Page 180 of The Moon's Fury

With a smiling glance at her wedding ring, the large stone sparkling in the sunlight, she went to work.

At first, she jabbed her thumb more times than the cloth, but slowly fell into a rhythm. It wasn’t complicated, and soon her fingers became accustomed to the up-and-down motion, similar to gentle, flowing waves. A turban wasn’t an extravagant gift, but it would help shield his head from the hot sun when he was working with the islanders, and at least it wassomethinguntil she procured a ring.

Layna finished hemming one side, then the other.

She was so immersed in her labor of love that she didn’t hear the footsteps creeping up behind her.

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“Well,aren’tyoujustthe picture of domesticity?” a syrupy sweet voice drawled from behind her.

The hair on Layna’s arms rose to attention.

A soul-suckingly cold tendril of dread skittered down her back.

Layna stood and turned.

She already knew who was behind her.

Her sharp eyes landed on Burhani.

It shouldn’t have pleased her so much, but Burhani looked like shit. Her long, black braid was unkempt, her narrow face gaunt. Even her deep, ochre skin had dulled. Her collarbones protruded in a way they hadn’t the last time Layna had seen her.

It was the night she lost control of her power and shot a blast of light at Ebrahim. Burhani’s blue eyes had cut through her, first with fear, then with rage and hatred.

And now her blue eyes were fixed on her again, rife with disdain.

Blistering hot anger surged inside her, an inferno raging within seconds.

Burhani was the reason she had to flee Alzahra.

Why she hadn’t seen her sister in half a year.

Whyher mother was dead.

Burhani must have seen the shift in Layna’s expression, the murderous fury in her gaze, because she took a hesitant step back. A flash of fear passed through her eyes before she steeled herself and raised her chin.

Layna stalked closer, lips peeled back in a snarl. Burhani took three more steps back.Fucking coward.

Burhani must have had a death wish because she said, “I’m glad to see you’re enjoying paradise while the rest of usroton the continent.”

Layna didn’t bother asking what she meant.

She didn’t care.

Crossing the distance between them, she hauled back and punched Burhani in the stomach with as much force as she could manage.

The woman doubled over, breath whooshing out in a sharp gasp. She floundered for air, staggering backward. Layna rounded on her again, punching her in the mouth.

“Stop!” Burhani clutched her bleeding lip. “Stop andlistento me. I need your help.” Layna ignored her, tackling her to the ground with a loud cry.

She straddled her waist, fists raining down on Burhani’s face.

“You. Little. Fucking.Snake,” Layna seethed, a blow for every word. Burhani tried her best to shield her face, bucking her hips to throw Layna off, but it was no use.

Layna had been trained by a warrior amongst warriors.

“You sent the Medjai after me,” she panted, shaking out her fist between hits. Burhani’s nose was seeping blood, one eye already swollen shut. “I lost my kingdom. My sister. My mother is dead because of you!”