Page 153 of To Kill a King
Shadow raised an eyebrow and flicked her tail, not deigning to answer the question as she jumped onto a shelf and flopped over in the sunbeam.
Aliya frowned. Whenever he did feel this way, Malkov probably just went and killed another mage.
She’d need to find a healthier way of handling the pressure of ruling.
Maybe she could use magic to turn all the nobles into hop-toads.
“Delegate,” Tsara had said, like it was the most obvious solution ever. But delegate to whom? The humans she could trust were in short supply, and though it had only been one day, the elves and dwarves were clearly ready to go home.
With all the glares and whispering behind their backs from Malkov’s nobles, she couldn’t blame them.
“Your Majesty?”
What now? She sighed and squeezed her eyes closed. Her headache pounded to the beat of her pulse. Go away, go away, go away!
The doorknob rattled.
She grabbed it trying to keep it from turning.
“Aliya.”
Blinking, she stepped back, finally recognizing the voice.
The door opened.
“El!”
He tilted his head sideways. “What are you doing in here?” He glanced at the cat but turned his attention back to her.
“Hiding. Looking for a few minutes of quiet.”
“I see.” He held his arms open as the door closed behind him. “Come here.”
She melted against him, burying her nose in his chest and breathing in. His scent flooded her nose, driving away some of the tension in her back and neck.
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He rested his chin against the top of her head. “I know it’s stressful right now. But I promise, things will get better. We just need to take it one day, one task at a time.”
“But they all want answers now. The noble families are fighting over trade routes, the merchants over taxes, the craftsmen over royal contracts. How does anyone sort this mess out without turning the entire court into frogs?”
She jumped at his laugh.
“They have help. And they take their time.” Elessan stroked her hair. “Don’t be afraid to set boundaries. You’re the Queen—you can tell them you won’t discuss the taxes until such-and-such a day, after you’ve had a chance to review the treasurer’s books. The same goes for the contracts and trade routes.”
He sighed. “Don’t let them bully you, or you’re setting a precedent for the rest of your reign.”
She gulped and nodded. “It sounds so reasonable and obvious when you say it.”
He chuckled. The vibrations in his chest brought a smile to her face.
He drew his fingers along her jaw, tipping her chin up to meet his eyes. “I have faith in you. You can do this, and I’ll be right here beside you.”
She snaked her arms around his neck, burying her hands in his hair. Tilting her head toward his, she closed her eyes.
Their lips met. Elessan’s groan ignited a fire in Aliya’s core.
He picked her up and walked her back until the stone wall pressed firmly against her shoulder blades.
Aliya wrapped her legs around his torso.
