“No,” Hazan said sharply. “It’s not true.”
“Of course it’s true,” Sarra countered. “That’s why you’re here, of course. To attend the impending nuptials as guests of my son’s bride. To forge peace between our empires after all the recent ugliness. To prevent war.” She shot a loaded look at Kamran. “Certainly not for any other reason.”
The prince’s heart was pounding too fast. “This is intolerable,” he said, turning to Hazan. “She’s going to marry him? Did you know about this?”
“She’s consented to wedthat foul man?” said Huda, looking ill. “That can’t be right.”
“No.” Omid was shaking his head. “Alizeh is a good lady, and he’s an awful, horrible, murdering,OW–” The boy frowned at Deen. “Why’d you kick me?”
“You can’t insult the king in his own castle, boy –”
“Kamran – listen to me – it’s not true, she hasn’t accepted him yet –”
“Yet?” he exploded. “What do you mean, she hasn’t accepted himyet?”
For a moment, Kamran could’ve sworn he heard Sarra laughing; but when he looked at her, she appeared entirely composed.
“Here I was thinking I understood the motivations for your visit,” she said to him, her smile growing wider. “Now I see why you’ve truly come.”
“You spread unsubstantiated lies,” Hazan protested.
“Lies?” Sarra’s eyes widened. “Ask any servant in the palace what’s preoccupied their time lately; they’ll tell you they’ve been preparing for the arrival of the king’s bride.”
“That doesn’t mean she’s going to marry him –”
“Then why, pray tell, did I intercept her leaving my son’s bedchamber just last night?”
Pain shot through Kamran’s chest at that, radiating up his throat. He felt as if he couldn’t breathe.
“You amuse yourself, ma’am,” Hazan said angrily, “by planting seeds of discord. Her Majesty has no understanding with the king. Entering a bedchamber is proof of nothing.”
“It’s fairly damning,” Huda said, biting her lip. “Much as I hate to admit it. What other reason could she –”
“You would stoop to assume the worst of her based on an unsupported claim from a woman clearly delighting in our destruction?” Hazan was furious. “Where is your good sense?”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” said Huda, shaking her head quickly. “Truly, I didn’t – I just – Oh, please, I’m so very tired –”
“She lies, Kamran. I asked Alizeh this morning whether she was betrothed to the Tulanian king, and she told me emphatically that she was not. Despite having received an offer of marriage, she’s still considering her options –”
“Considering her options? That she would evenconsidermarriage to the man who killed my grandfather – who nearly killed me – who murdered our Diviners –”
“And who are you,” Sarra said to Hazan, her eyes hardening, “to call me a liar? What purpose do you serve here in this royal court of misfits?” She held up a finger. “No, wait – let me guess. Things are becoming clearer, I see it now. At first I’d assumed that you, the boldest of these simpletons –”
“Simpletons?” Deen drew back, offended. “I was trained at the Royal Academy – my shop has been exalted inThe Daftarnumerous times –”
“– had traveled here in service to the prince. The only capable companion, the only one with a working brain –”
“Ibegyour pardon –”
“I took you for a knight. I realize only now that your allegiance is, in fact, with the girl – and I’d love to know why. Who are you?” She tilted her head at Hazan. “So fiercely impassioned. So loyal. Don’t tell me you’re in love with her, too?”
Huda drew a sharp breath.
“Good heavens,” Deen said softly, then looked at Omid, who was shaking his head in horror.
Kamran, who’d never before considered this possibility, was entirely rattled. Slowly, he turned to face his friend.
It was a long, torturous moment before Hazan said, in a lethal whisper, “How dare you.”
