Page 80 of To Save a Kingdom

Valek. Aliya scanned the other prisoners. They all had their ear plugs in, their focus directed elsewhere. At least that was something.

Sorisana turned her attention back to Aliya. “And she called you her niece?” Her gaze slashed back and forth between Aliya and Shadow. “You’re both shapeshifters?”

Aliya bit her lower lip and glanced at Shadow before nodding.

Sorisana’s eyes narrowed. “Does my son know?”

Aliya nodded again, leaning forward and putting her hand on the other woman’s arm. She hardened her expression, attempting to mimic Elessan when he was angry or trying to threaten someone. “But only a handful of others and it needs to stay that way.” Silence stretched out for several heartbeats until Aliya began to wonder if the other woman would refuse the implied request.

Swallowing, Sorisana placed her hand over her heart. “I won’t tell anyone.” She dropped her attention to Shadow. “I promise.”

Shadow huffed and rolled her eyes, the motion looking disturbing on her feline face.

Aliya opened her mouth but the sound of approaching footsteps cut her off. Freezing, she tensed as Brooks walked into view.

Her blood froze as his white eyes met hers.

The gem on his forehead flashed once, casting everything in a flickering crimson light.

One side of his lips curved up into a cruel, self-satisfied smile. “Hello, Your Majesty. I’ve been wondering where you were.” Bending over, he grabbed her upper arm and jerked Aliya to her feet.

“Let go of me!” She pounded on his fingers where they dug into her bicep.

“Leave her alone!” Sorisana lunged forward, grabbing for Aliya’s free hand.

Brooks hauled Aliya out of range and kicked Sorisana in the shoulder, shoving her back into the other prisoners. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth.

“No!” Aliya struggled, kicking out at Brooks. “Sorisana!”

Shadow hissed and spit, flaring her claws as she leaped at Brooks. He caught her by the scruff of her neck and threw her down the row of bookshelves. The cat slammed into the wall and slid to the floor.

“Shadow!” Aliya yelled as Brooks dragged her from the room. She screamed at the top of her lungs before bending forward and biting him on the arm. Her teeth sunk into his flesh.

Reflexively jerking away, he backhanded her.

Aliya spun from the force of the blow, her vision threatening to go double.

Tangling his fingers through her hair, he yanked her head back until he again had a firm grip on her arms. “You’re not going anywhere, Your Majesty.”

Chapter 31

Elessan

Elessan glanced up from where he stood between Tsara and Roland. By now, Aliya and Zadé should be well on their way to clearing the kitchens and preparing to infiltrate the library.

He shook his head. As much as he hated Aliya going into danger without him, he had to admire her courage. Even betrayed and furious, she was still putting her kingdom, and his people, ahead of her own well-being. She would make an amazing queen, assuming she lived long enough for her people to fall in line.

The doors to the chamber slammed open as Aliya’s father, Walter Larimar, strode in dragging Lord Alinac behind him. Elessan frowned. This was the only noble on Aliya’s council who hadn’t sided with Brooks, but why were he and her father here?

Jalius slipped in as the doors swung shut. When Elessan caught his gaze, he flashed him a quick thumbs-up before pushing his spectacles higher on his nose.

The baron cleared his throat until he was certain he had everyone’s attention. “Where is my daughter?” He waved one red-stained hand at the room.

“She’s rescuing the hostages the former Arcane Inquisitor took this morning,” Elessan said, pinning the man with a frigid glare. Whatever he was doing here, Elessan was under no impression it would be to Aliya’s benefit.

Lord Alinac spoke, his face reddening. “As a royal advisor, I should have been brought in for any strategy planning sessions regarding this crisis.”

“There wasn’t time to send a search party for you,” Roland said, his voice the epitome of boredom. “If you wanted to be involved, you should’ve known to be here. And it’s not like we knew who we were missing. Most of Miss Larimar’s council have sided with the Arcane Inquisitor. For all we knew, you had, as well. Either that, or you met the same fate as the other councilor. What was his name?” Roland waved his hand in a circle, prompting someone to feed him the information.