Page 46 of The King has Fallen

16. Give You My Word

~ YILAN ~

I wanted to scream, but I knew drawing more attention to Gall’s confusion and fear would only make him feel worse, so I kept my lips tightly closed, but watched him closely. And when he remembered me and turned to me—fear in his eyes that he’d been witnessed to be weak—I offered the softest smile I could manage and winked when he smiled back.

His throat bobbed and his eyes were still red, but he lifted his chin and made himself stand there, waiting quietly for his father to leave.

Everything happened quickly then. Jann and Melek consulted briefly, Jann wrote a couple of notes, then Melek clasped forearms with him, then Gall, and turned for the door.

For a moment I forgot he was the enemy. For a moment I saw only a warrior shouldering the burden of carrying a nation and my heart went out to him as his eyes lingered on his son.

But then he turned to the doorway and caught me watching and his face went tight.

Yet, he didn’t speak to me.

Instead, he addressed Gall. “I need you to watch the Fetchclosely.If anyone attempts to order you to other issues, you have orders directly from me, and me from the King, that you are to guard our prisoner. It’s a very important job, do you understand?”

Gall’s jaw tightened and he nodded once. “I understand. I won’t let you down.”

Jann and Melek met eyes then and understanding passed between them. But Melek hesitated, then pulled one of his spears from his back, hefted it for a moment, then strode back to Gall.

“Hold this for safe keeping,” he said quietly, handing the legendary spear to his son.

Gall’s mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide. “Papa, you can’t—”

“I don’t go to fight, Gall. I go to inspire. I will be back within a day, probably less. Until then, I need you to use every skill you have to keep her in that cage, fed, watered, and safe.”

“I will—of course. But—”

“No buts, Gall. You carry that for me until I return, then you pass it back to me. Understood?”

Gall swallowed audibly. “Yes. Yes. I do.”

“Good man. I trust you, Gall.”

Then Melek turned on his heel and strode out of the tent at pace, on his way to the King. So he missed the question on Gall’s face as he watched his father stride away.

But I did not.

When Melek was gone, Jann sighed. “I need to send a couple messages, and make certain I have cover for my duties. You stay here and watch over her until I return, okay, Gall?”

Gall nodded, still staring at the tent flap where his father had disappeared.

My heart panged.

Jann caught my eye over his shoulder, and I nodded.

I would fight tooth and nail against any of these creatures. But I would never take advantage of Gall’s trust.

Melek may have appointed his son to bolster his son’s confidence, but he could not have appointed a more effective guard for me.

There was a fleeting question in my mind that perhaps he knew that, and maybe this had all been a very intentional decision on his part, but I discarded it. Even if Melek was that calculating, it didn’t change where I found myself. Which was in the position to protect and strengthen this precious heart.

So, as Jann left the tent almost as quickly as Melek had, I just watched Gall.

He stood there for a long moment, his eyes distant and his expression sad. Then, when he realized he was doing the wrong thing again, he blinked and approached the cage with a heavy sigh.

He turned his back to me when he reached the cage and began to settle down—sitting on the floor, cross-legged. But his father’s spear was longer than he was accustomed to handling, and he had to turn it awkwardly to position it over his thighs. Then he realized it was pointed away from the door, which was less effective in the event of an attack. He maneuvered it until it was correctly pointing at the entrance and resting on his thighs.

---