39. Who’s Protecting Who?
~ YILAN ~
“You’re exaggerating,” he muttered, his jaw flexing.
I glared. “I am not a dog in heat—what if I’d lost my grip and he’d caught us!”
Melek loomed over me, his eyes dark and feverish. “He might have learned a thing or two?”
“Melek!” I hissed, furious and flustered at the same time.
“If I hadn’t been here, that man would have taken you in a heartbeat.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, he would never force me—”
“He came into your bedchamber uninvited!”
“He was worried about me, because I fled!”
Melek growled, shaking his head, his eyes darting past me. His expression went dark and he strode past me into the room.
“Melek!”
“Do not judge me for wanting to claim you,” he growled as he prowled the room like he was looking for an intruder. “I know men. I know what they’ll do when angry, or given a chance by a female they want. I will not see you harmed by a jealous rival.”
I wanted to throttle him. “Melek, you know the men of your people, not mine! As much as you want to be seen, perhaps you need to open your eyes and look. Turo is just as honorable as you, but he’s been put in a horrible situation that was not of his making— ”
He turned to face me quickly. “That stick up his ass is definitely self-inflicted.”
I had to swallow a huff of laughter because I didn’t want to encourage him. Melek’s eyes danced before those dark shadows consumed his gaze again, and he went back to his search, flipping through the cushions on my chairs, even checking behind doors.
“You’re being ridiculous! There are no intruders in here—the guards wouldn’t let anyone past the entry who might be even the slightest risk!”
He opened his mouth to argue with me, but he’d made it over to my bed and something caught his attention. He froze, then snatched something up that crinkled before a long, low growl rumbled in his chest.
I was still halfway across the room when he whirled and waved a piece of parchment towards me. “That fucker, who is no risk, is writing you a love letter.”
My heart sank as I hurried to him, taking the paper that he’d found, covering my mouth when I saw the scrawled words.
Yilan,
I know we were interrupted, but you must know that my declaration was not simple heat of the ritual lust. I know you heard me, and I meant it: I love you.
I also saw the fear in your eyes when you looked up, expecting the intervention of that creature. I don’t know what he’s holding over you, but I am here. I will take care of him—and you.
I will do whatever it takes to remove this monster from your back. Anything.
Say one word and I will have him killed. No one would even need know it was us. And if he has others behind him threatening you, I will walk to war for you. F or you, Yilan.
I will burn the fucking world if it keeps you safe.
You know I am a man of my word.
Come find me. We will figure this out. I promise.
All my heart,
Turo.
“Oh God,” I whispered. “I knew it. He thought when I fled I was afraid of you.”
Melek growled. “He’s offering to break your declaration for peace. He’s offering to have me executed. That man is not as honorable as you believe him to be,” he muttered .
I dropped my hands to my sides and met Melek’s eyes. “I seem to remember certain declarations you’ve made. Should I disregard those?” I asked. Melek growled, but I pressed on. “I know him. In other circumstances you two would be brothers. Right now, he’s desperate.”
“So was I—so were you,” he said, his tone heated and that blazing fire in his eyes again, making my stomach trill. But when he reached for me, I shook my head and stepped back out of his grip.
“No, Melek. We can’t give in to that—we shouldn’t have! The risk was—”
“That man would have stormed in here and taken you, and you’re angry with me for finishing what we started together?”
“He would never have forced me, not if I said no.”
“You seem awfully certain of yourself, even after he’s declared himself and offered to burn the world on your behalf.”
God, I wanted to strangle him for his stubbornness. “You listen to me: That man used to come alone to this chamber every evening before I went on that mission. I never slept with him, and he never even pushed.”
“He’s pushing now.”
“And I am saying no. Why are you acting like I’m somehow inviting this, or… or wanting it?!”
“Because you’re always so fucking worried about hurting him.”
“Because he has taken good care of me, and treated me well, and if you hadn’t come along, he’d be my mate and our King. Can’t you see, Melek? He did nothing wrong, yet he’s at the receiving end of a huge blow. He doesn’t deserve this!”
Melek’s face was drawn and serious, his eyes locked on mine. “God apparently disagrees.”
“That’s not fair.”
“None of this is fair. Including your reticence to hurt this man with the truth!”
I sighed. “I was never reluctant once you were willing to take the crown. We only delayed to suit you.”
“A decision I now regret. But I will rectify it. Right now.” Then he turned on his heel and started towards the door, straightening his clothing and rebuckling his belt.
“Melek! You’re not going to tell him—I am!”
“Fine, then come with me. ”
“No! I mean—yes, I will go. But you stay here. Let me talk to him—”
“Not on your fucking life. I’m not leaving you alone with him, not after that,” he said, looking back over his shoulder and pointing at the letter in my hand.
I wanted to stamp my foot. “Would you just stop storming around and listen to me?!”
Melek stopped dead. He was almost to the door, but he took a deep breath, then turned to face me, his arms folded, and waited.
I sighed. “I’m not going to humiliate him. You can walk me there, and you can wait outside. But I’m having this conversation with him alone. I’m not going to make him face you like some smug, sexy angel of retribution, grinning while he gets his heart broken!”
Melek arched one brow. “Grinning and… sexy?”
“You know what I mean,” I muttered.
“I do—and yet you wound me. I would never be smug unless he grew disrespectful of you. But he has already proven that he thinks it’s his right to step into your life—and your bedchamber. I am taking no risks with this man.”
I wanted to slap him. I wanted to claw the hair out of my head. But thankfully Melek didn’t start for the door again, he just tilted his head and watched me.
“I don’t want to argue with you,” I muttered.
“Good. I much prefer being seen as the sexy angel rather than the irritating one.”
“Oh, you’re definitely both.” He wasn’t supposed to grin at that. I sighed. “But that’s not the—”
“Wait,” he said quietly, his brows knitting together in a frown. “You said Angel… What was it that scared you out there?”
I swallowed hard. “When Turo was debasing himself, I looked for you. But it wasn’t you I found.”
He frowned harder. “What did you find?”
“The Fallen,” I said quietly. “He was standing behind all of you, wings out, and he… he spoke to me in my head.”
“What?!”
“He was laying claim to me.”
Melek stared, raking a hand through his hair, muttering curses under his breath. “What the fuck is going on?”
“I don’t know, but Turo thinks I was afraid of you, and that means the others will as well. ”
Melek nodded. “I took advantage of the chaos, but I saw some of them watching me and…”
“This is why you have to let me handle this, Melek. They need to hear from me that you are not—”
But Melek held up both his hands to stop me, as if he was surrendering. I cut off as he sighed heavily.
“I don’t want to argue with you.” He rubbed his face and a small shiver rippled down his spine, then he looked at me grimly. “But I’m going too.”
“Melek!”
“Hear me out: Perhaps I can admit that it was a touch… unnecessary to take you like that, with him nearby—”
“Thank you.”
“—but, perhaps you can also admit that there’s a risk Turo will not react well to this news. Especially after your display tonight. Especially if he believes I’m manipulating you with fear.”
I wasn’t impressed. “Of course there’s a risk, but it’s very small. Once I explain, Turo’s more likely to weep than harm me!”
Melek’s expression went flat. “If you truly believe that, you’re far more na?ve than I thought—you clearly don’t know strong men when they’re hurt.”
“I know Turo far better than you,” I said through my teeth. “And I know he won’t hurt me.”
“I do not share your confidence,” Melek said flatly. “To mitigate any risk, I will tell him.”
“What? No! Melek!”
But he’d already started towards the door again.
“Melek! Stop!” I hissed, running after him. “This isn’t your story to tell!”
I was so shocked when he whirled on me, his face twisted with rage, I stumbled and slid to a halt.
Melek’s eyes were wide and blazing. “My mate,” he said through his teeth. “ My Queen. My crown, my people, my life— and you say it’s not my story?!”
I deflated. That wasn’t how I’d meant it. “I only meant, not to Turo,” I said, pleading. “His connection is with me. Please, Melek, don’t add humiliation to the pain he’s already facing.”
Melek took one step back towards me, then stopped hard. “Why do you always balk at hurting him?” he asked in a deep, uncertain voice.
I put my hand to my heart—I didn’t want to hurt Melek in this, either. “Because he’s a good man who didn’t ask for this, and doesn’t deserve it!”
“And I do?” Melek shot back quietly.
“What? Of course not! But—”
“There’s always a fucking but.” He glared at me, then before I could grab for him, he turned on his heel and stormed towards the door. And I could see that he wasn’t going to stop this time. And it wasn’t like I could physically stop him if he was determined.
Cursing under my breath, I ran after him anyway.
But as Melek threw the door wide and I was about to step out of the room in his wake, it occurred to me that I was still twisted up in the tangled mess that was left of that sheer gown. Practically naked.
I gasped and jerked myself back into the shadows of the room, cursing at Melek for being so stubborn as I rushed back to my closet for a robe, yanking the leathers and torn fabric loose and throwing it to the floor.
I reached for Diadre in my mind, but found nothing. She had to be deep in the gardens and too far away. I would have to send one of the messengers to her, and get her to warn Turo until I could cool Melek down. I couldn’t link with Turo directly, not after this. It would be an offense to Melek.
I tugged on a robe and ran back into the room.
Melek didn’t know where Turo was, and the others likely wouldn’t help him when he was so clearly angry.
That would buy me some time. Once Diadre had warned Turo, I’d have her run to the cottage and ask Harris to bring Gall.
Melek was always more restrained when Gall was present.
Harris could keep Gall calm while I talked down Melek, then together we’d figure this out and make sure Turo heard the truth.
I ran back to my desk for a parchment and pen, leaning over as I uncorked the ink and whispered to myself, composing the note as I hurriedly wrote. I needed to get it in the hands of the messenger before Melek was out of sight!
As I scribbled the note to Harris, still reaching for Diadre in my mind in case she came into range, a shadow passed beyond me on the wall.
Thinking Melek must have returned, I straightened quickly, breathing a plea to him to stay—and frowned when there was a strange thwack high on the wall over my head, followed by a clattering sound on the stone floor .
I turned, brows knit together, to see a long, thin, flecked arrow rolling harmlessly across the floor.
It took seconds for me to realize what had happened.
Twisting into the shadows in the blink before another arrow thunked into the desk where I’d just been standing, I let my body solidify long enough to scream, “ASSASSIN!” before turning into shadow again and zipping towards the light of the hallway, and the guards, and the roar that was my mate screaming my name, thundering back to offer his life in the fight for mine.