Page 85 of To Kill a King
He reached out and ran a finger down her jaw.
She jumped and scrambled several steps back. Somehow she’d failed to notice when he’d gotten into arm’s reach. Dropping her guard so easily would cost her life if she wasn’t more careful. “I don’t want the crown,” she snapped.
He crossed his arms. “Welcome to the burden of royalty. You’ll make a good queen precisely because you don’t want it.”
She raised her eyebrow. What did he know about ruling? “It isn’t fair, though.”
“Trust me, few things in life are. But you’re not alone. When your training with Lady Cressida is complete, and you’re ready, the mages will stand with you. And Cressida and I will do everything we can to make sure the elves do, too.” He smiled, throwing his arms wide. “Think how surprised Malkov will be when you show up on his doorstep with two armies at your back.”
Aliya gasped. “Two…armies?”
Elessan nodded. “When the sun and moon elves agree to support your claim, they’ll send their troops. That’s what I came to tell you. This war may be almost over.”
She narrowed her eyes and peered at him. That was a little too easily won. “How exactly did you find me? I changed my tracks.”
He chuckled. “Yes, you did. However, deer don’t tear through the forest in such a manner unless something’s chasing them. I also had a little help. Lindir pointed me in the direction you ran.” He glanced at the trail of prints. “A smart idea, though. It would’ve worked, if you’d been a little more careful to not disturb the plant life.”
He stood, holding his hand out to her. “We’re due back. Lady Cressida is waiting. And if you think she’s scary normally, you should see her when she’s angry.” He winked. “I don’t know how Tsara didn’t melt into a puddle at her feet.”
Aliya crossed her arms. “This could be a trap. The whole thing, two armies, you helping me kill the king, it sounds too good to be true.” She was done being naïve, done trusting others rather than herself.
He frowned. “How can I convince you I’m telling the truth?”
Shaking her head, she sighed. “I don’t know, El. I’m sorry.”
“What about your pendant?”
She reached under her neckline, rubbing her mother’s necklace, and raised an eyebrow.
“How about I swear on that? On what it means to me, and to my family.”
Her eyebrows drew together as she chewed the inner corner of her lips. “Okay.”
He relaxed. “I meant what I said. I won’t let anything bad happen to you or allow you to be forced to do something you don’t want to.” He gazed into her eyes. “I care about you too much.”
She focused her attention on the ground and traced a few circles in the dirt with the toe of her boot. The sun elves had his mother, and that was pretty serious leverage. “I can’t ask you to choose me or your mother.”
He blinked and tilted his head to the side. “What?”
“You can’t split your loyalty between two diametrically opposed forces, El. Picking me over them puts your mother at risk, and if you protect your mother and help the sun elves, then you align yourself against me and my realm.” She shook her head and took another step back. “I can’t demand that of you. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” His expression hardened as he stepped forward. “If I work with you to kill your king, that ends the war and meets everyone's goals. How is that choosing between two sides when you both want the same thing?”
“The means are just as important as the end goal. There’s a huge difference. The sun elves want to take me prisoner and use me as leverage against Malkov. If you get in the way of that, your mother’s livelihood and freedom are at stake.” She shook her head again. “No. I won’t ask you to do that.”
He flared his nostrils as his eyes bulged. “I have traveled your realm for longer than you’ve been alive, spying on the humans. I know better than you ever will the depths of human depravity and the horrors they inflict on each other. No one understands that more than me.”
She scrambled back to the far edge of the clearing, yanking her magic to the surface. A fireball crackled over her palm with barely contained energy that matched the sudden burning in her chest and lungs. “Stay back!” Her ribs heaved as she fought for air.
He bared his teeth and took a deep breath, running a hand over the top of his head as though smoothing down his hair. Some of the intensity drained from his expression. “I also know how much good someone like you could do on the throne…not just for the humans, but for everyone. That includes my mother.” His eyes softened. “And she would never forgive me if she learned I let the sun elves use one of her old friend’s descendants in such a way.”
The energy in her fireball flickered as she studied his face. His words rang true in her gut. But still…to risk her life trusting him…
“I would burn this world for you, if needed. Because I know what beauty you’d create from the ashes.” He held his hand out to her again. “Will you please come back with me? If anything isn’t to your liking, you can blast us with magic and escape. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re not followed.”
She squinted, searching his face for any signs of dishonesty. She found none. “Alright.” She accepted the hand he offered. Hopefully this wasn’t the biggest mistake of her life.
Elessan tucked her arm into the crook of his. He gave her a watery smile. “So. You planned to ‘borrow my shape,’ huh?”