Page 107 of To Save a Kingdom

“Halfway there.”

With a dramatic sigh, Roland rolled his eyes and turned to stare at Elessan. “You can let my advisors back in now.”

Elessan glanced at Aliya. She nodded.

Flashing both of them a too-wide grin that put his fangs on full display, Elessan released the latch on the door and ducked his head outside. “Ladies and gentlemen, you’re welcome to rejoin our king.”

One by one, the nobles reentered the room, keeping wary eyes on Aliya as they approached.

The royal studied her then moved to address the newcomers. “Send word to the army—we’re packing up and going home.”

One elf, an older one with thinning hair and crows’ feet around his eyes, furrowed his brow. “Now, Your Majesty?”

Roland nodded, his jaw tensing as he pressed his lips together. “Immediately.”

Chapter 39

Elessan

Elessan’s chest swelled as Aliya maneuvered Roland into agreeing to all her stipulations. Something niggled in the back of his mind, though. The royal had capitulated a little too easily. Perhaps he was digging too far into it. That may well be the price of discovering Roland had lost his only daughter and now his only heir was his mountain elf son-in-law.

Any monarch would be reeling.

Despite the tragedy of Tsara’s demise, Aliya couldn’t have picked a better time to make her move. In a few years, with a little more experience behind her, she’d be a formidable opponent. Elessan looked forward to watching her come into her own.

He followed Aliya as she went back to the parapet to supervise the deconstruction of the military encampment.

It wasn’t like he could blame her for not trusting Roland to honor his word. The elf had a long history of broken promises and manipulations within manipulations. Aliya was smart not to trust him any further than she could toss him.

“Tell me what happened with Tsara.”

Aliya’s voice was so quiet, he almost missed it. “What?” He turned to face her, jaw slack. Was she ready to talk?

“Tell me,” she repeated, “before I change my mind.”

Elessan cleared his throat and glanced at Zadé. When their eyes met he tilted his head away, asking her to give them some space.

“What? No way.” The general shook her head and crossed her arms, leaning one hip against one of the merlons lining the battlements. “Yer seriously askin’ me ta leave when the gossip’s about ta get juicy?”

Aliya’s exhausted voice drifted over the wall, backing him up. “Please, Zadé?”

“Aliya and I do need to talk,” Elessan said. “And it’s not like she won’t tell you afterward.”

Zadé’s eyes sparkled. “Maybe, but it’s much more entertaining hearin’ it first hand-like.”

Elessan frowned, grinding his teeth together.

Zadé rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine. I’ll go see if’n I can hurry Roland’s forces along, shall I?” She pointed a finger at Aliya. “I expect a full debrief.”

“Aye, aye, General.”

Elessan didn’t glance over his shoulder to confirm if she was saluting or not. Instead, he stared at Zadé’s retreating back as the other woman disappeared behind one of the tower battlements.

Taking a deep breath and bracing himself, Elessan turned to face Aliya. “It was like I said before. Tsara came to me and threatened to have my mother exiled unless I gave her what she wanted.” He made a small noise to clear his airway. “It wasn’t until she had me pinned against the wall with her tongue shoved halfway down my throat that I realized what she intended.”

Running his hand through his hair, he exhaled. “I had no idea. The real Tsara and I… there was never anything romantic between us.”

“Really?”