Page 46 of To Save a Kingdom

He took a step forward. “So, you saw Tsara shove her tongue down my throat then turned around and walked away without confronting me about it?”

She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it. Taking a deep breath, she tried again. “I’m not in the habit of making a scene, and I needed time to calm down.” And time to chat with Zadé, even if she hadn’t realized it then. “Otherwise, I’d have done something we’d both regret.”

Elessan dropped to his knees, claiming her hands and gently tugging them away from where they were wrapped around her ribs. His gaze bored into hers until her eyes burned and her vision turned watery. “Aliya, it’s always been you. Ever since the first day I saw you in front of that inn… It will always be you. Regardless of whether you opt to fight for me or not, I will always choose you.” He paused, a flicker of uncertainty flashing across his face. “As long as you’ll have me.”

“You didn’t willingly kiss Tsara?” Her voice was a whisper. By the mages, she wanted that to be the truth.

He shook his head. “She’s been pushing for more, wants me to marry her for some bizarre reason I can’t ascertain. Please, trust me. I have my reasons, and you’re right, now is not the time to go into them. But believe me when I say I would never, ever intentionally hurt you. You should know Tsara has a temper, and she will lash out if I anger her. I—” He licked his lips. “I just need a little bit more time to figure out her angle, and how to turn her down without destroying this fragile alliance you’ve built over the last week.”

Aliya’s gaze flicked to Zadé who, through her own tears, flashed Aliya a classic I told you so smile accompanied by a wink.

Aliya took a deep breath, trying to study the situation from a neutral, unattached perspective, like the mature, responsible queen she wanted to be. Zadé had been right. Kissing Tsara wasn’t something Elessan would do unless it was some sort of scheme. Maybe he was using a supposed affair between himself and Tsara to distract someone—say her father or King Roland—from something else. Like the lost Whisperers. Or her forced search for a husband? Something she hadn’t considered yet?

One thing she should have known—any scheming Elessan did would be to her benefit, even if she wasn’t smart enough to ascertain his intention.

Overwhelmed, she buried her face in her hands.

Elessan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him. “Shhh.”

She shook her head. “There’s so much political maneuvering going on, I can’t keep up,” she whispered, pitching her voice so low only he would hear. “Ever since Malkov’s death, I feel like I’m lost in this huge maze, and each turn only makes it harder to find my way out.”

One palm cupped the back of her head, his fingers splaying through her hair. “I know. But you have me, and you have Zadé. We’re with you.”

For now. “I know.” Aliya sniffed and gestured to where the Whisperer had rolled when Zadé dropped it after discovering Dalyor. “Then something like this happens, and not only am I lost, but I’m drowning.”

Elessan stiffened as he realized what she pointed at. “Brooks?”

His deep voice vibrated through her torso, soothing her magic. She nodded, still not meeting his gaze.

He shifted, and Aliya had the distinct impression he was peering over his shoulder at Zadé. “How long ago?”

“One or two days,” Zadé’s muted words drifted to them, as though she had turned away, buried in her own grief. “They’s coming out o’ rigor.”

“Hmm.” Still holding Aliya, Elessan raised his head to take in the entirety of the room before he put his lips near her ear. “We will talk about this, including you leaving the castle without telling me. But right now, we need to evacuate, in case Brooks is still nearby.”

Aliya finally lifted her face to meet his, uncaring about the redness that no doubt rimmed her eyes. “We can’t. Not yet.” She tilted her head at the bodies. “They deserve a burial.” Nor did she want to leave any of the magic-sucking goo for someone else to use against them.

“Sweetheart, we don’t have time to dig two-hundred graves.”

She shook her head. “No, we don’t. But I can burn it all.”

He blinked at her, his eyes boring into hers as though trying to decide if she was serious.

Raising her chin in defiance, she met his gaze.

After several heartbeats, he nodded.

“We need to clear the rest of the prison, too,” she said. “There may be other rooms like this one, or guards.”

His voice dropped to a dangerous register. “If I had to bet, I’d say Brooks let any humans escape before murdering the inmates.”

She shrugged. “Even so.” They had to be certain. “Then we have to get back.”

He released her with one warning squeeze to her upper arms. “In case your aunt does something you’ll regret?”

Blinking at him, Aliya’s facial muscles went slack. “What?”

A muscle feathered in his clenched jaw. “Don’t bother denying it.”