“Precisely,” said Kamran, unmoved. He turned to the others. “If he is to die regardless, why shouldn’t she walk away with a prize? I’ve already advised her to take the offer –”
“Youadvisedher?” Cyrus said darkly, his eyes flashing with unchecked hatred. “You mean you advised her to marry me?” It was the first time Cyrus had addressed Kamran, his voice so heavy with loathing it radiated tension throughout the room.
“Yes,” said Kamran, whose own eyes were mocking. “I encouraged her not to lose an opportunity to reap the reward of killing you.”
“At least I have something to offer her. Meanwhile you dare to promise her a kingdom you’ve yet to inherit. Empty promises from an ousted prince who might never be king.”
Kamran stiffened.
Cyrus studied him, his voice soft and lethal when he said, “Did you think I wouldn’t find out what really happened when you left Ardunia? I don’t care what the papers say about your popularity among the masses. Your Diviners don’t think you worthy of the throne.”
“What?” Alizeh said. “Is that true?”
Kamran stepped forward, looking murderous. “I didn’t realize we were sharing secrets,” he said to Cyrus. “Perhaps you’d like to explain to everyone why I once found you collapsed on the grounds in the dead of night, every inch of you so covered in blood you could hardly open your eyes?”
Cyrus tensed, and Alizeh inhaled sharply.
“How many other enemies do you have?” Kamran was saying. “How many other revolting vices? Do you spend your nights gambling? In the arms of prostitutes? You’re so depraved you have no protection from the violence of thugs even asking–”
“That’s enough,” said Alizeh, experiencing a rare flash of anger. She, who knew exactly why such a thing had happened to Cyrus, could listen to no more of this slander. “You cast aspersions upon his character without possession of the facts –”
“His character?” Kamran was stunned. “What character? The man murdered his own father for a crown! He murdered my grandfather. Murdered our Diviners! I have reason to suspect he’s been sending spies into Ardunia for months – has he mentioned that? Has he offered any explanations for launching covert missions into our empire? For breaking the Nix accords by drawing magical boundaries between our lands? His every action is a manipulation! His every word is chosen in the pursuit of his own self-interest. Heaven knows what else he’s done in the course of his dissipated life!”
Alizeh absorbed these horrible facts, hating that she could not deny them,that Cyrus refused to speak of his father, to explain his actions. She hadn’t known about the spies, and when she glanced at Cyrus for a reaction to this fresh accusation, she found him staring impassively at the wall. He made no move to refute the charge, and yet these assertions felt at odds with all that she’d learned of him; he did not, in fact, strike her as the kind of person who acted only in his own self-interest. The tense moment inspired a memory as evidence; when she’d first arrived in Tulan, she’d pressed Cyrus for information about his deal with the devil and he’d said –
I must live long enough to accomplish something crucial. Beyond that, my beating heart is of no consequence. You have no idea what’s at stake. My life is the least of it.
The nosta had confirmed this as truth.
Alizeh couldn’t decide whether she was stupid or perceptive for thinking there had to be more to Cyrus, more to his actions. She’d discovered him to be too intelligent, too reasonable. He was reserved and thoughtful, and had betrayed a great deal about himself in the small, human moments they’d shared. Someone in possession of such careful self-control, she reasoned, would never lose his head long enough to commit thoughtless violence. Indeed it now seemed bizarre to her that he’d entered into a deal with the devil, for Cyrus appeared to have no material desires, no interest in the profits of the world – and worse, he seemed to receive nothing but torment from Iblees. Where were the rewards of his bargain? It drove her crazy that she couldn’t understand.
“Nevertheless,” she said finally. “His torture was inflicted by the devil – I know this because I saw it happen myself –”
“We need not discuss this,” said Cyrus, flashing her an inscrutable look. “The opinion of a worthless royal means nothing to me.”
“You would truly defend him?” Kamran said, ignoring this as he turned to her. “It’s a great credit to your compassion that you would pity someone as corrupted as he, but I would implore you not to spare another thought for his foul soul. I don’t care if Iblees roasts him over a spit every night.Heput himself in this situation – he capitulated to the devil, he sold himself to darkness.” Kamran gestured widely. “These are the consequences. He will lose Tulan, which we should be happy to claim upon his death. I refuse to be sorry for capitalizing upon another man’s stupidity.”
“Well,” said Cyrus, taking a sharp breath. “As much as I enjoy listening to your plans to feast upon my corpse, I’ve grown tired of this conversation.”
Alizeh was shaking her head. “Cyrus, please – I don’t share his sentiments –”
“And I don’t care to discuss it,” he said quietly, turning away. “It’s getting late, and I’d rather return to the task at hand.”
“Yes,” she said, hesitating. “Of course –”
“Your Majesty,” said Hazan. “Must this gruesome deed be done tonight, of all nights, when you’ve only just returned to us? Could we not take more time to consider the other options available?”
Alizeh sighed heavily, closing her eyes a moment before turning to her friend.“What options, Hazan? What other options do I have? Already I’ve been missing for a month. Already there’s been an attempt on my life. Today we have seventy thousand Jinn gathered, but soon that number will double, and double again. What then?” She shook her head. “Am I to remain silent forever? Am I to haunt the halls of this palace, letting my people languish without leadership, without answers – without hope? What of the external pressures facing Tulan? What of the needs of Ardunia? We cannot remain here, in this in-between place forever. Clearly Kamran needs to return home to address the turbulence he left behind; Huda and Deen have families waiting for them –”
“Oh, please don’t rush things on our account,” Huda piped in. “I’ve absolutely no desire to see my family, and Deen is rather going through something, actually, and though he’s been vague about the details, he doesn’t seem in any hurry to –”
“Yes, thank you, Huda,” Hazan said quietly.
Again, Alizeh sighed. “It kills me that I’m not yet ready to lead. That I have nothing to say, that I can offer only empty promises. I need a crown, Hazan, and I need it now. Cyrus and I have discussed it, and we will marry in two days’ time.”
“Two days?” Hazan paled, his eyes wide with shock. Even Kamran turned sharply to look at her.
“Yes,” she said steadily. “Two days. I want to return to Ardunia immediately after the wedding.”
