10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Elessan

A s the moon crested the treetops, Elessan awoke to Zadé's snoring. Aliya rolled over, wrapped in her new bedroll, sound asleep.

He gave Zadé, who was supposed to be on guard, an evil glare, straining his eyes and ears for any signs of the Red Cloaks. Hearing nothing unusual, he stretched and headed into the forest to do a quick check of the campsite.

Valek. He'd given Zadé the first watch because he'd figured that shift would be easier for her than waking up in the middle of the night for the morning one. He ran a hand through sleep-tousled hair. Why did he have to be the only responsible adult here? Pulling his hood up to hide his ears from anyone who might see them, he slunk into the woods.

His circle around the periphery of the encampment revealed nothing more concerning than a few rabbit and pheasant tracks. At least no one prowled the area who shouldn't. He walked the hundred yards to the overlook with the view of town they'd enjoyed last night.

The houses below were dark this early in the morning. The ruins from the tavern smoldered, but the adjacent buildings had escaped unscathed. He would arrange for some coin to make its way to the tavern's owner to help defray rebuilding expenses. Aliya would likely want to do the same. He could make the donation after he handled the rest of his business.

What was Zadé going to do with her drinking hole in flames? As irresponsible as she was, they owed her their lives. Her fighting style was unconventional, to say the least, but effective.

Her family, the Brightleafs, were renowned for their intellectual pursuits and had produced the foremost experts in the fields of the occult, astrology and economics. Somewhere along the way, Zadé Brightleaf fell off her family's scholarly wagon. That story promised to be quite colorful, if she ever chose to enlighten him.

Across town near the river, a crane squealed as it swung over a boat docked at port.

He squinted through the early morning haze as the first coffin being offloaded swung into view. No doubt casualties in the latest skirmish. Teenagers no older than Aliya wearing freshly dyed black and red uniforms marched single file up the gangway; new recruits to replace the dead.

An unnerving ache settled in his chest. Shaking his head, he sighed. He could end this all, one way or another, before those recruits returned home in coffins, too, if he turned Aliya over to Princess Tsara and her father. Or if he snuck into the castle and killed King Malkov himself.

He snorted. The royal security was superb—no elf had managed to get close enough to the royal family to kill them since Elessan's predecessor had managed to assassinate the former king and queen, losing their life in the process. Malkov Cerel seemed to have a second sense when it came to rooting out spies and assassins in his court, likely nurtured by his parents' untimely deaths. Elessan wasn't foolish enough to assume he'd succeed when so many more talented elves had failed.

Soft footsteps approached through the grass behind him.

He smiled, still looking out over the village. A comfortable warmth spread through his body. "I thought you were asleep."

Aliya came to stand beside him, surveying the valley below. "You didn't come back. And Zadé snores."

"Your tracking skills are improving."

She shrugged, massaging one wrist. "You weren't being subtle, and the moon is still nearly full."

He nodded. Fair point, but he hadn't been obvious, either. She was definitely making progress. His chest swelled with pride. "Are you hurt?"

"What?"

Was it his imagination, or did she give him the same ‘too-innocent' expression she'd shown him when they first met, when her ankle had been injured? "You're rubbing your hand."

"Oh." Her voice trembled as she shook her arm and slid it back under her cloak. "I must've slept on it wrong."

He turned to face her, but she looked away. She must still be shaken from the events of last night. He watched her from the corner of his eye as she stared at the sleeping village, her demeanor uncharacteristically sad. The moonlight reflected off her hair as it shifted in the breeze from below.

She studied the valley. "How much do you think it will cost to rebuild?"

"I don't know. I've never had to pay to construct a building before. Fifty gold? One hundred? Maybe more."

Her shoulders deflated. "I don't have anything close to that. But I feel guilty."

He did, too. But neither of them had started the fire. "When I go into town later this morning, I'm going to deliver some coins to the owner. If you would like to contribute a few pieces, I'm sure they would be welcomed."

She nodded. "Yes. I'd like that."

They sat in companionable silence as the sky lightened in the east. This was pleasant, sitting here quietly with her. She was smart, determined, and unlike any human or noble he'd ever met. He snuck another glance at her. She was beautiful, too—not just on the outside, but inside—where it counted. As queen, she could make a serious change for the better, and possibly repair the relations between humans and elves. He sighed. Assuming she lived long enough to do so.

At this point, most of his race didn't want a peaceful resolution to the war. The sun elf royals would react poorly to him abandoning his mission to help Aliya. There was a distinct chance his mother would face repercussions for his disobedience.

He'd give almost anything to be able to ask her for guidance. Brushing a hand down his face, he exhaled. She'd tell him to do it anyway, regardless of her own safety, out of her centuries-old loyalty to the Larimars.

More humans stirred below. The bakery came alive, teasing their noses with the smell of fresh-baked baguettes and cinnamon rolls.

Aliya groaned. "I would kill for a warm loaf."

He smiled. "Are you sure it's not the sugar you're after?"

She laughed. "Our master chef, Isabell, used to sneak me extra sweet-cream frosting when I was little. But I never thought I'd miss the taste of regular bread."

"I'll see what I can do when I head into town."

Footsteps swished through the grass.

"Zadé, I need you to stay here with Aliya while I run my errands," he said in Elvish. After a few heartbeats with no response, he turned.

It wasn't Zadé.

Five men spread out, cutting them off from the camp. All were unshaven, with dirty, torn clothing. He wrinkled his nose. They each needed a bath, too.

He grabbed Aliya and pulled her behind him as they scrambled to their feet.

The one in the middle smiled, showing several missing front teeth. He brandished his sword. "Well, well. What've we got here, lads?"

Elessan's hands dropped to his own blades, still in their sheaths.

"Looks like our ticket to a free breakfast." The leader sneered at Aliya. "And dessert."

She gasped, pressing her forehead against Elessan's back, trembling.

Heat pooled in his gut as he fought the urge to pull her closer than she already was. "Don't worry," he murmured to her in Elven. "They'll have to get through me first. Stay where I can see you." He drew his weapons and faced the men. "There's nothing here for you. Be on your way."

A chorus of guffaws met his statement. "I think you misunderstand me, lad. High-bred ladies like girlie there," his lazy gaze wandered to Aliya, "they always got plenty o' coin. Among other things."

"Come on, girlie," he said, waving his blade. "Give it up. Me boys deserve a satisfying breakfast."

"After some fun," one of the others called.

Elessan twirled his swords, warming up his wrists. Five on one weren't great odds, especially with someone to protect. But unless one of the brigands was better trained than their exteriors suggested, he had a chance. An advantage, even, if Aliya could pull out her magic.

"Agreed. Entertainment." The leader stared at Aliya as his lips split into a grotesque smile. "I'll tell ye' what, boy." He waved his hand to one of the larger thugs on Elessan's left. "One on one combat, against my best man. One sword each. Dravin!"

The man stepped forward.

Elessan eyed the human. He was stocky, but not overly muscular, and carried a lighter weight longsword, relying on speed rather than strength. "Very well." He tucked one blade at his waist.

"No, not you." The boss pointed beyond Elessan. "Her. Girlie fights to keep her money. That'll be more…entertaining."

"Among other things," one of the bandits murmured, raising chortles from the rest of the group.

"No." Elessan's immediate reply echoed off the trees. That was ridiculous. She had no weapons, no training…

"Elessan," she whispered in Elven. "Can you win against all of them?"

"No idea," he responded in kind. "Possibly. How's your magic?"

She met his gaze with round eyes and a sharp shake of her head.

His blood chilled. Surely her spellcraft was more reliable than a five-on-one sword fight.

She stepped around him and addressed the man in charge. "I accept." Her voice barely trembled at all.

"Aliya, what are you doing," Elessan asked, still in Elven. "Have you ever used a blade before?"

Her lips thinned as she pressed them together and swallowed.

His stomach plummeted like a rock.

"If I start to lose, you can take the other four," she whispered back.

"I don't think this is a wise idea. You could get seriously hurt or killed. Royalty employ bodyguards for a reason."

The leader shifted his weight from side to side, bouncing up on his toes. "Hurry up, girlie! Do you need to borrow a weapon, or somethin'?"

Elessan glanced across the clearing. Where was Zadé when they needed her? He met Aliya's gaze. Her steely determination reflected back at him.

Valek. Of all the times for her to assert herself…

With a sigh, he handed her one of his swords. "Try to keep your back to the sun, don't let him turn you around. That'll make it harder for him to track your movements. Also, he's going to be fast, so don't take your eyes off him. I'll mind the others."

She pressed the blade back into his hands. "I might damage it."

Abaddon save him from the misplaced priorities of nobility… "I'm more concerned about you," he hissed. "Don't worry about the steel."

Holding the weapon in front of her, she turned to face the thug.

Aliya stepped into the improvised fighting ring, both arms shaking.

Dravin sneered. He twirled his sword in a circle with his wrist, much like Elessan did in practice. Her hold on the sweat-slicked handle was too tight to replicate the move.

The human smiled, displaying his few remaining teeth, and took a purposeful stride to his right. She countered by taking a step in the opposite direction. Elessan yelled something, but she ignored him in favor of focusing her full attention on her opponent like he'd instructed. Dravin took several more steps, until she was forced to squint into the sun.

He attacked. She brought the weapon up to counter, barely managing to block it. The vibration shook her fingers loose and she stumbled back, buying herself time to secure her grip.

An intense sting bit across her left shoulder as her opponent's blade swung away, flinging drops of her blood at Elessan. Dropping the injured limb to her side, she stabbed at his waist.

Dravin swatted her sword away, spun around, and rammed a concealed dagger between her ribs.

Pain flooded her body then settled where warm liquid gushed from her torso, sharp and agonizing. Aliya's vision went white as she fell to her knees.

Elessan roared, his voice coming from far away. "You cheat!"

The kernel of light within her exploded like a supernova.

She grabbed Dravin's wrist, still holding the bloody knife buried in her gut. Energy crackled, flowing from her fingers and slammed into his chest. He flew backward, landing several feet away.

Elessan's "Valek!" blended with the curses and exclamations of "She's a mage!" from the four remaining brigands.

Someone knelt beside her. Elessan's worried expression came into focus as he pressed her hand against her side. She fought back the scream of pain.

His hood fell back, exposing his pointed ears. "Keep pressure here," he said in Elven. "I'll be right back."

One of the thugs screamed, "Hey! He's an elf! Kill him!"

Elessan leapt over her and disappeared. Her vision went black, and she knew no more.

Elessan's voice caught in his throat. "Cowards! Cheats!" He charged, swinging his sword for the leader's neck. Humans were scum, liars and thieves—he should have killed these trash when he had the chance.

A familiar "Whoop!" sounded from across the clearing. Zadé rolled down the hill in a lopsided somersault. She tumbled into the group, knocking two of the bystanders to the ground. A thrashing of fists and elbows followed. A heartbeat later, she stood, the two unconscious thugs at her feet. "Elsan! What're ya'doin' gettin' in a fight without me?" One of the men groaned. She kicked him again.

"Aliya's wounded!" His pulse thudded past his ears, drowning out the humans' cries.

She paused, mid-kick. "Well, that's rough. You're a terrible bodyguard."

He bared his fangs. "Trust me, I know."

Parrying the next thrust, he lunged for the human's hip. His sword found its target, plunging into his opponent's liver. Dark blood spurted. Elessan smiled. The man didn't realize it yet, but with his internal organs punctured, he was a dead man.

Zadé tripped over her own feet and stumbled into the last brigand standing. The two crashed in a tangle of limbs. Her foe's head hit a rock with a final-sounding crack, and he stilled.

The leader finally swayed and fell to his knees before collapsing.

Leaving Zadé to guard the remaining four, he ran back to Aliya.

She was unconscious. Crimson fluid leaked slowly from around her fingers, which still lay against her side where he'd put them. Gently, he moved her hand and lifted the lower edge of her shirt to examine the gash. It was a clean cut, though it needed stitching and would scar. Elessan sighed as his shoulders drooped. The blade missed her liver.

"Woah!" Zadé came up beside him. "Crazy!"

"The damage isn't as bad as it could be, thank Abaddon." He pressed his hand over Aliya's, trying to staunch the bleeding.

A sulfurous stench rose from the wound as he applied pressure. Leaning forward, he poked at the area. The edges of the severed tissue were turning green.

His stomach turned to lead. Bloodbane.

He stared at Dravin's dagger, on the ground several feet away. The iridescent sheen on the metal glittered in the early morning sun, mocking him.

"Not as bad...? Name somethin' worse than that." Zadé gestured wildly in his peripheral vision.

At her tone, he raised an eyebrow. She pointed at Dravin's still-smoking corpse. The limbs lay contorted, the muscles locked in spasm. Blackened lines, jagged like lightning strikes, striped his skin.

Doing a double-take, Elessan wrinkled his nose. He'd been so distracted he'd completely missed the stench of charred flesh.

"Aliya's a mage," he said, looking away from the gruesome sight. He didn't realize she manifested anything other than fire. He bent to pick her up. "She's been poisoned and needs a doctor. Does Westcliff have a physician?"

Aliya's temple thwacked against something as she bounced in a steady cadence. She took a deep breath. The scent of sun-baked pine needles flooded her nostrils.

Elessan.

She'd smile if everything didn't hurt so much. Her ribs felt as though they were bound in steel, making it hard to breathe.

She groaned and tried to shift so her head didn't bang into his collarbone with every step he took. Opening her eyes only made the world spin, so she squeezed them closed and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Shhh," he said in her ear. "Stay with me, Aliya."

She took a breath to ask him to run more smoothly when he stopped.

His weight shifted. Wood split with a crack .

A gravelly voice called out from inside. "What the…Elessan?" Footsteps approached. "We're not due to meet until tomorrow. What's going on here? Who's this?"

"Kavol, I need you to put me in touch with the Mage Underground. She needs a doctor."

Mage Underground? What was he going on about? She opened her eyes. The floor tilted sideways, her vision blackening around the edges. Or maybe the room was just dark.

The other person inhaled sharply. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Elessan's voice dropped an octave. "Don't play stupid with me, dwarf. She's a magic user on the run from the King, and she's dying. I know they're here somewhere. Make the introduction, or I'll tie you to a boat and float you over Ithabasa Falls."

Kavol harumphed. "I'd like to see you try, elf."

A hard surface pushed into Aliya's back as Elessan set her down. Metal scraped over leather. She cracked her eyelids open. Elessan had his sword pressed against the neck of a dwarf with mahogany hair down to his waist and a curly beard decorated with teal beads.

Kavol frowned and crossed his arms, disregarding the blade at his throat. "I know who you work for. You don't have the authority to kill me. The sun elves can't afford to fight on two fronts."

"She's the human's monarch, and our best bet at ending this without further bloodshed."

Kavol studied Elessan's face as tension stretched between them.

The stocky man broke the silence with a loud sigh. "The human queen. I heard she'd gone missing. Bobbleshanks. Stay here. Don't let her bleed all over the place. And you'd better not be lying to me, or you will have that war on two borders."

The dwarf's footsteps receded. The door slammed, sending daggers of pain through her temples.

She winced.

"Hang on." Elessan lifted her head and shoved something soft under it. "Help will be here soon."

She gave him a faint smile and closed her eyes.

A rich tenor voice mumbled from somewhere above her. The steel bands fell away from her ribs. She stirred, taking a deep breath.

"Hold her, elf."

Firm hands pressed down on her shoulders.

The image of Malkov grabbing her wrist careened into her thoughts. No! She jerked one way then the other.

Someone cursed.

Elessan's soothing voice rumbled near her ear. "Be still. You're safe."

"Hmm. It's well-bandaged, at least," the unfamiliar person said.

She peeked between barely open lids. A wizened old man, no taller than four feet, leaned over her. His wire-rimmed spectacles slid down his knobby nose. Pointed ears, less distinct than Elessan's, peered out from the cloud of gray hair.

A gnome? She'd thought they were only fairytales.

The world spun and made her head hurt, so she closed her eyes again.

Male voices reached her ears. They were arguing, but their words were muffled, like she was underwater. She furrowed her brow in concentration. Her wounds stung, the pain radiated down to each fingernail and toe.

"Spreading misinformation is one of the least violent ways we have to resist, elf. We have no obligation to report to you or ask your permission."

"Do you have any idea how much harder you've made things for me the last few months," Elessan hissed. "You've had me literally chasing after dead ends at every turn."

The gnome chuckled. "Perhaps you should be better at your job, then."

Pottery slid across a shelf and shattered on the floor, accompanied by a string of angry expletives she couldn't understand.

She tensed. Who would've known there were so many Elven curse words?

Footsteps shuffled across the floor. "Peace, elf. Forgive my poorly timed joke. However, if it threw you for a loop, we can at least hope it's having the same effect on the king."

"Unlikely," Elessan muttered, his voice still dark. "Malkov already knows where his supply routes are, and what provisions and troops need to go where. By starting needless rumors, and inhibiting me, you may have handed your king the war, and doomed yourselves all to death at his hands."

Aliya peeked one eye open. That was being a bit dramatic, though in her brief acquaintance with Elessan, he didn't seem prone to exaggeration.

The gnome spread his hands at his sides, palms facing forward. "What would you have us do? We're scattered to the winds out of necessity. We don't have an artificer, no way to make magical bombs…" Shaking his head, he continued, "The king was smart, he murdered our warriors and greatest minds first. And with the massacre at the College…" He sighed. "Passive resistance is the only method left to us."

Elessan scowled. "Did you even consider reaching out to the elves? We could've worked together. Now, with the magic stolen from the Mage College, he may well have the power he needs to wipe out our army—the last barrier between your king and his ambitions for the rest of the world."

Aliya blinked, wishing she could shake her head to clear the fog away so she could follow the conversation. She hadn't considered that Malkov would have designs beyond wiping out the elves and the mages. If he conquered the elves, the dwarves…what was left? The fey wilds or the deserts across the sea? With no one left to oppose him and an endless supply of enemy mages to drain, he'd be practically immortal, and the world was doomed.

Kavol stepped into view, his arms crossed over his chest. "The enemy of my enemy and all that aside, everyone knows you elves aren't to be trusted."

Elessan whipped around to face him. "What?"

He grimaced. "You raid our borders, kidnapping people and stealing the food they'll need for winter."

"Why in the realm would we want to bring humans into our territory?" Elessan shook his head. "And we only steal food that's intended for the army." He glared at the gnome and crossed his arms in a mirror of Kavol's posture. "At least, as far as I could determine. It's not our fault the Mage Underground was spreading bad intelligence."

The dwarf glanced at Aliya. "And yet, here you are, with the human queen at your fingertips." He raised an eyebrow. "Have you told her yet?"

Elessan snapped something in a guttural language Aliya had never heard before.

A malicious light sparked in Kavol's gaze as his eyes flicked to the side to meet Aliya's. "Oh, I think it very much concerns her."

She clenched her jaw. She'd give almost anything to know what Elessan had said, and what they were talking about. He'd likely never tell her.

"Agreed," the gnome said. "And I'm not going to heal her until I'm convinced it'll be to the Mage Underground's benefit."

"What?" Elessan's sudden outburst rattled her ear drums, and she squeezed her eyes closed.

"For all I know, she's just as bad as the king."

"I swear on my mother's life, she's the ruler the realm needs," Elessan growled. "She is nothing like that bag of filth on the human's throne." His voice trembled with suppressed emotion.

"Hmm. Perhaps, but if I heal her today, and the king gets his hands on her tomorrow, that's just one more advantage we're giving him."

Aliya opened her mouth to object, but the words caught in her parched throat.

"So that's it then? The Mage Underground is a group of cowards who are too afraid to take a risk to achieve their goals?" The acid in Elessan's tone melted Aliya's knees. At least she was laying down. "I didn't realize the lot of you were so worthless."

Kavol huffed, the beads in his beard clanked against each other as he shifted his weight.

"And you're no better," Elessan said, turning on the dwarf. "What's the point of bringing me a mage who's too spineless to help a dying woman?"

The gnome put his fists on his hips. "Like you were too craven to not kill Therolis? He was harmless."

Aliya tensed. Elessan had killed someone? When?

"That was an accident, he stepped into the wrong place at the wrong time."

She relaxed. Of course he wouldn't murder anyone. Not on purpose.

"Uh, huh. That's not what my niece told me."

"Valek!" Elessan ran his hand through his hair with a forceful exhale. "And was your niece there?"

"Of course!" The gnome shoved thin silver spectacles Aliya hadn't noticed before up his nose with a huff. "She was the mage!"

"Then she wasn't paying very close attention. He was worth a lot more to me alive then dead."

"Be that as it may, my answer stands." Aliya closed her eyes as his focus shifted to her. "Unless she can give us something to make it worth our while."

Her stomach hardened at the earnest expression on the gnome's face.

Elessan tensed, his right hand going to his blade. "Like what?"

"A favor, from the queen."

"What kind of favor?" Elessan widened his stance, his fingers going white as they wrapped around his sword grip.

The gnome gave him a thin-lipped smile. "That's between me…and Her Majesty."

Aliya closed her eyes as an invisible weight pressed down on her shoulders and chest. She was in too far over her head. Not even Elessan would be able to bail her out.

Elessan spat something else out in the same guttural language. Kavol responded in kind.

A few heartbeats later, hands touched her shoulders gently. "Aliya?" Elessan's breath tickled her ear. "Wake up."

She groaned, turning her head toward him.

"This man can heal you, but he won't." Elessan paused. "He and I have mutual acquaintances with…bad history."

The gnome scoffed. "Don't sugar coat it, elf. You murdered Therolis in cold blood."

She swallowed, trying to moisten her throat. "What?" By the mages, she sounded like a foundering seagull.

"Please, Aliya. You've been poisoned, and I can't get you the antidote in time." Elessan's voice trembled. "He will let you die."

Poor Elessan. He was so scared and angry. But he was wrong—she hurt too much to be dying. Maybe he could hold his sword to the gnome's neck, and it would work better than it did with the dwarf?

He shook her again, a little harder than before. "Aliya, sweetheart. Please."

That was a no on the sword thing, then. She licked her lips. Opening her eyes, she met his gaze.

He tilted his head toward the old man. Switching to Elven, he whispered, "I have no leverage here."

But as the monarch, she did. She'd just have to trust Elessan to protect her if things went sideways. Dragging her attention away from him, she squinted until the gnome came into focus.

Lead settled in her gut as she took a deep breath. "I am Aliya Larimar Cerel, wife of King Malkov, Queen of the realm. Name your price to save my life."

His eyebrows disappeared under the hair that hung over his forehead. "A royal boon? Of my own choosing?"

She swallowed as chills raced up her skin. "Anything in my ability to grant." She coughed. "In my current situation." For whatever good that was. She was on the run, with nothing to offer anyone, which the gnome would discover soon enough if he didn't already know. And then he'd get angry, and who knows what sort of personal or political repercussions there would be.

But at least she'd survive to deal with that problem another day. If things went poorly, she wouldn't live to face the consequences.

She wheezed. "Yes. I promise."

"Excellent," the tenor voice said. "Let's get started." A warm hand rested over her side, and heat flooded her torso, drowning out the pain.

She welcomed the darkness as it pulled her back under.

Aliya blinked. The dark room reeked of unwashed bodies and blood. Lots of it. Something hard dug into her back. She was lying on a table. The pain was gone, and her headache had vanished.

She opened her cracked lips. "Hello?"

Something crashed in the corner. With a muttered "Valek!" Elessan's face popped into view. "Good, you're awake. How do you feel?"

She frowned, taking stock of her body. Her thoughts were clear. "Other than being a little tired, I'm fine."

"And you remember what happened? With the healer?"

Oh, right. The favor she owed. Great. There was no way this would go well. "Did he say what he wanted?"

Elessan shook his head. "But he's waiting outside." He reached for her but let his hand drop. "I tried to offer him a service in your stead. I'm not without connections. But…I'm sorry."

Pressing her lips together, she exhaled through her nose. She would've held out for a royal boon, too. "It's okay. Thank you for saving my life." The little gnome could wait for a few moments longer. Raising a hand and gesturing to the room, she peered at Elessan. "Where are we? This isn't a normal doctor's office."

"No." He stared down at his feet, careful not to meet her eyes. "This was the only place I knew to go where I trust them not to turn you over to the king."

"How so?"

"The healer's also a magus. He's lying low, avoiding the king's men, like you."

Right. "What's the Mage Underground?"

He turned to her with a flat expression. "What it sounds like. Magic users, in hiding. They don't want to be murdered for their magic any more than you do."

"Oh." Aliya blinked. She hadn't realized there were others, but she should've. Heat flooded her face, making it tingle. "Other people know? That the king is killing mages?"

He nodded. "The elves have known for a few decades. The magic users, too, obviously. I don't think it's common knowledge among the populace."

Yet.

She chewed the inside of her cheek. "I don't understand why the mages wouldn't say anything."

"They probably tried. Mages aren't exactly welcome in most places in the realm."

She nodded, thinking back to the No Mages sign on the inn's door the first night of her escape. "So no one listened to them, and they gave up?"

Something glistened in his eyes as he gave her a crooked, knowing smile. "Not so much gave up, per say, as went…underground."

She rolled her eyes. "Except the mages in the Mage College." They'd been out in plain sight.

"I can't say for sure, but I suspect the ones at the college thought there was safety in numbers. Or maybe that in standing together, they had a chance against him."

Swallowing, her gaze unfocused as her blood chilled. That had proven disastrous.

Malkov's killing spree had lasted for years and would continue unless someone did something.

Someone smarter and stronger than her.

She held up an arm. Elessan took it, helping her stand. He slowly released his hold when he seemed certain she wouldn't topple over. "I may as well go find out what I've signed myself up for."

"His name's Jalius Cogtinker. And he's a little…odd."

She nodded her thanks and led Elessan out the door.

Her healer loitered against a stack of wood pallets, smoking a pipe. A girl, possibly no older than Aliya, with her frizzy hair pulled back into a braid, was whispering with him. She jumped at Aliya's approach, displaying a puffy black eye. With a furtive glance at the gnome, she spun and scampered off down the alley.

"Ah, Your Majesty." Jalius gave her a lopsided smile and quick head bob. "Welcome back to the world of the living."

"Thank you." She bit back the retort ‘no thanks to you' and faced him. Her heart skipped a beat. They may as well get this over with before she lost her nerve. "You asked for a favor?"

He chuckled and exhaled a cloud of fumes. "Straight to the point. I think I'll grow to like you, Your Majesty."

She waited as the silence lingered. The muscles between her shoulder blades tensed as her pulse thudded in her ears.

Jalius took another deep puff on the pipe and blew a double smoke ring in Elessan's direction. "The elf says you're a mage, and the king tried to murder you."

Aliya pressed her lips into a thin line. She crossed her arms and jutted one hip out as she tapped her foot on the ground. She wasn't entirely comfortable with these people knowing so much about her, but she trusted Elessan. And what was done, was done, so there was no changing it now.

He nodded. "You've got more than your share of magic. And you're in a unique position to use it."

Aliya's stomach churned as a bitter aftertaste rose in her throat. Suddenly, she knew what he wanted. No. He couldn't ask that of her.

He flashed her a quick grin. "I want you to kill a king, Your Majesty. Your husband, to be specific."

She flinched. She couldn't—she'd barely escaped his clutches the first time. "You're talking treason," she hissed.

He glanced around the empty alley. "Who's going to tell?"

She sighed. Fair point. And it would be nice to have Malkov permanently out of her life.

As long as someone else did it. She was no murderer.

He clicked his tongue at her. "Regardless, the deed needs to be done. His reign of terror must end. You're the only one who can do it—you hold a legal claim to the throne, connections among the nobility, and you're a magic user, so the rest of us can rally behind you." He leaned forward. "Not to mention full access to the castle, and probably the king's own rooms."

She shuddered at the memory of her most recent visit there, just last night. "But—"

Jalius crossed his arms and fixed her with a hard glare, his pipe dangling from the corner of his mouth. "You promised me a favor. This is what I want. The boon the Mage Underground demands. If you do this, Your Majesty, we'll support you however we can in the act, and back you as queen."

"But I don't want the crown." A life of lying, manipulation, and constantly wondering which ally would be the next to stab her in the back was not something she aspired to.

Elessan squeezed her shoulder.

"Are you not a woman of your word, Your Majesty?"

Aliya sighed. Yes, she was. Dang it. "Very well." Brushing a hand over the top of her head, she groaned. She'd just have to figure out some way to make it happen. The gods knew her magic wouldn't get it done. Maybe she could hire an assassin…?

Jalius pulled out a dagger and gestured toward her.

She stepped back. "What?"

"Give me your hand, please. For the Irrevocable Vow."

A what? "Do you doubt my promise as sovereign?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I have no reservations regarding your intention, Your Majesty."

Only her drive to fulfill it. The words hung between them as she glared at the gnome.

"Remember, my Queen, the spell goes both ways. It also binds the Mage Underground to help you, as we promised."

Aliya peered at Elessan.

"If you break an Irrevocable Vow, it will kill you." He glanced pointedly at Elessan. "And the mountain elf."

She stepped back. "What? No!" No way would she drag Elessan down with her.

"Consider it motivation. Additional collateral, as it were. After all, I'm binding more than just myself to your aid in this."

Her chest constricted. "My magic isn't strong enough—" wasn't reliable enough— "to stop Malkov. Believe me." And to get to him, she'd have to go through the rest of his nobles, including her father.

One corner of Jalius' mouth twitched. "I trust in your intelligence and problem-solving abilities, Your Majesty."

She bit her lip and shook her head. "Pick another favor." Something in which she had a snow-vole's chance on a midsummer's day of succeeding in.

"There is nothing else I want. You gave me your word, Your Majesty."

Aliya peeked at Elessan.

He shrugged. It's your decision .

For someone whose life was also on the line, he was awfully trusting in her ability to fulfill this oath. She sighed and held her hand out to Jalius. This was a stupid thing to do, and she'd regret it just as much as she did agreeing to fight those bandits. "Very well."

Jalius drew the tip of the blade across first his palm, then hers. A flash of pain snapped its way up her arm as she flinched. A red stripe welled behind the sharp steel.

"Now, reach for your magic, and bring it to the surface of your skin."

A trickle of sweat creeped down her temple. Reaching deep into her core, where the kernel of her power resided, she grabbed it as it burst forth in a wave of pressure and light.

Elessan stumbled back a few steps, but Jalius, who caught the full brunt of the blast, flew across the alley and slammed his back against the wall with an oof .

Pulling her magic back into herself, Aliya shook her head. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to." Heat flooded her face. "Are you alright?"

Pushing himself away from the bricks with a grunt, he slapped his hands together as though brushing off invisible dust. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you don't like me."

Elessan coughed in what sounded suspiciously like an attempt to cover a chuckle. But when she whirled around to glare at him, his face was the epitome of innocence.

Clearing her throat, Aliya licked her lips. That was a fair assessment—she wasn't a fan of being blackmailed.

Sliding back into place in front of her, he held out his hand, palm up. "Let's try again, before these cuts clot and I have to re-open them. Maybe with a little less exuberance?"

Swallowing, she nodded. The last thing she needed was the rasp of the knife against her skin again. Closing her eyes, she focused on the kernel of light within. She imagined herself circling it, like a predator anticipating which direction its prey would flee.

"Slow…" Jalius' murmur barely registered. "Just take a little, very slowly."

Ignoring the gnome, she refocused her attention. Cupping a small portion in her hand she pulled it toward the surface.

The magic bucked and struggled, trying to slip out of her grip. Clenching her jaw until it ached, she wrenched it outside before it could escape.

"Control!" Jalius leaped to the side as a ball of fire the size of her fist impacted the ground he'd been standing on a heartbeat earlier. "Go slow, or you'll kill us all!" He shook his head and glared at her. "By the maker, girl."

Her insides wilted at the expression on his face—the same one her magic tutor had frequently given her. Pressure built in her throat, and she bit her lower lip to hide the tremble. Her eyes burned with the weight of unshed tears.

She was a failure. All this power, and she couldn't even control it enough to complete some stupid vow so they could get out of here.

A hand landed on her shoulder, making her flinch. Elessan stepped into view. His free hand squeezed the handle of one sword until the leather creaked. "Don't you ever talk to her like that," he snarled. "She's your queen. Can't you see she's trying her best?"

He bared his teeth. "What she's trying to do is kill me!"

Aliya swallowed. It would be so easy for Elessan to draw his blade and slice Jalius' throat and end this…but that would set the entire Mage Underground against her. Something she couldn't afford—she had enough enemies already.

Elessan curled his upper lip as he stared at the gnome. "If you're so good a mage, why don't you teach her?"

The silence stretched as Aliya's pulse thrashed past her ears.

Jalius' shoulders fell and the grimace crumbled from his face. With a sigh, he turned to her. "Apologies, my queen. I should not judge you for lacking the training to force your magic to do something you so clearly don't want to do."

Something she was terrified to do, was more like it.

He stepped toward her and held out his unmarked hand. "Here. Let me show you."

With a quick glance at Elessan, whose attention was still glued to the gnome, she put her hand in his.

"Good," Jalius said. "Now, can you feel how my magic is sitting on the surface of my skin?"

She closed her eyes and focused on the spot where their hands touched. His magic vibrated at a different frequency than hers did, but it settled over him like cooking oil spilled over a puddle of water. "There's hardly any there."

"It doesn't take much. Even the weakest mage can seal an Irrevocable Vow."

She'd never used that small of an amount before. "If I use so little, it won't accomplish anything."

"You're wrong."

She opened her eyes to find him smiling at her.

"It will do what you tell it to, once you learn to trust it. To trust yourself."

She bit back a snort as the image of a wildfire she'd triggered as a child burning across her father's estate flashed through her mind. Yeah, right. Jalius had no idea what he was asking her.

"Try again, Your Majesty. This time, just a little, very slowly."

It took her three more attempts before she succeeded in drawing the smallest filament to the surface. Her hand almost glowed.

He held his hand palm up and nodded for her to do the same. "Now, repeat after me: By the power of the magic flowing through my veins…"

"By the power of the magic flowing through my veins," she echoed.

"I, Aliya Larimar Cerel, swear an irrevocable vow…"

"I, Alia Larimar Cerel, swear an irrevocable vow." A thin string of gold light unfurled from her hand and swayed in the breeze.

"To kill Malkov Cerel and restore equality within the realm."

She swallowed past her suddenly dry throat. "To kill Malkov Cerel and restore equality within the realm."

"By the Summer Solstice."

That was less than two months away.

The edges of Jalius' mouth turned down when she didn't immediately echo him.

She chewed the inside of her cheek. "By the Summer Solstice."

A radiant smile burst across his face. "And I, Jalius Cogtinker, on behalf of the Mage Underground, swear an irrevocable vow to aid Queen Aliya Larimar Cerel in her quest to depose Malkov Cerel and bring freedom to the kingdom."

A matching filament of blue arose from the gnome's palm at his words. Their two magics intertwined and vanished with a bright flash.

She blinked and stared at her hand. The wound was sealed. A gold band set with an opalescent white stone the size of her pinky fingernail appeared on her right hand.

"It is done," Jalius said with a solemn nod. A shiny ring with a yellow cat's-eye graced his middle finger. The gnome smiled and readjusted his spectacles on his nose. "Excellent! This has been a most productive day." Bowing from the waist, he grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Your Majesty, it was a pleasure."

He turned to walk away but Aliya called out, "Wait!"

"Yes?" He froze midstep.

"You know magecraft."

He tilted his head to the side as he peered over his shoulder. "I do."

She glanced at Elessan then back at Jalius. "Can you teach me how to control it?" At his blank stare, she continued, "You just helped me complete an Irrevocable Vow. And if you really want me to do this, then me being able to work my magic is in your best interests, too."

He studied her for several heartbeats as the silence stretched, pushing on Aliya's shoulders and making it hard to breathe. Eventually, he gave her a shallow smile and nodded, waving for her to follow. "Very well, come along then."

Once inside, he plopped down on the floor in the middle of the room, crossing one leg over the other as he stared at her expectantly.

Swallowing, she sat opposite him.

A shadow fell across her as Elessan crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame.

Jalius cleared his throat and scooched a half pace backward as his eyes flicked between her and Elessan. He held out his hands, palm up, until she settled hers on top of them. "Close your eyes, Your Majesty, and focus on the seat of your magic."

She turned her attention to the kernel that thrummed gently in her chest.

"Study it. Tell me what you notice…does it have a shape? A texture?"

Taking several heartbeats, she examined the core of her power as his voice flowed past her. It pulsed with her breath, heat radiated to each fingertip and toe. "It feels…warm. And alive."

"Excellent! Coax a little to the surface, like you did for the vow."

Remembering how her skin had seemed to glow, she reached for the light. It flooded up, a tidal wave ready to do her bidding.

"Slowly!" He pulled his hands from hers and flicked his wrist.

A bank of amber and gold-edged clouds erupted, reminding her of a dramatic sunset. The fog hit an invisible barrier between them that felt like an extension of Jalius. Her magic sparked before flowing around the wall.

Aliya tensed, but her clouds didn't seem to be doing any harm. She exhaled, her shoulders slumping. That was one step forward, at least. They followed the eddies and air currents of the room until finally after a few minutes, they dissipated. The fog cleared, revealing Jalius' flat expression as he stared at her.

"Ready to try again?" He raised his eyebrow. This time without the visual component?

She could hear the second sentence as clearly as if he'd spoken aloud. Swallowing, she nodded. No clouds, right. Just her magic.

She could do this. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes again, focusing.

"Slowly," Jalius whispered.

Leather scuffed over stone as Elessan shifted position behind her.

The light rose until it overflowed and sent crackling tingles of energy up and down her skin.

"Open your eyes, Your Majesty."

The power slipped through her fingers like a wriggling fish covered in swamp weed. Her eyes widened, meeting Jalius' gaze. She opened her mouth to warn him, but the explosive concussion threw them in opposite directions across the room.

Still seated, Aliya slid, slamming into Elessan's feet, taking him down on top of her.

Jalius smacked into the far wall and collapsed to the ground with a thud . The roof overhead cracked ominously.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry." She scrambled out from underneath Elessan, her throat thickening as her eyes filled with tears. This. This is what always happened when she tried to learn to control her magic. Now she'd injured her best chance of mastering her power and probably convinced Elessan to not risk teaching her anything else, ever again.

Pushing himself to his feet, Elessan reached for her. "Are you alright?"

She crab walked away, fighting the urge to bury her hands in her face. Staring at the floor, she stammered, "I—I'm sorry."

"Aliya, it's fine." Elessan crouched down until he was eye level with her. "We're all undamaged."

She shook her head. It wasn't okay, and no amount of saying it would change the fact that, when it came to her magic, she was a failure and a danger to those around her. Forcing the word through her tight throat, she whispered, "Jalius." She wiped the back of her hand across her cheek with a sniffle.

Elessan glanced toward the fallen gnome just as he groaned and heaved himself onto all fours. Blood trickled from a split in his scalp down his temple.

"Jalius is fine, too." He pointed. "Look at him. See?" He leaned closer and met her gaze. "He's not hurt."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty." He raised an eyebrow and flashed her an artificial smile. "One more knock on my head won't make a difference." Grunting, he straightened his knees. "But I don't think I'm the teacher for you."

Something in her chest cracked and a stabbing pain shot through her heart. She pressed her palm against her sternum, as though applying pressure could ward off his rejection. With all the other mages in the realm in hiding or dead, he'd been her last chance.

So much for fulfilling the Irrevocable Vow. She and Elessan were both dead.

Jalius' expression softened at whatever he saw in her face. "It would be an honor to instruct you, Your Majesty. But you need a mage strong enough to control your ability until you learn to do so yourself."

She opened her mouth but closed it.

Elessan stepped forward, piercing Jalius with his gaze. "Do you know of someone who could?"

The gnome shook his head. "The king murdered the strongest mages years ago, I'm afraid. You'll have to look outside his reach."

She bit back a hysterical laugh. He expected her to fulfill her vow with no magic?

Jalius abruptly tilted sideways and grabbed the door frame to avoid collapsing. He cleared his throat. "On second thought, Your Majesty, perhaps I should have my head checked out by the physician, after all."

"Do you want an escort?" Elessan stepped forward.

Jalius stiffened and took a step back. "No, not necessary." He glanced at her. "I suggest you leave, too. Someone will undoubtedly come to investigate that explosion, and you don't want to be here when they do." He studied the room and whispered to himself, "Another safehouse…blown."

Lead congealed in Aliya's gut. Just one more thing she'd messed up. And this time, the consequences would be permanent.

Jalius gave them a feeble wave. "Until we meet again."

As he stumbled down the alley and out of sight, she turned to Elessan and shook her head. "I don't think I can do this."

"We'll talk about it later," he said as Zadé sauntered up. "But I think we should add sword fighting to your training schedule."

"Princess! Yer lookin' not stabbed!"

Aliya examined her clothes. Not a speck of blood remained. Her shoulder didn't hurt, either. Jalius was nothing if not thorough. She only wished her heart felt the same.

Elessan led them down the street toward the bakery. She copied him, pulling her hood up to hide her face. The scent of warm bread teased her nose and made her stomach grumble.

"Hey, Princess!" Zadé slugged her in the bicep. "Anytime ya want ta learn how ta throw a punch fer yer next fight, lemme know."

"Thanks," she said. "I don't think I'm strong enough to be effective at punching, though." Nor would she be getting in any more fights. She'd learned that lesson.

"Nah. Iz all in how yeh do it." She held up her fist and pointed to the knuckles on her index and middle fingers. "Hit ‘em with these." She indicated her ring finger and pinky. "If you strike ‘em here, you'll just hurt yerself." Alternating between the two portions of her hand, she continued, "Hurt them, hurt you."

"I'll keep it in mind." On the off-chance she ever needed to do such a thing.

Zadé flopped down at one of the bakery's tables, leaned back in the chair, and took a deep swig out of a waterskin. Elessan helped Aliya sit in one of the other seats before going to the baker.

He returned a few moments later with three rolls of warm bread and an oversized sweet roll with plenty of frosting. He placed them on the table. "Zadé, will you please stay here and guard Aliya? I need to drop a couple things off at the courier station."

Zadé flicked her gaze up from the steaming offering. "Sure, Elsan. Thanks fer breakfast."