ALIZEH WAS STILL STUDYING THEย surreal sight of the pink blooms all around her, astonishment driving the thunder of her heart.
โCyrus did this,โ she said again, this time without inflection.
Just saying his name aloud left her with a strange, disembodied sensation. Alizeh felt suddenly desperate to see him, felt this need inside her like a physical ache.
Of course it was him.
How had she not realized right away?
โAs I said, I find it egregious,โ Huda was saying. โHeโs acting like some wounded child โ painting the city in flowers as if heโs planning a funeral โโ
โWhere is he?โ
โWho?โ Huda startled. โCyrus? Oh, I havenโt the faintest. No one does, usually, and he certainly never tellsย meย what heโs up to. All I know is that he cannot be trusted.โ
โWhy?โ Alizeh asked, her eyes widening. โWhat has he done?โ
โYou mean aside from all his overt sins?โ Huda laughed. โHe hasnโt murdered anyone yet, if thatโs what youโre asking. But heโs very, very
secretive, and very irregular. Do you know, on several occasions I caught him speaking, with great feeling, to aย dragon?โ
Alizeh frowned. โThatโs not very irregular, is it? People talk to animals all the time.โ
โYes, but who speaks toย dragons?โ she said, sounding exasperated. โTheir ears alone are about a mile up their heads, which are about a mile from the ground. Imagine speaking to a dragon and thinking they could hear you! Iโm certain youโd have to be deranged.โ
Alizehโs frown only deepened. โSurely you might choose some other reason to dislike him? This feels a bit unfair.โ
โOh, Iโveย loadsย of other reasons for thinking heโs deranged, donโt you worry.โ Huda waved a hand. โI neednโt list them all.โ
At that, Alizeh felt as if something had flickered out inside her, taking her energy with it. โNo,โ she said quietly. โYou neednโt list them all.โ
โAnyway, as I was saying, it likelyย wasย Cyrus who poisoned you, if you could only recall โโ
โHuda,โ she said, staring into her hands, trying desperately to channel calm.
โYes, dear?โ
โIโd like to leave this room โ to find Hazan โ Iโm feeling a bit faint, and I think fresh air would do me some good. Perhaps we might finish this conversation at a later time, preferably while Iโm wearing undergarments.โ
Huda made another shrill, birdlike sound, then jumped from the bed as if sheโd been branded. She spun around and said, โYes! Of course, theyย toldย me to bring you a set of clothes โ Iโll be right back โโ
โWhat? Whoโsย they?โ
Huda was halfway down the stairs when she called over her shoulder: โThe Diviners, of course! They had to burn your other ones, you knowโ โ she grabbed the door handle โ โbecause of the contamination โ though I
wouldnโt mourn the loss too much, as they were all covered in blood in any case โโ
โHuda โ wait โโ
But Huda had already yanked open the door, called for Omid, exchanged a few hurried words with the boy, retrieved something out of sight, then slipped back inside the room, nudging the door closed with her hip. The heavy panel slammed shut behind Hudaโs back, and the young woman smiled up at Alizeh with great joy. In her arms she held a small,
beautifully fashioned piece of luggage, the supple, powder-blue leather of the hard case fastened at intervals by brass hinges and clasps.
Stunned, Alizeh only stared at her.
โCan you not imagine my delight?โ Huda said, ascending the steps in a flurry. โNow itโs my turn to dressย you!โ
Alizeh felt the light fade from her eyes.
โOh, donโt look so horrified! Besides, if you donโt trust my taste, you might trust Sarraโs โ she and I are a similar size, and sheโs been letting me borrow a great deal of her garments.โ Huda threw back her head and laughed. โIโm wearing the castoffs of a queen! If only Mother could see me now!โ
โYour mother,โ Alizeh repeated softly, reminded that sheโd overlooked an enormous detail. โHuda, if youโve been here for almost four weeks,
where does your mother think you are? Your family must be worried.โ
Hudaโs eyes went round. โOh, no, itโs quite incredible, really. Father is outrageously proud โ he said he always knew the blood of an ambassador ran through my veins! And now Mother hasnโt any choice but to sing my praises, for weโre all practically famous โโ
โFamous? What do you mean?โ
โYes, right, best to start at the beginning, isnโt it?โ Huda placed the suitcase on the floor. โWell, the news out of Ardunia is that the Diviners have stayed Zahhakโs hand โโ
โWhoโs Zahhak?โ
โAh.โ Hudaโs brows pinched together. โCan you remind me where you left off in all this? Itโs been a frantic few weeks, and I canโt remember how much you donโt know.โ
Alizeh stared blankly at the girl. โThe last time I truly saw you, you were trying to beat Cyrus over the head with a candelabra.โ
Huda reddened at the mention of this, then laughed nervously, and
before Alizeh could question her reaction, the young woman delivered her a mad rush of information. They passed a few minutes in this way, Alizeh prodding and Huda providing. Huda described all that occurred after Alizeh was whisked away from the ball on the back of a dragon, and how Zahhak โ the oily defense minister of Ardunia โ had tried to steal the throne out from underneath Prince Kamran, โwho was basically locked in a tower by the
Diviners โโ
Alizeh gasped.
โโ but then saved by Simorgh โโ Again, Alizeh gasped.
Too, Huda explained her coincidental presence during this difficult time at the palace โ
โAnd then all of us, including me and Deen and Omid, flew to Tulan, even though Kamran didย notย want us to come with him, and he was adamant that he didnโt care whether any of us died in the process, because he mostly just wanted to kill Cyrus โโ
Except that he hadnโt killed Cyrus, and instead the two young men had come to some impossible truce, which resulted in an open invitation for their group to remain at the palace. When Alizeh had asked to know the
terms of this unlikely peace treaty, Hudaโs color deepened very suddenly, and she refused to say more except to explain that the prince, in an unexpected pivot, was being praised by the people of Ardunia as a
compassionate peacekeeper, for it was now passing as common knowledge that heโd traveled all this way โ against the interests of Zahhak โ in the
hopes of preventing war.
โAnd now,โ Huda said eagerly, โall of us are being credited for forging friendship between the two empires!โ
โHeavens,โ Alizeh said softly.
โIncredible, isnโt it?โ Huda was nodding. โOur kingdoms have never coexisted so peacefully. Itโs been well over a decade since an Ardunian sovereign has even been invited to stay in Tulan. In fact,โ she added in an undertone, โIโve learned from the servants โ who are oddly tight-lipped when it comes to gossip about their king, by the way โ that Cyrus has never hosted a single guest at the palace during his rule, which is quite unheard of, and makes our stay all the more exceptional as a result.โ
โAnd no one thinks it strange?โ Alizeh asked. โThat the Ardunian prince would choose to make nice with the person responsible for murdering the king of his empire?โ
Huda considered this, tilting her head as she said, โActually, now that I see how itโs all developed, I think it wouldโve been a great deal worse if Kamran had, in fact, killed Cyrus. Did you know that a mob tried to storm the palace before we left Ardunia?โ
Alizeh shook her head, horrified.
โWellโ โ Huda nodded โ โthe people were so disgusted with Zaal after he was unmasked at the ball that they rioted for about a week. Even the
royals were scrambling to distance themselves from the late king โ some going so far as to praise Cyrusโs actions, if you can believe it. A few even joined the fray to protest.โ
โWhat were they protesting? The possibility of war?โ
Again, Huda nodded. โMost were refusing to die in the defense of a disgraced king; but they were also condemning Kamran by association, claiming they didnโt want another corrupt sovereign whoโd just as likely strike a deal with Iblees โโ
โBut thatโs terribly unfair โโ
โYes, terribly unfair, but the riots were quelled once word spread that
the prince had already fled Ardunia โ immediately after Zaalโs death โ to try to make amends with the southern empire. The general consensus is that heโs wonderfully selfless to have spared his people unnecessary bloodshed, even while grieving his grandfather.โ She laughed, then shook her head. โNot at all the truth, of course, but my point is that if heย hadย killed Cyrus, our empires wouldโve certainly gone to war, and it wouldโve been tragically unpopular. Kamran mightโve faced a veritable insurrection.
โOf courseโ โ she leaned in โ โweโre the only ones who know the real reason it all worked out for him, and thatโs entirely thanks to you, isnโt it?โ She pulled back and smiled. โCyrus really,ย reallyย wanted to have us all executed, but Hazan pointed out that youโd be terribly cross with him if he murdered your friends, and he hasnโt mentioned it since. And now here we are! Making peace! Best of all, Zahhak looks dumb and Kamran looks grand and โโ
โAnd you and Omid and Deen have been celebrated,โ Alizeh finished for her, feeling dazed. It was a great deal to absorb.
โYes!โ cried Huda, who then quickly sobered. โApart from being worried sick about you, of course, itโs been the most exciting time of my life. Iโm getting letters from fans! Can you imagine! Peopleย loveย me.โ She hesitated. โWell, itโs mostly children. Some old men, too, I think, though itโs sometimes hard to tell โโ
โHuda?โ
โYes?โ
โHow does Hazan feel about all this?โ
She stilled, her smile frozen. โI donโt know.โ โSurely you might venture a guess?โ
Huda looked away then, biting the inside of her cheek before she said, โI think it might be best if you talked to Hazan about how Hazan feels.โ She looked back. โHe doesnโt share his feelings with me.โ
Alizeh softened. โIs he all right, at least?โ
โI suppose so? Heโs been terribly grim. Not as bad as the others, but grim nonetheless.โ
โI see.โ Alizeh averted her eyes, taking a moment to study the shape of a particularly fine rose. She took a steadying breath before she said: โAnd Cyrus?โ
โWhat about him?โ
Alizeh struggled to meet Hudaโs eyes. Her interest in the southern king was almost impossible to hide, though she made an effort to appear indifferent. โWhatโs he like?โ
โWhatโs he like?โ Huda echoed, surprised. โYou mean aside from being obviously cracked in the head?โ
Alizeh suppressed a flinch. She couldnโt explain why, but every insult Huda leveled against Cyrus seemed to prick her with its sting. And yet, she had no good reason to defend him.
โWell,โ Huda was saying. โI suppose you should know: he doesnโt act at all like a king. He wears the same dreary clothes every day, no pomp whatsoever. Heโsย obscenelyย quiet; he never sits down; Iโve never seen him eat; and he performs a shocking amount of magic. Heโs always disappearing, for example, or else appearing when you least expect him.
Iโve seen more magic from him in this last month than Iโve seen in my whole life โ and Iโm inclined to agree with Kamran that he must get his power from the devil, for how else could he cast so many spells? And no one knows where he goes when heโs all the time disappearing! Very
suspicious.โ She lowered her voice. โThough I overheard Kamran in a rage one day, telling Hazan how heโd witnessed Cyrus in some ungodly state the night prior โ something about him being drenched in blood โโ
Alizeh inhaled sharply.
โI know! Horrifying! Then again, when I saw Cyrus later that day he appeared perfectly normal, so I fear Kamran mightโve been exaggerating.โ Huda exhaled, deflating as suddenly as she animated. โOtherwise,โ she said, โheโs boorish and awful and wastes all his evil magic on stale displays of imitation guilt. Heavens, if he feels so terrible about whatโs happened to you, perhaps he never shouldโve kidnapped you to begin with!โ she cried,
angrily swiping petals off the bed. โI swear, itโs insupportable. Heโs enchanted every inch of the city with the same pink roses, and he refuses to say a word about it โ he hasnโt even accepted responsibility! The citizens, of course, think theyโre all elaborate displays for the Wintrose Festival, but I know better. I caught him once, saw him growing roses in his hands โโ
โI see,โ said Alizeh with a quiet finality. She couldnโt bear to hear more about the flowers; her heart was already too soft toward the notorious southern king. โI take it heโs treated you all poorly?โ
Huda hesitated. โNo,โ she said. โIn fact, weโve been well cared for.
Omid eats enough for ten of us, and Deen has been delighting in the medicinal stores available in the castle. Deen says that, in Ardunia, heโs only allotted a very small amount of magic from the crown for his business, but here, they have access to a great deal. He asked the king one day if he might try his hand at mixing potions, and Cyrus did not deny him access.โ She shrugged. โAnyway, Omid eats a lot, I spy a lot, Kamran skulks, Hazan broods, and Deen spends most of his days working with the palace alchemist. We all meet for meals, though mostly we donโt see Cyrus at all. I suppose he has lots of secretive things to do, being king, et cetera.โ
Finally, Hudaโs small speech came to a close, and Alizeh turned to face her. A thousand more questions sat at the tip of her tongue, but she was prevented from asking, for Huda had pinned her with a curious look.
โAre you really going to marry him?โ she asked.
Alizeh froze. She felt oddly breathless at the thought, and said softly, โI might.โ
Surprisingly, Huda did not condemn her for it. Instead, she canted her head and said, โI didnโt understand at first, of course. Though I suppose now I can see the draw.โ
Alizehโs lips parted in astonishment. โYou can?โ
โOf course I can.โ Huda laughed, then frowned. โI might marry him, too, if it meant I got to kill him shortly thereafter and take his empire.โ
At once, Alizeh felt as if all the blood had rushed from her head. โHow did you โ How do you โโ
โOh, my dear, donโt look so afraid! No one is upset with you! That is, Kamran was understandably distressed at first โ but just until Cyrus told us about Iblees forcing him to marry you.โ She waved a hand. โNot to worry; he clarified the terms of your deal. He even told us heโd offered to make you a blood oath โ which I think is a very good idea, by the way, no matter
how brutal Hazan claims it to be.โ She raised an eyebrow. โI certainly wouldnโt risk marrying such a man without a blood oath to secure my future.โ
Alizeh blinked, stunned. โSo everyone knows? And no one objects to me marrying Cyrus?โ
โWell.โ Huda bit her fingernail. โPerhaps you should speak with Hazan before you make your final decision. I fear he has a great deal to say to you on the subject.โ
Again, Alizeh blinked. โI see.โ
โAnyhow,โ Huda said cheerfully, and tapped the suitcase. โThe gown Iโve chosen for you isย sublime. Sarra showed me the trousseau sheโd gathered in your honor, and together we went through the many articles sheโd selected for your wardrobe. Most things have to be remade in your
measurements, by the way โ which I found shocking, considering how well that lavender dress fit you the night of the ball โ but Sarra explained that Cyrusโs gifts had been magicked to fit their wearer, while the garments sheโd chosen were ordinary commissions โโ
โHuda,โ Alizeh said, struggling to center herself, โI donโt mean to offend, but Iโve grown weary under the weight of these many disclosures. I think Iโd prefer to return to the palace and choose my own clothes. There
are many important conversations ahead of me, and all I need for now is something decent and sensible โโ
Huda scoffed. โAs if you could wear something decent and sensible to face such a crowd! Youโre their queen, dear, and you have to look the part, especially as theyโve all been waiting so patiently โโ
โWhat?โ
Huda, whoโd been unlatching the luggage, briefly froze. โRight,โ she said, wincing. โDid I forget to mention that part?โ