Chapter 24
Aliya
Afist pounded on the door.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
Aliya groaned, rolling over and brushing her hair out of her face.
Strong arms contracted around her, pulling her against a warm, hard chest. The scent of a pine forest after a spring rain filled her nostrils. Elessan.
She stretched, her inner thighs pleasantly sore.
Someone thumped on the door again. The frantic pitch in the messenger’s voice cut through the fog.
Her eyes slammed open as the weight of deep sleep snapped back from her mind.
They’d likely been knocking on her door for a while now. Valek.
“El.” She pushed at his arm. “El, let me go.”
He groaned, pulling her closer. Still asleep.
“El!” She shook him.
The pounding on her door game again.
Elessan jerked to awareness with a jump.
Aliya slid off the bed, wrapping a robe around herself. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” Spinning on her heel, she headed into her study and toward the door.
The blankets rustled as Elessan threw them aside and followed her.
She held back an eyeroll. Of course he wouldn’t listen, but it was no doubt out of the desire to keep her safe, so she couldn’t get too annoyed. Not this early in the morning.
She clicked the bolt and turned the latch, opening the door to find a handful of guards standing outside, their eyes bulging and faces flushed.
“Your Majesty.” As one, they ducked their heads in a brief bow. The one who had been pounding on the door licked his lips. “Apologies, but there’s been an incident.”
Of course there was. This must be the universe’s way of punishing her for forgetting about her duties and responsibilities for a few hours last night. Judging from their red skin and flaccid expressions, it was more than a simple disturbance. Her blood chilled as the fine hairs on her arms raised.
She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Elessan had managed to put some trousers on—he had. She stepped aside and opened the door so the guards could enter.
She wasn’t thrilled about having to face the sentries or her nobles without even being able to run a brush through her hair or clean her teeth, but this was urgent.
Moving to her desk, she pulled out a chair and sat down. Elessan came to stand behind her as he tugged his tunic into place. “Have a seat, Captain.” She gestured to the open armchair across from her. “What’s the emergency?”
The guard gingerly lowered himself and swallowed hard enough his throat bobbed. “A human with a red jewel and white eyes has taken over the eastern half of the castle,” he said, the words rushing out of his mouth as though he couldn’t believe it.
She froze, her heart turning to ice. No. Brooks couldn’t be here.
If he was, the Whisperers were, too.
“When?” The word rasped past her suddenly dry vocal cords.
“Barely a quarter of an hour ago.”
She glanced out the window. The sun was about to rise.
“What about the people staying in the east wing?” Elessan asked, his hand a supportive weight on Aliya’s shoulder.
She wracked her brain. That portion of the castle was where her advisors and the other nobles kept their quarters, along with the visiting elven officers.
The captain shifted, his eyes dropping to the ground. “Most of the council members appear to be working with the intruder.”
Her gut hardened and turned heavy. She shouldn’t be a bit surprised.
Studying the guard’s face, she realized they didn’t know who Brooks was. She cleared her throat. “His name is Brooks, he served as Malkov’s Arcane Inquisitor.”
Recognition sparked in the captain’s eyes. “I didn’t recognize him. He spent so little time at court.”
She waved his words away. That wasn’t important now. What mattered was—
“What about the elves housed in that wing?” Elessan’s baritone voice was tense.
The captain glanced over his shoulder at one of the other sentries who spoke, “King and Princess Enorathil are safe, as is most of the king’s inner circle. They were using the Council Chamber for a private meeting when Brooks attacked.”
Aliya exhaled. That was a relief, at least. The last thing she needed was the death of the sun elf royals on her watch.
“And the others?” Elessan pressed.
Aliya furrowed her brows, tilting her head until it slammed into her with the force of a battering ram. His mother.
“Brooks has taken hostages,” the nameless guard continued. “From what we can tell, none of them are injured, but they’re imprisoned in the library. It’s going to be difficult to stage any sort of rescue operation.”
Aliya frowned. “Why?” Libraries usually came with expansive skylights and several entrances.
“Malkov believed in protecting his knowledge trove from possible attack or sabotage,” the captain said. “The windows are too narrow to climb through, and the walls are all reinforced.”
Well, valek.
“Did anyone spot a female mountain elf prisoner?” she asked. One of the benefits of a nearly extinct race was they were easy to pick out in a crowd.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the guard confirmed as his gaze flicked to Elessan then back to hers. “She’s there, as well. Our messenger saw her being escorted into the room with the others.”
Aliya leaned back against her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose. At least Sorisana was alive. “If Brooks wanted them dead, they’d already be so.” She tilted her head until she could meet Elessan’s eyes. “She’ll be safe, for now.”
A muscle feathered in his jaw as he clenched his teeth. “We need to get her out.”
Aliya nodded. “We will.” Hopefully before Brooks decided to activate a Whisperer and murder everyone in the castle.
She turned her attention to the captain.
“Evacuate all nonessential personnel and those within the immediate vicinity. Anyone who stays needs to be issued soft wax for ear plugs, which they are to use immediately.”
The captains’ eyebrows pinched. “Why, Your Majesty?”
Elessan cleared his throat. “Don’t you think if Brooks was going to deploy one, he’d have done so already?”
Aliya shook her head. “We can’t risk it. He may be waiting until he can gather those loyal to him to make sure they’re protected.” Turning her focus back to the captain, she frowned. “Protecting your ears is the only way to survive.”
“I know,” the man stammered. “But why would Brooks have Whisperers?”
And this was the downside of having to keep their theft confidential.
She sighed. “We have reason to suspect Brooks is in possession of several that disappeared from where the mages were working to dismantle them earlier this week. Between Brooks and his accomplice, Malkov’s former Master Artificer, there’s no telling what he could do. ”
The sentries’ faces went pale. The captain swallowed once, then nodded his head as he collected himself. “We will see it done, Your Majesty.”
As the guards filed out, Elessan caught Aliya’s arm. “We need to get you some of those earplugs. Now.”
She snorted. “You, too.” She eyed him. He’d likely resist using them, as they would mute his ability to hear oncoming threats. Stubborn male. “We have to get to Roland and Tsara. They should be included when we plan the rescue mission.” As much as she hated to admit it.
She ran a quick brush through her hair and pulled it back in a simple braid as Elessan took the candle from her bedside table over to the hearth.
He carved four chunks of wax with his dagger and held them over the heat until they softened.
As she tied off the ends of her plait, he handed her two, which she shoved into her ears.
The crackling of the fire muted.
Elessan did the same then nodded at her.
Strapping the blade he’d given her around her waist, she dipped her chin once. They were ready to go.
They found Roland and Tsara in the Council chambers, surrounded by several elves Aliya recognized as his inner circle. They were all screaming at each other and as she drew closer, she realized their ears were all plugged, as well.
“It’s about time you got here,” Roland yelled, loud enough she could hear it through the wax. “We were about to do this without you!”
Flames burst through her gut at the derision in his tone.
“I had to see to the safety of the staff and people in the city,” Aliya screamed back.
They were all going to lose their voices if they continued this for long.
But it felt good to have an excuse to raise her voice at him without repercussions.
“What are you going to do about this situation?” Roland shouted. “This is your fault, after all!”
Her shock must have shown in her face. He glared at her and sneered. “He escaped on your watch, and stole the Whisperers under your protection!”
Aliya resisted the urge to pull her hair out by its roots. First, Brooks’ escape was Zadé’s failure, now it was hers. It seemed the blame lay at whoever’s feet was more convenient for the sun elf king at any point in time.
She glanced around. Speaking of Zadé, where was she?
“Finger pointing isn’t important right now!” Elessan said, stepping up next to her. “He’s holding my mother and several others hostage!”
Roland snarled. “I am well aware of the situation, Svialto! The human queen may need it explained to her, but I do not!”
Aliya rolled her eyes, letting the barb fly past without hitting its intended target.
Zadé wasn’t here, and they’d have a better chance with her tactical brilliance on their side.
“Has anyone seen General Brightleaf?” She caught the eyes of each person in the room.
Most met her with eyes narrowed in suspicion or straight-out dislike, but no one responded.
Her gut clenched at the possibility Zadé might be prisoner in the library as well. But no, she slept in the barracks with her troops rather than in the posh east wing.
Aliya splayed her hands in frustration. “We need to find her! She can help us plan your people’s rescue!”
No one answered. Elessan was engaged in what appeared to be an epic glaring contest with Princess Tsara. Roland had already turned away and was studying what she’d bet were some architectural blueprints of the castle.
Fine. If no one else cared, she’d locate Zadé, free the hostages, and eliminate Brooks herself. Then she’d watch Roland eat his words.
She patted Elessan’s arm, drawing his attention from Tsara. “I’m going to go search for Zadé! Stay here!” She didn’t have to tell him to make sure the sun elves didn’t do anything rash. He’d understand what she needed from him.
“No!” he said, grabbing her. “You’re not going alone!”
She nodded, unsurprised. Doing so when Brooks was in the castle and able to track her magic would be the height of stupidity. “I’ll take my guards! I need you here! See if you can find a back way into the library!”
He locked his jaw and met her eyes. She jutted her chin forward and put her hands on her hips.
Finally, he exhaled. “Be safe!” His gaze flicked to the sentries behind her. “If she’s hurt…”
He didn’t finish the threat. The lieutenant placed a clenched fist over his heart in a salute before turning to follow her from the room with the rest of his contingent.