“Yes.”
Hazan looked up at that, a ghost of a real smile grazing his lips. “Then you’ve delivered me joyous news indeed. I’m quite ready to hang now, for I may die peacefully knowing she’s escaped.”
“I need to know what you did for her,” the prince said again, this time angrily. “Did you intend for her to overtake my throne?”
“Overtake your throne?” Hazan said, his eyes incredulous. “Overtake the throne of the largest empire in the world, you mean? She and what army?”
“So you did not intend for her to attain power?”
“To what end do you interrogate me now?” Hazan scowled. “You thought I’d attempt to resurrect an old empire? To sentence my own people to death by inciting a war they lack the numbers to win? An innocent young woman was being actively hunted by your grandfather for the terrible crime ofexisting, lest you forget. I wanted only to situate her somewhere safe, somewhere far from the reach of mercenaries. She has no interest in overthrowing you, in any case. She is a tenderhearted young woman who wishes only to be left alone.”
Kamran clenched his jaw. “There, you are mistaken.”
Hazan went silent, taking a moment to study the prince with renewed curiosity. “You flaming idiot,” he said. “Don’t tell me you’ve had a change of heart in the wake of your grandfather’s death? After I had to endure the hours of you moaning on and on about saving her, you’ve now decided to fulfill the man’s final wishes and lop off her head?”
Kamran flinched.
That Hazan had been able to read him so easily was a disconcerting revelation, one he didn’t know how to digest.
“If you think I will tell you anything about her,” Hazan said darkly, “you are quite deluded. Now either kill me or fuck off.”
“Hazan.”
“What?”
“She is betrothed to him.”
“Who?” Hazan appeared distracted, staring intently at the carpet bag still clutched in Kamran’s hand. “Betrothed to whom?”
“The girl. She is betrothed to Cyrus.”
Hazan’s head lifted sharply at that, his eyes fathomless, dark as pitch. “Cyrus?You refer to the sentient piece of human excrement responsible for murdering our Diviners? The man she accused of being a monster just before striking across the face?”
“The very one.”
Now Hazan looked murderous. “What is your game? Do you slander her hoping I might be inspired to kill you, spare you the mess you’ve made of your own life?”
“Upon my honor, I swear it to be true,” Kamran said sharply. “Cyrus told me himself that they would soon marry. She escaped the ball last night on the back of a Tulanian dragon. No doubt they are together now.”
Hazan unfolded his body slowly, rising to his full height before stepping forward, the orange glow of torchlight gilding the lines of his face, emphasizing the broken slope of his nose. Hazan studied Kamran with a familiarity the latterhad always taken for granted. Fifteen years they’d known each other and never had Kamran realized the value of his old friend, who’d been the closest thing he’d ever had to a brother.
“Your face,” Hazan whispered. “The magic has changed.”
“Yes.”
Hazan closed his eyes a moment, drew a deep breath. “And has no one spoken of it? Have they not come for you yet?”
“What do you mean? Who would come for me?”
“The Diviners,” he said quietly, before meeting the prince’s eyes. “You are in danger, Kamran.”
“You know what it means, then?” Kamran felt his pulse pick up. “You know why the magic has changed?”
“Yes.”
“Will you not tell me?”
“First, make one thing clear to me right now.” Hazan drew away from the bars and began to pace. “Have you come here to kill me, or to make me a deal? Because if I’m going to die anyway, I fail to see the point in assisting you.”
