Arie
IAGREED TO ITon one condition: Kadin had to let me talk to the Captain of the Guard alone.
She’s embarrassed,he thought as he agreed.
And I let him think that, leaving him standing on the balcony as I moved indoors. He couldn’t know I’d met Captain Tehrani during my visit here last summer. Or that the Captain would recognize me on sight. Not to mention dozens of others. I’d already spied the king’s son across the room and made note.
Is that Princess Arie?The thought struck me like a physical blow over the hum of other shapeless murmurs.
I nearly choked.
Only a few paces away, a girl with a mass of curls caught my gaze and waved. Her silver dress shimmered with a hint of expensive Jinni magic.
I flashed her a smile and a wave before turning sharply in the other direction, only to bump into another familiar face.
“Arie?” Someone touched my arm to stop me. I turned to squint at him, vaguely remembering him as a Shah from one of my first courtship tours. “I hadn’t heard you were visiting? When did you arrive?”
“I—um—today actually,” I replied, stepping backwards, trying to keep moving.
But he wasn’t having it, he matched me step for step, as if we were crossing the room together. “I as well,” he said, “I would’ve thought we’d have crossed paths.”Is she avoiding me? Was she keeping her visit a secret? What does this mean for my...the thought trailed off as he stopped thinking of me, though he smiled into my eyes as if infatuated.
His obsession with his own importance irritated me. With the nobles, every word carried layers of meaning, always weighing what I said, what they said, what each of us really meant, like a dance... But now, confronted with his false smile, I decided to try Kadin’s direct approach. I stopped walking. “Have you seen Captain Tehrani?”
The Shah blinked at the blunt question, probably searching for hidden meaning that wasn’t there. “I... haven’t... but, I’d assume he’s stationed by one of the main doors...?”
“Thank you.” I smiled, turning on my heel and leaving him to stew in confusion over my strange behavior and what it might mean for him.
I felt oddly elated.
Striding across the room to the only other entrance, I couldn’t help but grin as a new realization struck me: the people here might recognize me, but they didn’t know I’d run away.
Of course they didn’t. It made sense. Amir would never make it public; it would raise too many questions. And if my father had any say in it, he wouldn’t risk my life falling into the wrong hands.
Even more reassuring: both my father and King Amir were a full day’s journey from here. Although there was still the matter of Amir’s guards... My heart fluttered at the possibility they’d remained in Aziz—would they have stayed at the castle? I couldn’t be sure, which dampened my mood for a moment. But no, a couple of lowly guards would never be invited to a party like this.
As long as the royal family didn’t notice me, everyone else would just assume I was here visiting. By the time they learned otherwise, I’d be long gone.
I was safe.
The room bustled as everyone searched for someone of importance to talk to. Women tried to be seen; men tried to see them. Finally, by a smaller side door, I spied Captain Tehrani.
Swallowing, I strode up to him. Using Kadin’s tactics yet again, I skipped all preamble and dove straight into what I wanted to know.
“Captain Tehrani,” I whispered as I stepped up beside him and touched his arm to get his attention, leaning in and leaving it there. His thoughts immediately zoned in on it and how close I stood. “I’ve just heard the most fascinating rumor. You must tell me, is it true that the king has a code for the men who guard his treasury?”
The captain startled. “Where did you hear that?”
I let my lips curve in a mischievious smile and pressed even closer, lowering my voice as an excuse to do so. “I can’t reveal my source. But I’m dying to know, what is it? What’s the big secret?”
He coughed to cover his surprise and stayed still, his thoughts revealing he was too concerned about offending me to move. “I can’t say.”
This wasn’t the reaction I’d hoped for. “Oh, come now, you can tell me. What would a girl like me ever do with that kind of information anyway?” I laughed, rolling my eyes at the absurdity, making him chuckle as well, though possibly just to humor me.
He was growing suspicious. I needed to make this more believable.
“Oh, alright, it was that guard by the entrance,” I said, guessing my way through. “The one who’s kind of lazy, you know? Looks right through you...”
Captain Tehrani scowled. “I know just the one.”
