Page 46 of To Kill a King
“Remember, my Queen, the spell goes both ways. It also binds the Mage Underground to help you, as we promised.”
Aliya peered at Elessan.
“If you break an Irrevocable Vow, it will kill you.” He glanced pointedly at Elessan. “And the mountain elf.”
She stepped back. “What? No!” No way would she drag Elessan down with her.
“Consider it motivation. Additional collateral, as it were. After all, I’m binding more than just myself to your aid in this.”
Her chest constricted. “My magic isn’t strong enough—” wasn’t reliable enough— “to stop Malkov. Believe me.” And to get to him, she’d have to go through the rest of his nobles, including her father.
One corner of Jalius’ mouth twitched. “I trust in your intelligence and problem-solving abilities, Your Majesty.”
She bit her lip and shook her head. “Pick another favor.” Something in which she had a snow-vole’s chance on a midsummer’s day of succeeding in.
“There is nothing else I want. You gave me your word, Your Majesty.”
Aliya peeked at Elessan.
He shrugged. It’s your decision.
For someone whose life was also on the line, he was awfully trusting in her ability to fulfill this oath. She sighed and held her hand out to Jalius. This was a stupid thing to do, and she’d regret it just as much as she did agreeing to fight those bandits. “Very well.”
Jalius drew the tip of the blade across first his palm, then hers. A flash of pain snapped its way up her arm as she flinched. A red stripe welled behind the sharp steel.
“Now, reach for your magic, and bring it to the surface of your skin.”
A trickle of sweat creeped down her temple. Reaching deep into her core, where the kernel of her power resided, she grabbed it as it burst forth in a wave of pressure and light.
Elessan stumbled back a few steps, but Jalius, who caught the full brunt of the blast, flew across the alley and slammed his back against the wall with an oof.
Pulling her magic back into herself, Aliya shook her head. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to.” Heat flooded her face. “Are you alright?”
Pushing himself away from the bricks with a grunt, he slapped his hands together as though brushing off invisible dust. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you don’t like me.”
Elessan coughed in what sounded suspiciously like an attempt to cover a chuckle. But when she whirled around to glare at him, his face was the epitome of innocence.
Clearing her throat, Aliya licked her lips. That was a fair assessment—she wasn’t a fan of being blackmailed.
Sliding back into place in front of her, he held out his hand, palm up. “Let’s try again, before these cuts clot and I have to re-open them. Maybe with a little less exuberance?”
Swallowing, she nodded. The last thing she needed was the rasp of the knife against her skin again. Closing her eyes, she focused on the kernel of light within. She imagined herself circling it, like a predator anticipating which direction its prey would flee.
“Slow…” Jalius’ murmur barely registered. “Just take a little, very slowly.”
Ignoring the gnome, she refocused her attention. Cupping a small portion in her hand she pulled it toward the surface.
The magic bucked and struggled, trying to slip out of her grip. Clenching her jaw until it ached, she wrenched it outside before it could escape.
“Control!” Jalius leaped to the side as a ball of fire the size of her fist impacted the ground he’d been standing on a heartbeat earlier. “Go slow, or you’ll kill us all!” He shook his head and glared at her. “By the maker, girl.”
Her insides wilted at the expression on his face—the same one her magic tutor had frequently given her. Pressure built in her throat, and she bit her lower lip to hide the tremble. Her eyes burned with the weight of unshed tears.
She was a failure. All this power, and she couldn’t even control it enough to complete some stupid vow so they could get out of here.
A hand landed on her shoulder, making her flinch. Elessan stepped into view. His free hand squeezed the handle of one sword until the leather creaked. “Don’t you ever talk to her like that,” he snarled. “She’s your queen. Can’t you see she’s trying her best?”
He bared his teeth. “What she’s trying to do is kill me!”