ALIZEH WENT RIGID, SURPRISED BY the intensity of her reaction to him. Kamran was as handsome as ever, the vein of gold branching up his face giving him a magical, mysterious air. He’d always been striking, but her memories had done him an injustice. His bearing impressive, his eyes gleaming – Kamran radiated the kind of glory that could only be born from a lifetime of power and privilege. The young man who stood before her now was truly a wonder to look upon, and yet, the idea of speaking with him filled her with dread. The last time she’d seen the prince he’d been enraged and unreasonable. He’d refused to listen to her, refused to be rational, and then he’d shot her with an arrow, nearly killing her in the process.
Kamran kept his eyes on Alizeh as he moved slowly forward, as if afraid to spook her. Still, there was something gentler in his countenance today, the fire in his eyes dampened, and she felt herself unclench as he approached, even as she remained wary.
“Forgive me,” he said, glancing between her and Hazan. “I hardly know what to say. I heard the good news, then the bad. I’m so relieved to see that you’re unharmed.”
“Yes,” she said, feeling oddly wooden. “I was lucky a friend arrived in time to spare me a much darker fate.” She softened, smiling at Hazan with real warmth. “I owe him my life, over and over.”
Hazan only bowed his head.
“Indeed.” Kamran nodded, glancing at his old minister before refocusing on her. “How – how are you?”
An array of answers flowered in her mind, but Alizeh only appraised him before saying, politely: “I’m fine, thank you. How are you?”
“I’m – Yes. Fine.” Kamran hesitated, then laughed with a charming self-consciousness. “Heavens, this is awful, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” she said, and sighed.
Kamran shook his head, lost his smile. “Will you ever be able to forgive me?” She looked up at him, surprised. “I’ve already forgiven you.”
“You have?” His brows lifted. “Yet you don’t seem at all pleased to see me.”
Alizeh looked away. She knew his actions that awful morning had been unintentional – knew he hadn’t meant her any harm – but Kamran’s conduct had been indicative of a man unable to think beyond his own desires. She’d tried to reason with him, had begged him to imagine the situation more complexly, to see how killing Cyrus would have far-reaching consequences – and he’d shaken her off without care or consideration.
This had bothered her almost more than the injury itself.
She’d lately been trying to understand her burgeoning hesitations toward Kamran, and the more she interrogated her feelings, the more she’d begun to wonder whether it was, in the end, less that he’d wounded her vanity and more that he hadn’t respected her mind. Certainly she didn’t expect him to
exchange his every thought and opinion for hers – but her fears and concerns should’ve mattered to him. They should’ve mattered at least enough to give him pause. To warrant a discussion.
It bothered her that they hadn’t.
“I’m not displeased to see you,” she said, and meant it. “In fact, I’m truly happy to see that you’re well. I know how much you’ve suffered these last several weeks, and I can imagine it hasn’t been easy
for you.” She hesitated. “It’s only that… I suspect our book has closed, Kamran.”
He seemed stunned by this response, his chest lifting slightly as he breathed. “I see,” he said.
Alizeh looked into her lap, then glanced at Hazan, whose expression was inscrutable. She realized then that she had no desire to continue this conversation, for not only was it intolerably awkward, but there were a thousand things she’d yet to accomplish.
She stood up at once.
Kamran leaped forward to help her, taking her hand as she tried not to trip on her train. Alizeh steadied herself with his assistance, then stared at their clasped hands in a dizzying moment of disconnection. She wasn’t repulsed by Kamran, not even a little – in fact, he radiated warmth and strength, and smelled of something rich and honeyed that beckoned her. It was only that it seemed
strange to her that she’d once kissed him – had once nearly swooned in his arms. The memory of that moment seemed to belong to a different girl, a different life.
Was it possible she’d been but a servant then? And a queen now?
She drew back her hand, shaking out her skirts before collecting her crown and veil. “Hazan, how might I return to the palace?”
He stepped forward at once. “I’ll call for the carriage, Your Majesty. It shouldn’t be but a moment.” He moved briskly toward the door, but then, glancing at Kamran, he paused. “Unless you’d wish to accompany me?”
“Yes,” she said, brightening. “I’d like that.”
“Please, Alizeh,” Kamran said quickly, drawing forward. “Might I have a moment alone with you?”
Alizeh hesitated. She was just opening her mouth to speak when Huda’s head poked through the open doorway.
“Oh! Are we allowed to come back in –” Her words died when she spotted Kamran, her smile turning brittle. “Ah. I see the prince has arrived.”
Kamran stiffened at the sound of her voice, his mood darkening as if he’d been doused with cold water. He turned to her slowly, his eyes flaring with hostility. Alizeh marveled at this brief, heated exchange, wondering what, precisely, had happened between them in her absence.
Huda had failed to be specific.
“The prince is here?” Omid’s voice preceded his body as he reentered the courtyard, his eyes gleaming when he spotted Kamran. “Sire! You’re back! Did you have any trouble with the –”
“What have I said to you,” Kamran said sharply, “about closing your mouth?”
“Right,” the boy said quickly, his ears turning red. Then, “Oh, and sorry about the water, miss,” he said to Alizeh. “Miss Huda told me not to interrupt your conversation with Hazan, so I didn’t bring it, but if you’d like –”
“Not necessary,” said Deen, entering the courtyard with a flourish. He was holding a metal flask, which he eagerly pressed into Alizeh’s hands. “This will do the trick nicely.”
“Thank you,” she said, unscrewing the cap. Delicately, she sniffed the contents, then fought back a wince. “You said this was tea?”
“In a manner of speaking.” Deen grinned triumphantly, and Alizeh realized that in the brief time she’d known him, she’d never seen Deen smile so much. “It’s a warm brew of lotus root, crushed sapphire, river water, a bit of saffron, and just a touch of frost.”
“Frost?” She stared at the flask. “Do you mean ice?”
“A specific strain of magic,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll spare you the tedious details, but I’ve been working with the palace alchemist on a number of new elixirs. I must say, I’ve never studied under such a talent before and the experience has been enlightening. I’m hoping to publish my findings when we return home.”
“How wonderful,” she said, breaking into a smile. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Go on, then, take a drink” – he beamed – “I usually recommend it as a sleeping draught, but I think it’ll settle your nerves nicely. The effects are fairly immediate.”
“Oh,” she said, clasping the bottle to her chest. “Would it be all right if I saved it, then? I’m eager to return to the palace, and need to have my wits about me – but a sleeping draught might be lovely for later.”
He bowed his head slightly. “As you wish. Just be sure to tell me how you like it in the morning.” “Yes, of course, I –” She startled, then, at the press of a hand against her waist. She turned. It was
Kamran.
“Would you allow me to accompany you back to the palace?” he said, looking at her with an intense focus. His eyes – one gold, one brown – were a disorienting kind of beauty. “We could share a
carriage.”
Alizeh hesitated.
She didn’t want to be locked into another uncomfortable conversation, but she did want to tell him about her decision to marry, and, given his general feelings about Cyrus, she didn’t know how he’d
receive the news. Ultimately, Kamran’s opinion on the matter would not move her, but Alizeh was not cold to the fact that Cyrus had murdered his grandfather. She felt she should be the one to deliver him the news; she felt she owed him this much. All this she considered in a matter of seconds, and was preparing to answer when Huda made a choking sound, something like a terrible laugh.
Kamran turned to face her, scathing as he said, “Was my question funny to you?”
She shook her head in an exaggerated motion, eyes widening in fake innocence. “Not at all, Your Highness. Nothing about you is funny. You’re a very serious prince. Everything you say is of the utmost seriousness.”
“That’s interesting.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. “I didn’t realize you even knew what the word
serious meant.”
She gasped, then fell dramatically against the wall. “Oh, your words have wounded me! I’m bleeding!”
In a shockingly unrefined action, Kamran rolled his eyes, turning away from her as he muttered, “You’re insufferable.”
She drew away from the wall, then crossed her arms. “You’re insufferable.”
“Miss, you really shouldn’t talk to him like that,” Omid whispered, tugging at her arm. “He’s going to be king of the largest empire on earth –”
“Yes,” she said, sounding bored. “I think we’ve all been reminded of that fact a million times.” Kamran spun around angrily. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“What’s that? I can’t hear you,” she said, and cupped a hand to her ear. “Maybe if you got off your high horse I might be able to –”
He strode in Huda’s direction with lightning speed, looking as if he might tie her to a tree and leave her there. “You brazen, unmanageable delinquent –”
“Delinquent?” she cried. She quickly backed away from him, her face bright with color. “What
crimes have I committed? None! You, on the other hand, nearly killed the prophesied Jinn queen of the entire world and then expect her to go on a carriage ride with you –”
He stopped in place. “I apologized!”
“My condolences!” she shot back. “That must’ve been hard for you!”
“Heavens,” said Alizeh, who could no longer contain her laughter. “When did this tender relationship begin?”
Everyone, altogether, turned to look at her.
The spell broke. In fact, Kamran appeared startled by the sound of her voice, shaking himself free of the moment before putting the length of the entire courtyard between himself and Huda who, for her part, was staring at the door, looking almost embarrassed.
“It’s been this way since before we left Ardunia,” Hazan offered, his eyes glinting with humor. “Though in the last few weeks it’s grown a great deal worse.”
Huda opened her mouth to protest and Kamran shot her a withering look. She glared back.
“Yes, all right,” Alizeh said to Kamran, still smiling. “Let’s ride back together. Perhaps you can tell me more about all that’s happened in my absence.”
