touch to be suggestive. He was grounding me.

I blinked.

He was fucking grounding me.

It was a technique I’d been taught—and taught to others—as my responsibilities increased.

Soldiers regularly faced difficult and stressful circumstances.

If they panicked, or anxiety was high, a firm but painless physical touch was often the fastest and most discreet way to bring them back to their right minds.

Of course, the technique also worked with horses.

I couldn’t decide if I was grateful, or offended. But I also couldn’t deny that a minute later I was finally able to hear the voices at the table. Truly hear them.

And what I heard left me… strangely reassured.

It was my first time seeing Melek in his element—surrounded by men whose loyalty he trusted, and standing on the solid ground of his newfound crown. There was no hesitation in him. The other men followed accordingly.

But the biggest surprise to me was Jann.

If anyone had asked me to describe him after our first meeting, I would have spat words like cocky and asshole.

The legends that followed the man painted a picture of strength and political savvy—but in my experience, men strong enough and notorious enough to spur that kind of lore were very impressed with themselves.

And usually so selfish as to be narcissistic.

I’d doubted Jann’s motives from the first day—initially only trusting him at all because Melek did. But recent events had challenged my assumptions about the man. And now…

Now I sat at a table of power and watched him humbly, but relentlessly, position himself behind Melek. In posture, in his words, in his spoken intentions. He left no doubt to any man—or woman—at that table, that should they question Melek, they would deal with him.

When he first spoke up during introductions to the new Council, unequivocally laying his sword at Melek’s beck and call, my natural skepticism expected to see him beggar himself. I waited for ass-kissing. For the ways he might seek Melek’s approval in front of others.

I had no respect for a man who rolled on his back and submitted his strength before one leader, only to use the approval to lord over others.

But to my shock, after being formally named Melek’s General, Jann did not fawn.

He did not appease. He quickly and efficiently outlined the obstacles Melek may face, the support needed from those at the table—and those they led—and he made no apologies for his quiet confidence.

As I sat there, muddled and uncertain in my mind, he exuded certainty, and clarity.

As the discussion continued between the men who would determine how and when Melek and Yilan would make their final claim to the throne in Ebonreach—and how the search for Gall and Istral should be prioritized alongside that—Jann challenged where challenge was needed, but otherwise offered his input with confidence, and accepted instruction from his King.

“…it’s true that finding Gall is a top priority.

He’s a weapon in the hands of our enemies if he’s been taken,” Jann said grimly to Melek.

“Yet, I find myself far more concerned about the obstacles you might face from within the Nephilim, rather than other nations. You’ve already proven you can conquer lands and fighters—”

“Our force has been decimated,” Melek muttered with a twist of distaste on his lips. “Half our men slaughtered at our own hands.”

“Your enemies don’t know that. New men from the former war camp join us every day.

They’re being assessed individually by our strongest fighters.

Those who are willing to fall in line with your priorities will stay, those who don’t will not,” Jann said bluntly.

“Whenever you choose to return home, you will do so with a united force—even if it is smaller than expected. It’s only smart to leave forces in each conquered nation to watch over them.

Plus, even Neph war has casualties. Most won’t see enough to question the numbers—they’ll assume we’re traveling in bands.

If anything, the proof of your ability to both conquer and form alliance with the strongest on the Continent will only add to your legend. ”

Melek huffed and looked at Yilan. She sat too straight. Her grief and fear for Istral barely hidden beneath the surface, though these men were unlikely to perceive it. But I knew her. She wanted nothing more than to personally hunt for her sister, and kill any man who had hurt or violated her.

But my best friend was also a Queen and understood that her responsibility outweighed her personal loyalties and pains.

She could not walk away. She was needed here. She wouldn’t deny it.

What surprised me was how quickly talk had turned to Melek and Yilan returning to Ebonreach.

“…the men here, the forces, the alliance with Theynor—these are the true weapons that will stifle your enemies before you even step foot in their lands,” Jann said confidently. “And if any of them attempt to resist, they’ll deal with me and our remaining forces.”

The implication that every man at the table accepted without question was that any enemy who attempted such a mutiny would pay the price dearly, at the hands of Jann himself.

That was the moment I saw why Melek trusted him. And understood why Yilan had urged me to do the same.

Jann did not see himself as a dog on Melek’s leash, only waiting to be freed to take control.

He was a wolf, happily serving his Alpha, and would put down any imbecile who was stupid enough to believe that being out of Melek’s sight made them safer.

Any leader at any level would be bolstered by that kind of support coupled with genuine strength. But for a King?

For a King, that kind of loyalty was priceless.

And it was exactly how I felt about Yilan.

My assurance to her had always been she need only point, and I would fulfill her instructions whether she was present or not. That she need only express the need, and I would fill it without her offering a second thought.

It was… humbling to watch a man—inarguably a stronger, more powerful man than me—do the same.

I spent the rest of the meeting squirming in my seat, trying to accommodate this new view of Jann, and wondering how I’d missed this quality in him before.

Oh wait. That’s right.

Because he’d never stopped fucking flirting.

Until now.

That hand appeared on my knee twice more in the course of the afternoon. Never sliding higher to my thigh. Never squeezing in warning. Always pressing to remind me of the solid earth beneath my feet—and the solid strength of the body that sat next to me.

At one point I found myself emotional purely because here he sat, not only aware of me and attempting to assist in my difficulty, but also articulating wise counsel for his King, and a stabilizing loyalty that would bolster the confidence of the other men, whom he outranked.

He was leading. And doing it better than I did.

Shit.

When the decisions were finally made to separate the mission to find Gall and Istral from Melek and Yilan’s progress—to give no outward indication of their worry or preoccupation—I met eyes with Yilan.

She looked away immediately, but I already knew.

This would kill her.

Leaving her sister’s protection in the hands of others—even Jhonas and his ranks—went against every way that Yilan loved. But she kept her chin high and her eyes clear. And seeing her dignity, even knowing how broken she felt, it chastised me.

I had been falling apart. Allowing myself to spiral.

The events of the previous day were difficult and I would struggle with them for some time. Perhaps forever if our people were destined to mingle and cohabitate. But they did not give me reason to abscond from my responsibilities.

My Queen needed me. My best friend needed me.

I desperately needed to get my shit together.

Instinctively, I glanced at Jann sitting next to me, his face somber.

I wondered if he’d ever faced a crisis of this seemingly impenetrable confidence.

Probably not.

Fucker.

Yilan used her Advisory Council primarily to advise and make decisions that would be instructed to others. But it turned out, Melek intended for his Council to be far more operational in their responsibilities.

Lead from the front.

It was what Yilan had said to me when I suggested she allow someone else to infiltrate the Nephilim war camp and kill Melek.

I had admired her commitment at the time and supported her wholeheartedly. It was a relief to have further confirmation I could do the same for her mate.

When we finally left the council, Jann called for our evening meal to be brought to his tent. We ambled along the trails, him always beside and slightly behind me, speaking only to offer directions which I followed, though I knew the way by now.

We turned the last corner to the spot where I knew we’d find his tent, and I drew up short, Jann bumped me from behind, because suddenly two very large Nephilim loomed over me.

“Thank you for your diligence,” Jann said to them with a comfortable nod. “Please ensure the patrols are maintained tonight.”

The two men saluted, then marched off in different directions. I looked up at Jann. He looked grim, but opened an arm towards the tent, beckoning me to go first.

I pushed the tent flap aside and walked in, but turned on him as soon as we were inside. “You had guards set up?”

“Not guards, patrols. Men I trust to take instruction when it comes to females,” he said quietly, walking to the chests at the side of the tent and stripping off his weapons straps and sheaths.

I blinked. “You think they’d come in and—”

“No,” he said abruptly, his head snapping towards me as he tossed his sheath-belt into the trunk.

“I wanted men around who would hear you or Yilan if you cried out, and come to your aid. What occurred yesterday… it was abhorrent, Diadre. I don’t intend to be separated from you—but in case you’re foolish enough to run off again, I wanted others nearby to assist.” He smiled to soften the words.

I swallowed back the anger that wanted to crackle in my veins at the idea of my foolishness. But he was right. I had to accept that. I’d been the one to run off, even after his warnings. I’d put myself in danger—and he’d been proven right that the danger was both present, and imminent.

I needed him. And any assistance he found to make it safer for Yilan and myself to be here. It humbled me to think it, but it was true.

I opened my mouth to tell him so, but then the servants arrived with our meals.