Page 77 of The King’s Man (The Kingdom of the Krow #3)

~ JANN ~

I couldn’t react. Couldn’t show any nerves as Gall turned.

Gall with his yellow eyes and sunny hair.

Gall with a warrior’s length tied back and brushed, dangling from the leather strap long enough to brush his shoulders. It was the length of several years growth, which was impossible.

And yet—those eyes. He looked at Diadre first and those eyes widened with recognition and the flash of uncertainty that I’d seen in him every day of his life.

Gall was sharp enough to be aware of his own lack, and always nervous for a moment when something changed, because he often missed cues or plowed into conversations he later regretted.

Melek and I had spent countless hours coaching him on how to guard his tongue. This moment was the first in which I caught him do it. Because as soon as he’d recognized Diadre, those eyes snapped up to my face, then cooled.

In a blink, the Gall I’d known since he was a boy disappeared, and in his place was a young Neph, strong, sure of himself, and offering a slow, cold smile I had never seen before.

It took me another breath to remember that Gall was King, which meant I had to offer respect, especially after so much time apart. But my head reeled.

This was Gall. Unless the Fallen knew a way to replicate us, or some kind of glamor magik to disguise? But that look in Gall’s eyes… Was it truly him? And if so, how had he come to this?

Gall tilted his head as if listening to someone at his side for a moment, then his golden gaze flashed in the way it used to when he was happy. And to my surprise, he opened his arms and beamed.

“Jann! You made it!”

He rushed through the gap of men around us to hug me with every ounce of the exuberance I would have expected from him.

I felt the jolt of confusion in Diadre that matched my own.

The cold smile was gone, that chilled gaze warm again.

The adolescent joy tempered by the knowledge that he was expected to act in another way.

And still, he pulled me into an embrace and squeezed me hard, as he would have months ago if we’d been apart this long.

While he squeezed and grunted and the men around us shifted on their feet, averting their eyes from the King’s oddity, I hugged him back, but murmured in his ear.

“What’s this I hear? I must give obeisance to the King?”

Gall went still for a moment, then leaned back, but kept his hands on my shoulders and that cold chill in his gaze was back. “Yes, Jann. But there’s no need for scraping.”

I bowed, barely able to think. “Congratulations. I’ve been following your progress—though I’ll admit, I wondered about when you decided to abandon Melek—”

“I didn’t abandon Melek,” Gall growled. “I was found by my Grandfather when I was returning, and he explained everything.”

I frowned. “Grandfather? But Melek’s father is dead.”

Gall dropped his hands from me and his face went tight.

“My father is His Majesty, Gaultes Falcyon, The King of the Nephilim, descended directly from the Light Bearer,” he said fiercely.

Proudly. “I owe a life debt to Melek Handras for saving me as a child. But I am not his son.” Then he turned and gestured towards the men on the balcony.

“And now, these are my family These are my brothers.”

A cheer rose, though it lacked the gusto of true enthusiasm, but Gall didn’t seem to notice, he gave a wicked smile when the men cheered, then looked back at me expectantly, and the glint in his golden eyes made my blood run cold.

“Now, Jann. If you come in peace, you must have chosen as I did—that I am the true Heir to the crown. Yes?”

“Yes, yes of course,” I stammered, mentally scrambling for the speech I’d prepared to convince Gall of my loyalty. But he didn’t give me breath.

“Excellent, then join us for the hunt.”

I blinked as he returned to the balustrade. A wave of rumbles and growls rose from the men around us, and all turned back to watching the women with hunger in their eyes.

I did everything in my power to keep my stance relaxed and not betray the racing of my heart. Ignoring Diadre at my side—just as Gall had.

“What do you think, Jann? Who’s the strongest of them?” Gall asked, leaning in like we were staring at horses.

I looked at the women below and lifted my upper lip as if I fought a sneer. “I’m not sure, Gall. I doubt any of them are strong enough—and anyway, I’m not done with this one.”

I lifted Diadre’s hand as Gall finally turned to look at her. He bowed with that slight awkwardness he’d always had with formal manners, but his smile for her had an eerie edge.

“Diadre. It’s good to see you. Istral will be pleased.”

Diadre opened her mouth, but I grabbed for that chain at her throat and pulled it tight with a quick jerk even as I shoveled an apology at her through the bond.

“Do not speak without permission,” I growled and the men around me nodded their approval as her hands flew up to that choker and her eyes widened.

But Gall laughed—a pompous sound I’d never heard from him before. “Let her speak. We’re friends.”

Diadre’s nerves spiked in the bond, but she did an excellent job of appearing both afraid, and hesitantly eager to please as I nodded at him and pretended to obey him, letting the slip-chain loose so she could speak.

“It’s…” she said hoarsely, then cleared her throat. I cursed myself. “It’s good to see you, Gall,” she rasped. “Does this mean… is Istral is here? I’d like to greet her if—”

“My love!” Gall called, turning away from us to look in the opposite direction.

The men behind him eased aside as Gall reached out, beckoning, then pulled Istral to his side.

And suddenly the Gall I knew was back—beaming, eyes shining when he looked at her.

“We got married!” he said with childish glee.

Istral looked warily at the men around her, and I felt Diadre’s heart drop.

But Istral clung to Gall tightly as he went on.

“She’s here. But don’t think about getting her away from me.

She’s my mate. If anyone else touches her, I kill them,” he said with the frank, childlike tone that the Gall I’d always known would have used for explaining why a soldier would be punished for not shining their boots.

Diadre blinked, but recovered faster than I did. She curtseyed to Istral and dropped her head. “It’s so good to see you, Lady Istral.”

Istral nodded, but she was plastered to Gall’s side as if she feared even allowing air between them. Then she looked up at Gall and when he leaned down, she whispered something in his ear.

“Of course you can speak to your old friend. Just don’t move away,” Gall stage-whispered in return, then as Istral turned to meet eyes with Dee, Gall looked at the men around him and announced, “Now that Jann’s here, let’s get started. Release the prey!”

The men cheered and rushed for the balustrade, jostling Diadre and Istral and I, while on the grass below, the two guards stepped away from that cluster of women. One of them drew a horn that was hooked behind his belt, tipped his head back and blew it.

A long, mournful cry rose to echo over the trees and the vast gardens of the Palace as the men around us cheered and snarled, bellowing at the women to run while they can.

And run they did.

Forgetting their nakedness. Heedless of bare feet, the women cried out and sprang away from the watchers and into the trees like startled rabbits.

My stomach churned, and I felt Diadre’s sickness, too.

Oddly, as the men rushed forward—they had to give the women thirty minutes to run and hide or attempt to escape before they would be allowed to hunt them—Gall turned to me and folded his arms in a posture so reminiscent of Melek it made the hair on my neck stand up.

“I’m glad you made it. I could use you for an Advisor,” he said, watching me closely, proudly, obviously wanting to see me impressed that he would bestow tasks to me.

“Of course, of course,” I muttered, preoccupied by the snarling crowd around us, howling and calling threats after the women, urging them on.

“Don’t worry about them,” Gall said. “ We have mates. We don’t need them. This is just to prove that I have control and find out which of the women are—Oh, Jann, have you met my Grandfather?”

The diversion of topics was so sudden, I blinked and had to think.

But Gall was smiling proudly. “He’s here. He’s helping me too.”

“Your… grandfather?” I asked, frowning as Gall tipped his head in the other direction and when I looked, the men parted once more, this time to reveal the tall, handsome form of the most powerful of the Fallen angels… Lucifer.

He stepped towards me with an easy smile—cunning and sly.

Gall, completely unaware of the crackling energy in the air, continued. “He’s been a great help to me and Istral. I’m very glad that he’s back now that Father is dead.”

Forcing myself to smile, I gave the Fallen the obeisance he’d expect, yanking Diadre down into a curtsey by the choker.

Lucifer’s smile broadened as we straightened, but he turned to at Diadre first.

“Hello, dear,” he said warmly. “Don’t do what you’re thinking about doing. It won’t end well for you.”

Diadre froze. I arched one brow, but Lucifer finally turned to me and clapped my shoulder.

“I’d almost given up on you, Jann. I’m glad to see you made the right choice.”

I nodded once, clenching my teeth. “It took some work, but Melek believes I’m helping him, and his mate believes me an ally.”

“Well done, Halfling.”

“I did tell you I could handle it.”

“Yes, you did. How long until our emerald-eyed cuckold arrives?”

Melek. How many of my messages had he actually received? He couldn’t possibly be prepared for this.

“I can’t be certain,” I said casually. “I’ve stayed ahead of him on purpose, feeding him back the messages as you suggested. At a guess, I’d say a week. But if they aren’t flying, it will be more.”

Lucifer looked as if he wanted to roll his eyes. “Oh, he’s flying, He can’t help himself, especially knowing Gall is here,” he said, placing one hand on Gall’s arm and squeezing. Then the fucker looked down on Diadre again. “A solid choice. These Fetch women have a certain quality, don’t they?”

I wanted to tear out his throat, but I smiled instead. “They do.”

I growled when Lucifer leaned in and sniffed Diadre, who shrank from him towards me. His eyes brightened as he straightened. “And you’ve already impregnated her, well done!”

The world stopped as those words echoed in my head.

And you’ve already impregnated her, well done!

You’ve already impregnated her…

Already impregnated—

“I-I’m sorry, how can you… are you sure?” I stammered.

“These human bitches stink of it. They can’t hide it from me.

Very convenient since they’re all liars.

In any case,” he said, a cold gleam entering his gaze.

“You might as well join the hunt. Gall and I will watch over her for you. Go find the next one. I’m sure you’ve heard our plans have accelerated? ”

“There were rumors, but I never pay much attention until I’ve heard it directly from you,” I said, praying my voice didn’t sound as faint as it felt to me.

Pregnant?

My heart galloped away, thumping so hard on my ribs I was certain Lucifer would hear it.

The Fallen’s smile gleamed like a sharpened blade. “Gall is exceeding all expectations, so we’re moving ahead even more quickly than we’d planned.”

“I’ll admit, that was a surprise. I wasn’t sure bringing Gall into this was you, or—”

Lucifer waved me off. “Melek will be removed when he arrives here in Valgorath—publicly, so there’s no chance of an uprising.

We’ve already sent forces to collect more of the Fetches.

We’ll keep alive a number of those who are too small or weak to watch over the babes while we grow our numbers.

Meanwhile, we move ahead. The time has come. ”

I tipped my head. “Move? We have an army to face and a continent to solidify—”

Lucifer tsked impatiently. “Melek is a gnat on the ass of our plans. But thanks to him the continent is already under the King’s control. Our goals are far bigger, Jann. Far bigger. Come, we’ll talk. Leave the bitch. No one here will touch her now that she’s pregnant. I have a plan for you. Come.”

I balked as Lucifer turned away, my mind reeling—instincts screaming that I couldn’t defy the Fallen to his face, especially with an audience, but it felt like my feet had been nailed to the tiles.

When Lucifer realized I wasn’t following, he turned slowly back to face me and tipped his head, eyes narrowing.

“I have left you wild, Halfling, but that is only because you have proven yourself loyal and trustworthy. Need I reassess your… allegiance?”

I shook his head. “When it comes to you, not in the slightest. My loyalties have not changed.”

“Then explain.”

“She’s mine. And these fuckers might not take her for a babe, but they’ll take her just to take her from me. She remains at my side. I won’t let one of them injure her and hurt m-my son.”

God, I almost stumbled on it.

It couldn’t be. It couldn’t possibly be!

Lucifer glanced at Diadre to my left, then back to me, before turning on his heel and striding away. “Come. But make sure your bitch keeps her mouth shut. I’ll tear your bastard out of her belly myself if she betrays us.”