Page 14 of To Save a Kingdom

“Right.” As if her throne wasn’t precarious enough. The last thing she could afford was to disappear for four days. She bit her lips, pushing them into a thin line. With the conclusion of the war, the prison camp should be dissolved, the prisoners freed. “I’ll issue a decree to make it so.”

Elessan shook his head as he moved to stand beside her, the heavy weight of his hand settling on her shoulder. “There’s no guarantee the guards wouldn’t as soon murder their charges as release them into the world. And we would have no way to ensure their safe passage back to their realm unless we take a portion of the elven army to do it.”

Aliya chewed the inside of her cheek. If the elves marched on the camp, there was every likelihood the wardens would kill the prisoners and war would break out all over again. But he knew that better than she did.

Her gaze danced back and forth between Zadé and Elessan. “Then we need to go, to make sure that doesn’t happen.” And she’d have to deal with the fallout and potential uprising when she returned. The elves had been so integral in overthrowing King Malkov, she couldn’t risk offending Princess Tsara by refusing to address the inmates.

Elessan’s hand slid down her back, sending an unexpected ripple of awareness along her spine as he leaned forward, bracing his free elbow on his knee. He glanced around the room before meeting her eyes. “You can’t disappear until you consolidate your position with your advisors.”

She sighed, her shoulders drooping. “I know.” Brushing the back of her hand across her forehead, she continued, “With the council being what it is, and the master artificer escaping with Brooks, I can’t go to Brisimin right now. But I don’t want to leave people in a labor camp who shouldn’t be, either. Especially if it’ll smooth things over with the elves.” She dropped her gaze to Elessan’s arm, the one Princess Tsara had been stroking earlier. The heat in her gut rose, pushing sour acid up her throat. Aliya swallowed, slamming the jealousy aside before it exacerbated her headache. “But there’s no noble with enough authority to guarantee the decree is carried out who I would trust to make sure the prisoners were actually freed.”

Elessan twirled one of her curls around a finger. “We need to firm up the loyalty of your council and guards. That needs to be our first priority.”

She met his gaze. Princess Tsara wouldn’t be delayed forever. “Dealing with the Whisperers and Brisimin can’t wait.”

“No.” His whisper was more of a sigh.

“It’s too bad ya can’t be in two places at once,” Zadé said with a shrug. “That would make things a lot easier.”

Aliya rolled her eyes. Yeah, it would. She froze as an idea occurred to her. She couldn’t be in two places at once, but she did have a shapeshifter for an aunt who could impersonate her. Shadow couldn’t be trusted to make sure her forces freed the elves, based on her reaction to Elessan, but she did have a few good ideas on how to handle the council. And she was familiar enough with Aliya’s mannerisms to be able to imitate her, at least for a couple days. Maybe. Especially if Aliya’s father could back her up. Something in Aliya twisted at the thought of trusting the baron and bringing him in on the plan, though.

“Let’s table this for now. I’ll figure something out,” Aliya said, turning to Zadé. She’d track down Shadow tonight. The sooner she handled Brisimin, the better. “Can you find ten elven guards who are even-tempered? Ones we can trust to not pick a fight with the humans, and who wouldn’t be tempted to steal the Whisperers for themselves?” Figuring out how to dismantle the weapons would also go a long way toward smoothing relations. It would help her sleep at night, too, knowing those abominations no longer existed.

Zadé shrugged. “Sure. But Princess Tsara’d know better’n me. I’ve only been a general fer,” she counted on her fingers, “four days now.”

Aliya pursed her lips. Maybe that was true, but she trusted Zadé’s opinion, not Tsara’s. Even though the elven forces were Tsara’s to choose and command, not Aliya’s or Zadé’s. “I would value your input or thoughts on the ones she recommends. Can you steer her toward some who would be appropriate?”

Zadé smiled and slugged Aliya’s bicep. “Sure thing, Princess. I mean, Majesty.”

Elessan tensed, sitting upright, glaring at Zadé. “Hey!”

Aliya grinned, holding back the urge to rub her aching arm. “It’s okay, El.” Zadé was stronger than her form suggested. “You can call me princess, Zadé. It reminds me of simpler times.”

Something flashed in Elessan’s eyes, but it was gone too quickly for her to identify it.

Aliya swallowed. “Just not in front of my nobles, please? They might take offense.”

One corner of Zadé’s mouth curled up. “Yeah, the council did seem kinda pissed, didn’t they?”

Chapter 6

Aliya

Aliya jumped at the sudden horn blast from outside. Three short notes, followed by two longer. What on earth? Setting the paper she was reading on her desk, she tilted her head side to side. The knot developing under her right shoulder blade radiated pain up her neck. She’d lost track of the day—who knew how long she’d been sitting here?

Her legs tingled as she stood, wobbly.

She really needed to pay more attention to the time. How many hours had it been since she’d eaten?

Grabbing a light shawl from the hook near the door, she threw it over her shoulders and stepped into the hall.

The horn sounded again.

Turning to one of the guards stationed outside her office door, she asked, “What does that mean?”

“Someone approaches, Your Majesty.”

Pursing her lips, she held back a sigh. Well, that was helpful. “Both of you, come with me.”