Page 151 of To Kill a King
Elessan settled his sword against Malkov’s chest. “Aliya, he needs to die. He’s killed so many others, terrorized you… If he’s left alive, his loyalists will be a threat to you and the realm. And I don’t want to lose you for breaking your vow.”
She didn’t want to lose him, either.
Aliya swallowed hard before dragging her gaze to meet Malkov’s. Elessan was right. He needed to die, but… “Not here. Not like this.”
Elessan frowned, patient sympathy in his gaze. “Aliya…”
“It should be public, where the charges can be read out loud. There should be no doubt as to why, or by whom.”
He smiled and hugged her close. “You’ll make a wise queen.”
At least he had confidence in her. Her stomach quivered. “There’s an execution block set up in the main square already. That’s as good a place as any, if we can get him there.” If they didn’t do this quickly, she’d lose her resolve.
Malkov struggled against his bindings. “You can’t execute me! I’m the King! The court won’t stand for this coup!”
Elessan nodded. “We’ll get him there.” He pulled out his scrying mirror. “Tsara? Can you send a contingent of guards to the dungeons for escort duty? Grab one of the soldiers we took hostage in the castle and have him guide you down here.”
“Sure, Svialto,” the princess’ voice drifted back. “Be there in a few.”
Malkov thrashed against her magical bonds and pierced her with his hate-filled gaze. “You’d let the elves win? You’re no better than they are!”
“Shut up.” Aliya flicked her wrist and a gag appeared in the king’s mouth.
Several minutes later, footsteps sounded in the hallway.
“Svialto!” Princess Tsara led a contingent of six guards into the room. She halted, nodding at Aliya. “Your Majesty.”
Aliya sighed. That title was going to be hard to get used to.
Elessan nodded at Malkov, still magically bound to the wall. “We need to take him to the square for execution. Can you clear the way?”
Tsara licked her lips as her eyes glinted. “With pleasure.”
The wood of the raised platform bowed slightly under her feet as the sun started to dip beneath the horizon. No humans filled the market, but that was to be expected after an invasion. Eyes did peek out from the shadows and from behind curtains. That would have to be enough. They would witness the events, and word would spread through the city like wildfire. Elves and dwarves packed the square, with more trickling in every second. It seemed they all wanted to see the human king brought down.
A black cat with quicksilver eyes settled on the edge of the roof on the nearest building and nodded to her.
The red-cloaked guards sat with their backs to the castle wall, under close watch by the dwarves.
Aliya’s gaze fell on Princess Tsara. In Filathas, Tsara had been the epitome of composure and grace. Not a hair or piece of clothing out of place, the quintessential royal. Today, with her stylized headdress slightly askew and her hair in a cascading tangle, she looked like a warrior surrounded by her soldiers. The princess had her arm wrapped around a younger male who could have been her brother. And next to Tsara…Zadé.
The moon elf winked and saluted the dais with two fingers to her forehead.
Elessan stepped up beside Aliya, gesturing to a dwarf with a large axe and an iron choker around his neck. “There’s Thane Hedul, leader of the dwarves.” He gave her a mischievous grin. “Cousin of Kavol Bluntforged, the dwarf in Westcliff who introduced us to Jalius.”
Aliya blinked. It was a small world…maybe too small. She turned to Elessan. “Did you plan all this?”
He shook his head. “Sometimes, a coincidence is just a coincidence. It was fortuitous, though.” He cleared his throat.
“What?”
He shook his head. “Never mind, we’ll talk about it later.”
She sighed and turned back to face the square. From her elevated position, she had a clear view of Pat’s restaurant, closed and dark like the rest of the vendors. One day soon, perhaps the market would thrive again. She would do her best to make it so.
What would Pat do, if he’d known who’d been guarding his shop from brigands the past few nights?
Tsara’s guards forced Malkov to his knees and pushed his head over the chopping block.