The corner of his mouth turned up. “Go on. I’ll suspend any judgment.”
“I don’t think I can do this,” she confessed, her words tumbling out in a rush. “I know that sounds bad, considering all we went through to get here, but...”
He stared at her as though she’d gone mad. “What are you talking about? You alreadyhavedone it, Poppy. You became vicereine. You defeated Richard. You sent that bastard packing back to the homeland where he’ll be kicking rocks for the next five decades.”
“Don’t get me started on that,” she said, clenching her jaw. “If it were up to me, he’d be placed in front of a firing squad and shot.”
“Someone’s gotten more violent since the last time we met,” Hasan deadpanned. “Though for what it’s worth, I don’t disagree.”
“The last few months have changed me,” she said. “But I need to changefaster. Did you see how many people came today? How many Virians?”
“It was impressive.” He grinned. “That’s why the delegation was late. The streets were practically overflowing.”
“All of those people are expecting something from me.” She shook her head, her voice laced with panic. “They support me because they think I’m one of them. But I’m not, Hasan. What will happen to me when they realize that?”
“You are one of us,” he insisted. “You have just as much right to call yourself Virian as everyone else. They can’t take that from you.”
“They can’t take something I never had.” She pressed her lips together in a firm line, holding on to her composure. “I’m trying, but it’s hard. I was away from Viryana for seven years. Even when I was here, I had no idea about the depths of my father’s cruelty. He thought he was doing what was best for the colony, but his bias was a huge blind spot. I don’t want to become like him, implementing oppressive structures out of ignorance. I need someone to help me. To explain histories and backgrounds, so that I understand the problems those people want me to solve. It was their support that got me here, and if I lose it, then this whole thing will crumble. I want your delegation to formally advise me?—especially you.”
Hasan opened his mouth, then closed it with a sigh. “I have to talk to Arun and the others,” he hedged. “But I don’t see why they would say no.”
“Thank you.” Poppy sighed. “I have something else for you as well.” She beckoned to one of her guards, who approached her with an envelope in hand. Hasan took it from him. “What’s this?”
“My first order as vicereine: an official pardon for Paranjay,” she said. “If you go by the jail tomorrow, the police will release him for you.”
Hasan looked up at her, holding the paper to his chest. “Thank you,” he said, his voice fevered. “I can’t wait to bring him home.”
She inclined her head at him. “That’s all.”
He turned to go, but when he’d taken a few steps away, he turned around. “Poppy,” he called. “Youcando this. I believe in you.”
I know,she thought.That’s what scares me most.
When Hasan left, there was only one more person left waiting to speak to Poppy. She’d sat at the back of the abbey, but with everyone else gone, she rose and came to the front. Poppy regarded Samina evenly. Most of her injuries had healed since her fight with Richard, though her skin bore fresh new scars where wounds had closed. Her hair had grown longer, shoulder length now. Other than that, she looked the same, dressed in a clean cotton salwar kameez, her arms crossed over her chest as she sized Poppy up.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” Poppy said. “Hasan wasn’t sure you would, when I asked him to pass along the invite.”
Samina snorted. “At first, I wasn’t planning to. He talked me into it. He said it was an important historical milestone for Viryana whether I liked it or not, and I would be stupid to miss it. But why did you invite me at all?”
Poppy bit her lip. “I wanted to apologize,” she said. “First, for everything that happened. With your mother, with the necklace, with the orphanage?—”
“Those things weren’t your fault,” Samina said. “You were a child. I judged you harshly, because I felt life had been soft on you, but really, neither of us had much control over those events.”
“I might not have controlled them, but I’m still the one who caused them,” Poppy insisted. “And though I was a child, I was an adult at Sanivali when I tried to downplay what had happened to you. I wanted to believe you were better off at the orphanage so that I wouldn’t feel guilty about my father’s sending you there. For that, I want to apologize. If there is ever anything you need from me, you can always come and ask.”
“Oh. I wasn’t expecting that,” Samina said, shifting her weight. “I don’t know if I forgive you yet. But I do appreciate the apology.”
“You don’t have to give me your forgiveness,” Poppy said, and was surprised to realize she meant it. “But I hope you’ll let me keep on trying to earn it.”
Samina tilted her head. “We’ll see,” she said. “Fix the island first. Then we can talk.”
• • •
Zeyar waited until the rest of the delegation had separated from Hasan. His eyes trailed Harithi, dressed in her best sari, as she walked side by side with the other coleader.Sothisis Arun.He was of middling height, average in every way, and yet something about him was distinct, an optimism that shone in a warm aura.
Harithi would eat him alive.
Zeyar got out of the car, strolling up the street to where the delegation was coming his way. Harithi locked eyes with him, stiffening.
