7. Chapter 7
Aliya
Aliya closed the door to her study with a sigh, resting her forehead against the cool stone of the wall.
She inhaled. The heavy sensation pooling in her stomach was back.
The only thing worse than bad news was waiting for bad news, and she had no doubt King Enorathil’s visit would bring nothing but.
Part of her wished the elves had departed before the monarch arrived, intercepting him on their return home. But truces and trade agreements didn’t need to be destroyed in person. A simple letter sent by courier would suffice. And that would have left her without Elessan and Zadé’s backup.
It was best this way. At least she had elven allies here who could try to mitigate any damage. Hopefully.
“Daughter.”
Aliya froze for a heartbeat, her breath chilling in her lungs, before she regained control of her reflexes. Turning, she blinked.
Her father, Baron Walter Larimar, sat in the chair behind her desk. As if this was his castle instead of hers. Like he had the right.
What would happen if she decided to toss him in the dungeon for overstepping his bounds? Such retaliation was the least of what Malkov would’ve done, had anyone dared to take liberties with him.
And by the dungeon, she didn’t mean the relatively cozy cells just below the main gate.
No, she was thinking about the tiny windowless pit buried beneath the guard tower that was too narrow to lay down in—the oubliette.
A few nights in a space too small to be comfortable, with no light, would be enough to turn the strongest man’s stomach.
But her power wasn’t as secure as Malkov’s had been, and she needed every ally she could get. Even one as untrustworthy as her father. Besides, if she alienated him, he could make her life very difficult if not outright hazardous.
Taking a deep breath and using the action to push down the rising swell of irritation, she breezed to the credenza and poured herself a glass of the unknown amber liquid in the crystal decanter.
The whiskey burned as it went down.
Whatever Zadé saw in drinking copious amounts of alcohol was beyond Aliya. The stuff was vile.
“What do you want, father?” He said nothing as she stalked over to him, making no move to vacate her chair. Stopping at the edge of the desk when she was close enough he had to crane his neck back to meet her gaze, she crossed her arms and stared him down.
If he wanted to play these power games, she would, too.
The muscles in his neck bobbed with a hard swallow as he laid the trade agreement he’d been pretending to review back on the stack of parchments.
Pouring the second half of the drink down her throat, she set the glass down with more force than necessary and glanced pointedly at the two chairs on the other side of the desk. “If you have something to say to me, I think you’ll find it much more comfortable in one of the other seats.”
Narrowing his eyes, he asked, “You’re not going to offer me a beverage?”
“You’re an adult. Get it yourself.” The last thing she would do was bow to him. “I’m not going to play power games with you. Say your piece or get out. Your choice.”
Walter froze for several heartbeats before he frowned, cleared his throat, and heaved to his feet. Helping himself to the whiskey, he poured a full glass.
Aliya sat in her proper place with a mental exhalation, bracing herself for whatever he had to say. The sooner he got on with it, the faster he would leave her alone.
Taking a sip, he settled in one of the chairs on the correct side of her desk with the same dramatic sigh he always exhaled when disappointed in her.
Meeting his gaze, she ignored the darkness in his eyes. “What can I do for you?” Her voice had a hardened edge to it that was only matched by her headache and sheer level of exhaustion. The day had already been long, and it was only going to get worse.
“Hmm.” He swirled the amber liquid in his glass. “I’m impressed with the way you tackled the council this morning. You handled them like a queen should.”
Blinking at the unexpected compliment, she scoured her recent memories for the last time he’d given her such a thing and came up blank. “Thank you.”
He smirked at her bewildered expression.
She schooled her face into the generic bored countenance most nobles mastered before puberty.
The bastard had complimented her just to throw her off balance.
She resisted the urge to rub her fingers between her eyebrows in a futile attempt to erase the wrinkles that were no doubt forming as they spoke.
Taking a pointed sip, the baron cleared his throat. “Which is why I wanted to talk to you about another aspect of royalty. One even more important than ruling.” He quit swirling the liquid in his glass and turned his full focus on her.
Aliya fought to not shift her weight. This wouldn’t be pleasant.
“Oh?” As if he would know what was important as a monarch.
While she couldn’t deny his drive for power, as evidenced by the fact he’d worked his way up from the son of a fishmonger to the landed gentry, he had never been, nor would he ever be, royal.
He narrowed his eyes. “Dynasty. Succession. Heirs.”
Heart skipping a beat, she blinked, thoughts screeching to a halt as the sound of nails over slate reverberated in her ears.
Opening her mouth, she paused, then closed it.
Swallowing past her dry throat, she tried again.
“I have been queen for all of four days, and you already want to talk to me about heirs?” She shook her head.
“Not like it’s any of your business, but I need to secure my throne before I start worrying about that. ”
“No! You’re wrong.”
The vehemence in his tone caught her off guard more than his compliment had. She jumped, her hand going to her chest to rest above her racing heart. “What?”
Setting the half-empty glass of whiskey next to hers, he leaned forward, his elbows resting on the chair’s armrests. Intent eyes met hers. “The surest way to shore up your position, to ensure you remain in power is to provide the realm the security of heirs. Preferably at least three.”
“Three?” Shaking her head, she forced back a chuckle.
“Boy, you don’t waste time, do you? Shall I birth them back-to-back, or would you prefer triplets so you have all three at once?
” Here she was, worried the hard-negotiated truce with the elves, and the resulting trade agreements, were about to crumble to dust around her, and he was already planning who would bed her at day’s end.
“You can’t afford to dawdle, daughter.”
“I’m aware you don’t like Elessan—”
Waving his hand, he cut her off. “This isn’t about the elf. Keep your side piece if that’s where your heart lies. I don’t care. But your court will not accept a half breed as heir. Even you have to see that.”
Wait, he didn’t care if she kept a mister?
“In case you didn’t notice,” he growled, “your kingdom is bankrupt and on the brink of a famine.”
Well, yes. Elessan had informed her of such after they’d dispatched Malkov. “What do you think I’ve been trying to do, negotiating with the elves and the dwarves? Exchanging Yuletide pleasantries?”
His expression hardened. “You’ve been doing your job, which as I said before, you’re performing well. However, that doesn’t negate that the realm needs coin. The most valuable asset you have is yourself.”
Ice flooded her veins. “You want me to sell myself to pad the treasury’s coffers?
” She couldn’t believe his audacity. Apparently, attempting to trade her in marriage to Malkov hadn’t been enough.
Now he wanted her as a broodmare in some nameless, faceless noble’s bed.
“I am not property to be auctioned off to the highest bidder!”
“Oh, don’t take it so personally.” Scoffing, he waved a hand in front of him as though brushing away a bad stench.
“Nobles are exchanged in alliances for the benefit of the realm all the time. There are plenty of worthy men who would make excellent kings and whose families have sufficient wealth to carry us through the winter.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket.
Aliya shook her head as the corners of her vision darkened. “It wasn’t enough you traded me to Malkov, now you want to do so again?” That was all she’d ever be to him, currency to finance his upward mobility.
“It’s for your benefit!” Sighing, he brushed the fingers of his free hand through his hair. “You stubborn child.”
“No.” She stood so fast, the legs of the chair screeched against the stone floor. “Out!” If she had to look at him for one more second…
He slapped the folded parchment onto the center of her desk. “Think about my words. You’re intelligent. You know I’m speaking the truth. If you want to remain queen and for your people to survive the winter, you will consider what I say.”
Swallowing the last of his whiskey, he slammed the glass on the table so hard it rattled.
Aliya didn’t bother looking at him as he stomped toward the door or when he flung it closed behind him. Her gaze was glued to the parchment, with four names scribbled across it.
Four candidates to sell her body and the realm to, in exchange for stability and her people’s survival.
Shadow batted at the paper, her lips peeled back in a hiss.
Aliya tore her attention away from her father’s list long enough to meet the cat’s eyes before turning her focus back to the scrawled ink. She had no idea how much time had passed as her anger cooled, but her thoughts always came back to the same spot.
Aliya didn't want to admit it, but... “He’s right.”
Her aunt hissed. “You don’t need a man to rule this kingdom. You’ve proven yourself more than capable on your own.”
Aliya blinked. Except she wasn’t alone. Not yet.
The only reason the council meeting went half as well as it had this morning was because Elessan had stayed up until the early hours helping her hammer out a plan to redirect the nobles’ frantic desire for power into something that would benefit the realm.
She didn’t have the experience or political acumen to come up with something like that on her own. Once the elves left…
“Maybe, maybe not,” she said. “But the treasury does need funds, and the kingdom needs the stability that a popular match and socially acceptable heirs would bring.”
Shadow had the courtesy to not deny it.
“It’s not like we can sell the Whisperers to the highest bidder.
” Malkov had drained the royal coffers to finance the creation of the mage-cursed things.
Unfortunately, the expense couldn’t be recouped, but she couldn’t risk other kingdoms getting their hands on the technology. Nor would the elves allow it.
“I’m aware you had a bad experience with your first marriage,” Shadow said.
Aliya choked. “Because the man I married wanted to kill me?”
The cat nodded. “Yes. Not all men are serial killers.”
“I know.” Elessan wasn’t. “I’m not going to apologize for having trust issues when it comes to my own nobles.”
Shadow licked her nose. “Nor should you. But what you do need to recognize is those are your issues, and you must figure out a way to work through them. Otherwise, the realm will suffer for it, either through famine or a potential uprising.”
Aliya turned her full focus on her aunt. “Have you heard something?” The last thing she needed was the nobility scheming to overthrow her.
“No.” Shadow paused. “Not yet. But the Arcane Inquisitor still hasn’t been found.
I guarantee he and Malkov’s artificer aren’t relaxing in a local bath house.
They’re planning something, and the longer it takes them to move, the more nervous I am.
You need to be taking similar steps to shore up your support base.
And while it’s easy to lean on the elves when they’re here, it’s not doing you any long-term favors. ”
Aliya frowned. “You mean it’s easy to lean on Elessan.”
Shadow nodded, her whiskers twitching. “Him, too.”
Crossing her arms, Aliya pinned Shadow with her gaze. “Why don’t you like him?”
One furry eyebrow rose. “Other than the fact that he’s debauching my niece?”
Face flushing, she scoffed. “By the mages.” She brushed a hand down her face as if she could wipe away the heat. “That’s a bit overdramatic, don’t you think?”
Shadow made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Or maybe it was a hairball.
Aliya hoped it was a hairball. It would serve the woman right.
“He saved my life at least three times. You have him to thank for Malkov being overthrown. Or have you forgotten?”
“Do you truly think he will stay by your side when the elves leave?”
Aliya worried her lower lip with her teeth. As much as she wanted him to, he belonged with his mother, with his people. Stuck in the human realm, cut off from those he loved, he wouldn’t be happy. She shook her head and sighed.
“Then it’s time to quit acting like a wishful child and be the queen you are.” Shadow flicked her tail. “You don’t need to make a decision today, but you will soon.”
Something cracked in Aliya’s heart, splitting her chest with a phantom pain that rivaled being stabbed. Soon, Elessan would be gone, and she’d be on her own.
“Why don’t you like him, really?”
“Would you like the list in alphabetical or numerical order?” The clipped words did little to hide Shadow’s anger.
“What does that even mean?”
Shadow jumped off the desk, putting an end to that line of questioning.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to meet the eligible bachelors, so you can decide which one you can best tolerate.
Have your father set up luncheons or tea times with the candidates while your elf is distracted with his mother.
” Coming to a stop at the door, she turned and sat, curling her tail around her feet as she watched Aliya expectantly.
With a sigh, Aliya stood and crossed the room, opening the door to let Shadow out. “You could just change into a human and open it yourself.” She still had no idea what her aunt’s preferred human shape looked like.
The cat stared up at her with round quicksilver eyes and blinked, looking for all the world the disappointed tutor with a dunce student. “Why waste the water on an unnecessary shift? Besides, I’ve been in this form so long, it’s the easiest for me to maintain.”
Fair point.