Page 155 of To Kill a King

“Of course, Your Majesty.” The woman bobbed another curtsey and ducked out of the room.

Aliya eyed the bookshelves, piled high with scrolls and actual leather-bound books. This room alone was going to take weeks to go through. Especially since she didn’t have any idea what she was looking for.

Information to help her figure out how to run the country, for sure. Maybe Malkov squirreled away some hints on how to control the nobles. She blinked. Or information to blackmail them with.

But that was silly, of course. No one wrote that sort of information down, or it lost its value as a secret. She collapsed into the cushioned chair next to the cold hearth.

“They’re the elves Malkov blamed for killing his parents.”

She tilted her head and glared at the cat. “Oh, so now you’re willing to talk to me?”

Quicksilver eyes stared back at her. “You’re as stubborn as your mother, you know that?”

Aliya leaned forward. “Who are you?”

“The young lady already told you. I’m Shadow.” The cat studiously licked a paw.

Aliya crossed her arms. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“I’m a spy. I’ve been keeping an eye on Malkov for the last ten years.”

Aliya stepped closer. The cat had the same silver eyes that she remembered from the night of her escape. “And you’re a shapeshifter?”

The cat gave her a very Jalius-like nod. “The last several weeks have been quite harrowing for me, I’ll have you know. Fortunately, the prior king never noticed the similarity between your eyes and mine.”

“I’ve never met another like me before.”

Shadow sat up and wrapped her tail around her feet. “Well, now you have.”

Aliya leaned forward. “You knew my mother.”

The cat sighed. “Your mother was my sister.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Was?”

“She died.” Shadow studied her tail. “Not long after you were born. She was good friends with Baroness Larimar, which is why you ended up in their house.”

Aliya grabbed the arms of the settee as the room spun. “You’re my aunt?”

Shadow blinked once.

“Why didn’t you adopt me, then, instead of leaving me with some humans? You could’ve taught me who I am, what I can do.” She swallowed past a thickened throat. “I wouldn’t have felt so alone if I’d known there were others like me.”

“It was your mother’s desire that you go to the Baroness Larimar. I honored her request.” The cat turned away and cleaned its whiskers.

Aliya blinked, tilting her head to the side. There was a tension to Shadow’s words that hinted there was more to it than that. “Then why reveal yourself to me now?” Questions bubbled up her throat, threatening to overwhelm her. How many shapeshifters were there? Did she have any other family? Who was her mother? She opened her mouth but bit back the words at the flat glare the cat gave her.

Shadow jumped down and walked to one of the bookshelves. Leaping up to one of the taller levels, she pawed through a few of the scrolls and books. “I’ve been watching you as much as I’ve been watching him. Malkov was not a good person, but he did know how to keep the nobles and kingdom in check.”

One of the leather books tumbled to the floor.

“I think you’re the queen the realm needs, but you’re young, inexperienced, and have no allies. You need someone to teach you how to keep your throne secure.”

“I have the elves and the dwarves.”

Shadow turned the quintessential cat-glare on her. “Uh-huh. And what happens when they return to their kingdoms and leave you alone?”

Aliya sighed. And that was the million-piece question.