Page 52 of To Save a Kingdom

The acrid stench of smoke graced her nostrils. Whatever was burning appeared confined to the castle itself and hadn’t spread into the city.

“Your Majesty.”

Aliya jumped at the familiar voice behind her. “Jalius!” She whirled to find the gnome a mere few paces away. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same,” he said, sauntering up to stand between Aliya and Zadé. “Waiting for the mountain elf to come back and tell you what’s going on?”

Aliya furrowed her brow. Why question something when he already knew the answer? “Unless you can tell us?”

“Uh, huh.” He nodded. “I can.”

She turned to him when he didn’t elaborate, her patience stretched thin enough to snap. “And?”

The gnome scratched behind one ear. “Well, you see, Your Majesty, the woman who was pretending to be you got into a fight with the king of the sun elves, what was his name…”

Aliya froze, her chest turning to ice. Did everyone know Shadow was impersonating her?

“Roland Enorathil,” Zadé supplied when Aliya didn’t respond.

“Ah, yes. Roland. Well, she said something about not letting the… oh, how did she put it? If the wrinkly old bastard,” he supplemented the title with air quotes, “so much as dreamed about her niece’s bridal bed she would, and I quote, ‘sic the entire military might of the shapeshifters and the mages on his pompous ass.’”

Zadé burst into raucous laughter.

Aliya and Jalius turned their attention to her for several heartbeats as the general fought to get her reaction under control.

Aliya’s insides withered. Shadow did what? She couldn’t hold down the kingdom for three whole days without mortally insulting the sun elf royal? Sure, the man was pretentious, self-important and far too smug for Aliya’s liking, but…

Aliya shook her head, resisting the urge to bury her face in her hands. Whatever had Roland said or done to provoke such a retort from her aunt?

“Wish I could’a been there ta see that,” Zadé sputtered. “It would’a been th’ best entertainment o’ the century!” She slapped her thigh then turned to Jalius. “Please tell me th’ king got all red-faced ‘n spit all o’er himself?” She grabbed Jalius’ tunic, pulling him close as she waited for his response.

Jalius cleared his throat, brushing off her grip and stepping back. With a stern glance at Aliya, he focused on her. “Now, Your Majesty. I don’t know who that woman was, though by the similarity of her aura to yours, I assume she’s like you?”

Aliya swallowed the acidic taste in the back of her mouth. Valek. If her being a shapeshifter became common knowledge, she’d lose her fragile hold on the throne, and likely her life. This was the point where her father would advise her to have Jalius put to death, along with anyone he might have let the information slip to.

As if he could read her mind, Jalius raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture, with both palms facing her. “Relax, Majesty. Your secret’s safe with me. Your aunt may or may not have the authority to command the shapeshifters.” Something dangerous sparked in his eyes. “But she does not give orders to the mages.” And she should remember that.

The unspoken words hung heavy between them.

Feeling like someone had shoved her under water, Aliya nodded. She didn’t know where Shadow fit in the social hierarchy of shapeshifter society. Heck, she’d had no idea the shifters even had any sort of military presence.

Shadow had spied on King Malkov for years. People with high enough rank in the armed forces to issue commands typically oversaw espionage rather than committing it themselves. At least, as far as Aliya imagined. What did she know about court politics and intrigue?

The answer was nothing.

“Your Majesty?”

Aliya blinked, bringing her focus back to the present. Both Jalius and Zadé were staring at her, eyes narrowed in concern.

“I’m sorry.” She rubbed her temples, wishing she had some willow bark to cut down on the pain. “What did Roland do?” She waved at the smoke rising above the castle. “Is this his doing?”

Jalius nodded. “I believe he burned the peace contract along with most of the rations his army brought with them as a show of good faith. The elves are packing up to go home.”

Aliya’s eyes widened as her blood chilled. “He’s burning the food?” Her people would need those supplies come winter. She lunged forward. “We have to stop him!”

Zadé caught her by her upper arms, pulling her to a halt before she reached the street. “Not yet, Princess. No rushin’ in without a plan, ‘member?”

Aliya took a deep breath, exhaling it as forcefully as she could. “But, the food!” She gestured to the smoke. “If we don’t save it, my people will starve!”