CHAPTER 30
Arie
KADIN BARELY SPOKETHROUGHOUTthe meal. The muscle in his jaw ticked and he chewed as if the feast was a job and the sooner he finished, the better.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” I pointed to a dish of Ghormey-Sabzi. “This one is delicious.”
He scooped some onto his plate and chewed without expression, staring at the prince across the room.
I gave up on conversation.
“Excuse me.” I pushed my chair out. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
He didn’t blink.
I searched for Gideon and found him seated on a gold sofa in the corner, where he had a good view of everyone.
The surrounding sofas were empty. Finally, we could speak alone.
I stood taller and approached the circle of seats, pushing a smile onto my face. Resting my hands on the back of a sofa, I stood behind it like a shield. My instincts screamed at me to walk away, but I cleared my throat and spoke, “May I ask you a question, when you have a moment?”
“I am free now,” Gideon said, waving toward Prince Dev, who stepped down from the dais seating and walked toward the washrooms. “Since I’m not following the young Prince Dev to use the toilet, as much as Master Kadin might wish it.”
I paused, then laughed. “You’re making a joke!”
“It happens once a decade or so,” Gideon replied, lips twitching. “Please, sit.”
I settled onto the sofa across from him, too tense to lean back against the pillows. Which problem should I bring up first? Where to start?
“How about the beginning,” Gideon said, but his voice was gentle, patient.
His calm reminded me of Kadin, even though he was light-skinned where Kadin was dark, his raven hair slicked back instead of falling across his face, and crystal-clear blue eyes instead of Kadin’s warm amber gaze, like molten sunlight. Why was I thinking about Kadin right now?
I cleared my throat. “I have two requests actually...”
He waited for me to continue.
“First...” I licked my lips and launched into it, words spilling over once I let them free, “Once you’re done bearing witness for Kadin, I was hoping you might be willing to spend just a few short days in a nearby kingdom as well, where another king is also misusing his Gift and—”
“No. Next.” Gideon leaned back, crossing one leg over the other.
“Please, if you’d only reconsider—” I slid to the edge of my seat, hands clasped, begging.
He interrupted once more, waving a hand. “I understand. But I’m afraid time is of the essence. I can’t afford to waste even one more day before I use the lamp to return home.”
