Page 18 of Every Spiral of Fate (This Woven Kingdom #4)

Seventeen

EVERYONE TURNED TO LOOK AT HER .

Alizeh, whose impulse was to turn away from this attention—to deny her own significance—had to force herself to bear the weight of their stares. She’d willingly taken on this mantle of power, and she could not deflect—not anymore.

It was true that there was magic awaiting her in the mountains.

It was true, too, that she’d been selected by the earth, branded by her strange eyes and clear blood to lead her people.

The ice that ran through her veins marked her as heir to the long-lost Jinn empire—the first in over a thousand years—and today she’d been crowned queen at last. Her days of living in the shadows had come to an end.

She would need to rise, and rise again.

Cyrus exhaled sharply as he looked away from her, and the act was catching; everyone seemed to sigh and turn away, as if they’d been under a spell.

Omid, who was still hovering beside her, decided then to sit down.

“There are many, of course, who resent the exclusive power of Diviners,” Cyrus went on. “There are those who wish to use magic for dark pursuits—but aren’t depraved enough to make a bargain with the devil in order to achieve their goals.”

Kamran gave a dismal laugh.

“Those who exist in this middle space must taint the magic in order to bend it to their will. There are alchemists who will repurpose magical objects—or else manage to source unrefined magic from runners and thieves—and remake them with poisons and pollutants. The weapon discovered tonight, for example, was tainted.”

“With black magic, you mean?” Hazan looked alarmed. “Isn’t it dangerous for the queen to be near such a substance—”

Cyrus shook his head. “The dagger was cut with three different kinds of poison.”

Kamran frowned, though he looked suddenly fascinated. “But how—”

“Another time,” said Cyrus, who was growing impatient. “Another time, we might discuss the currents of power that inform the world. For now, I feel we’ve delayed enough. I’ve offered a sufficient explanation for the evening’s events, and now I must go—”

“But where will we go?” Huda cried. “If our plans have been thwarted?”

“And can anyone imagine how our plans were discovered?” asked Alizeh.

“It wasn’t me,” said Omid quickly. “I didn’t tell anyone.”

Hazan turned to Kamran. “Do you think your correspondence—”

“I don’t know,” said Kamran quietly. “It’s possible.”

“What’s possible?” asked Alizeh. “What correspondence?”

Kamran shook his head as he turned to her. “For some time now I’ve been exchanging letters with my mother, arranging for contingency plans in the event that my return to Ardunia ends poorly—”

“But why would your return end poorly?”

Huda turned to her with ill-concealed glee. “Because the defense minister wishes to oust him from the palace! Do you not remember? I told you how Zahhak was trying to snake his position—”

“We need not recount the details.” Kamran cut her off with a glower before turning back to Alizeh. “I’d alerted my mother of our return to Ardunia tomorrow, as I intended to pay her a visit. It’s possible the messages were intercepted—”

Huda gasped, clasping a hand to her throat. “Oh, but I wrote to Father to tell him I was coming home, too,” she said. “Perhaps it was me—”

“This is no one’s fault,” said Alizeh. “It’s never been a secret that I was embarking on a search for my magic.

Besides, these attempts on my life are not new and I doubt they will ever cease.

If we must away, I am ready. But if there are adversaries waiting to stop us at the mountains, Huda is right.

Surely we cannot go straight to Temzeel province as we’d once planned—”

“No,” said Hazan, lifting his head sharply. “We’ll travel to Gomol province instead.”

Alizeh looked at him; they locked eyes.

“Gomol province,” she said breathlessly. “I haven’t been there since I was a child.”

“Where is it?” asked Huda.

“In the very far north of Ardunia,” said Cyrus, who was now studying Hazan curiously. “Mostly farmland and small villages—located at the base of the Arya mountains.”

“It’s not far from my childhood home,” said Alizeh.

“Fascinating,” said Kamran, whose jaw tightened as he, too, turned to look at Hazan. “And it’s not far from the safe house my mother recently secured for me, either. I take it that wasn’t a coincidence.”

Hazan gave him a wry smile. “We’ve had a military outpost in Gomol for many years,” he said to the prince. “When you gave me a single day to build you a militia and purchase a sanctuary in the countryside, naturally I sought to further my own interests while securing yours.”

“You bastard,” said Kamran, but softly, as if it were a compliment. “You spent my gold on your own people.”

“I gave them your weapons, too,” said Hazan.

“I don’t understand,” said Alizeh. She was looking at Hazan. “What do you mean you have a military outpost there? Do you mean to say that there already exist Jinn soldiers?”

He met her eyes and nodded. “I told you from the first, Your Majesty, that there were many of us searching for you. There are tens of dozens of militias scattered across Ardunia—but the troops guarding the Arya mountains are perhaps the oldest.”

“But—”

“Is the outpost enforced with magical protections?” said Cyrus.

“Unfortunately not,” said Hazan. “It’s only invisible to Clay eyes.”

Cyrus considered this a moment. “Very well. I’ll secure it when we arrive.”

“All right, then,” said Hazan, getting to his feet as he looked around the group. “This is your last chance. If any of you wish to stay behind, say your piece now.”

Huda was blinking at Hazan. “Why would we wish to stay behind? We’ve already discussed it. We’re all ready to die for the queen.”

“I’m ready now,” said Omid, standing at attention. “I’ll die for you whenever you like, miss.”

“You mustn’t actually die for me,” said Alizeh quickly, her heart constricting. “It’s only the gesture that’s needed—”

“No, they need not physically die,” said Hazan, nodding at Alizeh.

“But they must mean the sacrifice sincerely, or else the mountains will not part with their magic. I need to know if any of you have doubts; if so, I’ll need to source fresh volunteers.

We need five people for the quorum, and already Deen is in a precarious state—”

“We’re six with Cyrus,” Huda pointed out. “Even if Deen—”

“Cyrus doesn’t count,” Hazan said flatly. “His life belongs to the devil. He’s in no position to offer it to anyone.”

Alizeh tensed at this reminder. She looked to Cyrus for his reaction, but his face was carefully expressionless.

As was his wont, he said nothing.

“Kamran?” said Hazan, nodding at the prince. “What say you?”

“There is no question,” the prince said solemnly, rising to his feet to move toward Alizeh.

He looked resplendent in all his finery, broad and handsome, and his smile was sincere as he took her hand.

“My life is yours, Your Majesty. Now and always.” He brought her knuckles to his lips and kissed them gently.

Alizeh experienced a flutter in her chest.

It felt strange.

The fact that she could feel anything for Kamran was, perhaps, a cause for hope. Maybe that meant that, one day, they’d be able to muddle through this mess together.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

Kamran beamed at her, and Alizeh smiled back before catching sight of her wedding ring, glittering on the fourth finger of the hand he still held.

She retrieved her hand quickly then, her goodwill gone. She felt suddenly as if she’d lost her equilibrium.

Heavens, what was wrong with her?

She alone was responsible for these choice s.

She alone had put herself in this impossible situation.

She’d agreed to the blood oath that demanded the murder of her husband ; she’d allowed Kamran to believe they might have a future together.

And she had no claim on Cyrus; their union was a known sham.

Why then did she feel unfaithful?

Why did she feel that entertaining a kind thought about Kamran was a betrayal to the man she’d married today? Why did she feel, suddenly, like she wanted to cry?

Alizeh startled at the dislocating bang of the door, and realized only then, as she looked around, that Cyrus had quit the room.

The ground beneath her felt unsteady.

“Huda?” said Hazan. “You’re certain you’re ready for this sacrifice?”

Alizeh spun to face her friend, her heart thudding in her chest. She tried to remember herself. Root herself.

“Absolutely,” said Huda firmly, raising her chin. “Without a doubt.”

“Omid?”

“As I said, I’d gladly die for you, miss,” Omid said, turning to Alizeh. “It would be my honor.”

Alizeh was already feeling emotional, and now, looking upon her friends, she was overcome. “Thank you,” she said thickly. “I treasure you all dearly.”

Hazan cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable. “Well, then,” he said, and cleared his throat a second time. “We’ve not got long. Omid, are you packed?”

“Yes, sir,” he said. “But what about Deen?”

“We’ll take Deen with us,” said Alizeh, forcing herself to brighten. “His bags should already be packed—”

“But how?” asked Huda. “In his condition?”

“I’m sure Cyrus will find a way.”

“Your Majesty,” said Hazan, “you might want to change out of your gown—”

“Yes, of course.” Alizeh nodded. “I won’t be but a moment. Huda, if you would assist me?”

“Of course, my dear.”

The two of them were leaving the room when Huda called over her shoulder, “Omid, don’t forget to use the bathroom before we go!”

“Yes, all right,” he said, scowling. “You don’t need to keep reminding me to use the bathroom.”

“You say that now,” countered Kamran. “But we all know you need to be reminded or else you inconvenience everyone at the worst possible hour—”

“Only the one time!”

Huda laughed with abandon as she strode off down the hall, but Alizeh hesitated a moment, glancing back at the scene, the blur of commotion.

She watched as Hazan whispered something into his collar and, moments later, a firefly rose dizzily into the air, winking as it disappeared through the keyhole.

Despite every darkness, a spark of hope caught inside her. She couldn’t believe it was finally happening.

After all these years, she would finally return home.

Alizeh’s heart ached at the idea that she might be returned to the mountains of her childhood—to the land that had once saved her people from annihilation.

She thought of her parents.

She thought of her ancestors.

She thought of every soul who’d died fighting their oppressors for the right to be free. And in their honor she lifted two fingers to her head, and then to the air.