‘I need to talk to Gall, to see how far gone he is. I can feel him, Yilan. He’s still there. But something has shifted. I just pray that he’s not so fully surrendered to Lucifer, that he can’t be influenced.’
‘If he can’t? If he attacks you?’
‘I’ll defend myself,’I sent shortly, letting her see the warning in my eyes.‘I’m not hurting him though.’We’d had this discussion countless times, and it was the primary bone of contention between us.
I’d vowed to my son, who’d been abused, rejected, abandoned, and minimized his entire life, that I wouldneverhurt him. Never use my strength for anything but his protection.
‘Melek—’
‘I’m not doing this again, Yilan. The conversation is over.’
She huffed, dropping her hands to her sides, but clenched to fists.‘What if he draws a blade? Or calls for the guards? What then?’
‘Then we’ll deal with whatever needs to be dealt with. But I’mnotattacking my son.’
‘For the sake of a vow made when he was a child, you’d let him take you from me?! From your people?’
‘Of course not!’
‘But—’
‘My word is worth nothing if I break it the moment things get difficult.’
‘Difficult? Melek, it could be the difference between your death or his!’
‘Then you pray that I’m right, and it doesn’t come to that. That the Gall we know and love is still in there. That he still loves me—and you. And that this entire picture we’re seeing is only his naivete and confusion at work.’
‘What if it isn’t?’
I scowled.‘We’ll cross that bridge when we reach it.’
Yilan sighed. I bristled—but suddenly the fight went out of her. She stared at me in the half-dark of this unlit room, her eyes pleading.‘I feel like the future of every person I love—and that’s you most of all—hinges on Gall’s ability to see clearly.And that’s… that’s terrifying, Melek.’
I didn’t like admitting it, but I couldn’t deny that I felt the same way.‘That’s why we’re praying.’
Yilan grimaced, but nodded. Then, rolling her shoulders back and lifting her head, she walked straight to me and wrapped her arms around me, leaning into my chest and tipping up her chin to meet my eyes.
‘Together, right?’
I tucked an errant strand of her hair behind her ear, then nodded.‘Together. Always.’
‘Promise?’
Cupping her precious little face in my hands, I held her piercing gaze.‘I vow as deeply as I ever vowed to my son, that you and I will walk this path together, Yilan. No matter where it takes us.’
Her eyes softened and she nodded, then leaned up on her toes to kiss me briefly.‘Then let’s go save your son and my sister, and pray those fucking Advisors have finished their sick teasing before we get there. Because I’m tempted to lay an invisible blade to the balls of the next one who looks at my sister like she’s a sweet to be devoured.’
I sighed and nodded. Then took her offered hand and prayed for exactly that every step of the way through the shadows of the palace.
3. The Duty of a King
~ YILAN ~
The shadows in the royal chambers were far dimmer, so it took a great deal more power to keep Melek and I both obscured from sight. After all the travel, and these frantic days in the city trying to find Istral alone, my body ached with weariness. Still, I was determined to finally speak with my sister face-to-face and get her out of here. Gall, too, if he’d agree. Jann had told us they’d have these days left utterly alone. Which we hoped meant if they disappeared, their absence wouldn’t be noticed immediately.
When we finally made it through the palace and into the grand royal chamber, the Council were still gathered with Gall and Istral in the salon. A wide sitting room full of luxurious furniture and tall windows on the external wall.
The men, still in their cloaks, stared at Istral with hungry eyes. I wanted to bare my teeth. She was on her feet now, but hunched into Gall’s side, her eyes darting to any of them that moved or spoke, while Gall stood over her, one arm around her shoulders, nodding as he listened.
