Chapter 39
Elessan
Elessan’s chest swelled as Aliya maneuvered Roland into agreeing to all her stipulations.
Something niggled in the back of his mind, though.
The royal had capitulated a little too easily.
Perhaps he was digging too far into it. That may well be the price of discovering Roland had lost his only daughter and now his only heir was his mountain elf son-in-law.
Any monarch would be reeling.
Despite the tragedy of Tsara’s demise, Aliya couldn’t have picked a better time to make her move. In a few years, with a little more experience behind her, she’d be a formidable opponent. Elessan looked forward to watching her come into her own.
He followed Aliya as she went back to the parapet to supervise the deconstruction of the military encampment.
It wasn’t like he could blame her for not trusting Roland to honor his word. The elf had a long history of broken promises and manipulations within manipulations. Aliya was smart not to trust him any further than she could toss him.
“Tell me what happened with Tsara.”
Aliya’s voice was so quiet, he almost missed it. “What?” He turned to face her, jaw slack. Was she ready to talk?
“Tell me,” she repeated, “before I change my mind.”
Elessan cleared his throat and glanced at Zadé. When their eyes met he tilted his head away, asking her to give them some space.
“What? No way.” The general shook her head and crossed her arms, leaning one hip against one of the merlons lining the battlements. “Yer seriously askin’ me ta leave when the gossip’s about ta get juicy?”
Aliya’s exhausted voice drifted over the wall, backing him up. “Please, Zadé?”
“Aliya and I do need to talk,” Elessan said. “And it’s not like she won’t tell you afterward.”
Zadé’s eyes sparkled. “Maybe, but it’s much more entertaining hearin’ it first hand-like.”
Elessan frowned, grinding his teeth together.
Zadé rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine. I’ll go see if’n I can hurry Roland’s forces along, shall I?” She pointed a finger at Aliya. “I expect a full debrief.”
“Aye, aye, General.”
Elessan didn’t glance over his shoulder to confirm if she was saluting or not. Instead, he stared at Zadé’s retreating back as the other woman disappeared behind one of the tower battlements.
Taking a deep breath and bracing himself, Elessan turned to face Aliya.
“It was like I said before. Tsara came to me and threatened to have my mother exiled unless I gave her what she wanted.” He made a small noise to clear his airway.
“It wasn’t until she had me pinned against the wall with her tongue shoved halfway down my throat that I realized what she intended. ”
Running his hand through his hair, he exhaled. “I had no idea. The real Tsara and I… there was never anything romantic between us.”
“Really?”
He studied Aliya’s face, searching for any hint of the thoughts behind her question, but there was none. Her face was expressionless.
Blasted nobles and their ability to obfuscate their feelings and intentions.
“We were friends as kids, until someone pulled us each aside and explained social and class differences to us. Since then…” he shrugged, “she’s been my superior, the person I reported to during and after all of my missions, and the one who determined when I could or couldn’t use her scrying mirror to speak with my mother.
” Meeting Aliya’s eyes, he leaned forward, as if proximity alone could force her to believe him.
“Of all the sun elves, Princess Tsara was the one both influential and headstrong enough to punish my mother for my misdeeds.”
Aliya raised an eyebrow. “Roland wouldn’t have?”
“Oh, no. He would have, but before he did, he would at least consider the ramifications of doing so. Tsara had a temper, and she is…” he swallowed, “was impulsive. She tended to act prior to thinking things through. Her threat to exile my mother was deliberate and she meant every word of it.” Even though it had been the shifter making the ultimatum, the action was still well within Tsara’s personality.
“I still wish you’d come to me.”
He nodded and sighed, his body aching with the need to pull her close.
“Yes, I’m aware. But I know you. You would’ve thrown away everything you had to help me, including your alliance with the elves and the wellbeing of your subjects.
I know that’s not the kind of queen you want to be, so I didn’t want to force you to make that choice.
” He swallowed past the thickening lump in his throat.
“I was looking for the right time to tell you, to explain and give you warning, when she announced the marriage in front of everyone. Believe me, I would’ve done anything to spare you that pain. ”
Aliya raised her eyebrow. “Anything?”
He opened his mouth but paused. “I’m sorry.
I will bring decisions involving us to you so we can discuss them, rather than making the call on my own.
” Dropping his voice, he stepped closer, capturing her hands in his.
“It was a mistake, one I promise to never make again.” If she took him back, he’d never risk losing her again.
Shaking her head, Aliya said, “It’s your job to protect your family and those you care for.
And I realize the Enorathils have spent years, decades, psychologically manipulating you into defaulting to them.
But if we are going to maintain any sort of relationship, friendship, or whatever, you have to communicate with me as if we’re partners.
I need to be able to trust you to include me on decisions involving me, or us. ”
And so many, many other things. Taking a deep breath, he sighed. “You’re right.” He flashed her a quick grin as something unclenched in his gut. “One thing this past week has taught me is that the Larimars are as remarkable as my mother told me they were.”
Aliya scoffed but he cut her off.
“No, I mean it. You’re strong, not only physically, but inside, where it counts.
Your empathy and ability to put the wellbeing of others ahead of yourself is something I’ve never seen in another aristocrat.
” He shook his head. “And don’t even get me started on your intelligence.
” Dropping her hands, he cupped her cheeks.
Her eyes were bright, brimming with tears.
“You are the most amazing, beautiful person I have ever met. And I would be honored if you would allow me to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I believe that.”
“El…” Her voice faded as the tears spilled over. “You mean it?”
Nodding, he brushed the wetness from her skin with his thumb. “With every fiber of my soul.”
Her eyes were rimmed with silver as she gave him a watery smile. “Kiss me, you idiot.”
With a chuckle that thawed the last bit of ice from his chest, he pulled her lips to his.
She melted in his arms with a groan that had his balls tightening.
“Woo-hoo!” Zadé’s cry carried on the wind from below.
Tearing his focus from Aliya but being careful not to pull away, he managed to catch Zadé as she pumped one fist in the air at the sight of them embracing.
At least he knew whose side Zadé had been on.
Aliya’s hands fisted his tunic, pulling him closer. Reaching down, he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist.
At the sudden change in position, Aliya broke the kiss, but she didn’t go far, her lips a breath away from his. “Now what?”
One corner of his mouth curled up as he sent her a mischievous grin. “Now, I think I’ll take you back to your room and show you exactly how sorry I am.” He leaned in, until his breath brushed her ear. “What do you say?”
Heat flared in her eyes as she squeezed her thighs. “Yes.”