Page 69 of To Save a Kingdom

Her thoughts flipped through countless scenarios, things she could say, to persuade the sun elf king to agree to save the prisoners. Most of them she immediately discarded. Roland was more like her nobles and father rather than a person with any sort of decency she could appeal to. Zadé’s voice echoed through her mind as though the general were standing in front of her.

If’n yeh want his help, yeh’ll need ta find something yeh have that he wants.

Holding her heavy skirts up so she wouldn’t trip, Aliya exhaled. Fine. She could do that.

Roland wanted her magic and de facto control of her kingdom. While she shuddered at the thought of occupying his bed or what her people would suffer under his rule, without his assistance, her people wouldn’t survive the upcoming winter. Her happiness was a small price for their survival, wasn’t it?

She swallowed around the rocks that appeared in her throat. Nobles were traded in marriage for the benefit of others all the time. In fact, as a noble woman, her father and advisors would claim it was her primary function. That, and allowing herself to be bred like a brood mare.

Blinking past the stinging behind her eyelids, she shook her head and took a deep breath. She’d survived Malkov Cerel. At least she was relatively certain Roland Enorathil didn’t want to murder her—not yet, anyway.

They were halfway back to the Council Chamber when someone stepped in front of her. An elf, wearing Roland’s colors.

Aliya jumped and glanced back at her guards. Their lack of response likely meant the male hadn’t snuck up on them. But with her thoughts wandering as they had been…

She cleared her throat and straightened her posture. “Yes?”

“Queen Aliya,” the attendant bowed. “King Enorathil requests your presence—”

Lifting her hand, she cut him off. “We are on our way back now.”

The man shook his head. “He requested a private meeting, and has commandeered the study for this purpose.”

She furrowed her brow. Roland was already making use of her castle as though he owned it, and he had the audacity to summon her like a servant.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the indignation down. Like her, Roland no doubt saw the writing on the wall. One way or another, this fortress and kingdom would eventually be his. She could preserve her composure and dignity, or throw a tantrum like a spoiled child. Either way, the result would be the same. If she acted with decorum, at least she could hope to maintain his respect.

Nodding her head at the male, she gestured down the hall. “Please lead the way.”

Roland was staring out the window overlooking the gardens, his back to her as Aliya entered the study. Her guards fell into position on both sides of the door as she pushed it closed, sealing herself in the room with the sun elf king. Alone.

Goosebumps rose on her arms as his gaze roamed from her feet, over her skirts, up her torso until it fixed on her eyes.

Swallowing past her dry throat, Aliya stepped forward, opening her mouth before he could say anything. “You still want to marry me?”

He blinked once, the only sign she’d surprised him. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her face. “The offer hasn’t been taken off the table.”

Nodding to herself, she took a deep breath. “I will accept, on three conditions.”

Raising an eyebrow, Roland curled one corner of his face into a smile. “Oh? And what, pray tell, would these be?”

Aliya held up one finger. “First, you agree to assist me in freeing Brooks’ hostages and bringing him to justice.”

Roland pursed his lips into a thin line. “And the others?”

She added a second digit. “Reinstate the trade agreement between our people, as your daughter and I negotiated it.”

A growl rumbled in the back of his throat, but he didn’t voice his objection.

Raising a third finger, she plowed ahead before he had the chance to decline. “And you will replace all the food and supplies you burned in my courtyard.” When you threw your tantrum for all the city to see.

Only through extreme self-control did she manage to keep that last bit to herself.

“Hmm.” Roland stared at her until she decided he was doing it on purpose, to see how much he could make her squirm. His eyes flashed with something too quickly for her to identify, but it made the skin on the back of her neck prickle.

That didn’t bode well for their relationship dynamic as a married couple. She shoved that troubling thought aside and raised her chin, refusing to drop her gaze.

“If I accept the agreement you and my daughter reached, provide you with enough food to feed your people through the winter, and free your beloved’s mother—”