Page 104 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Zahra looked up and Omar smiled. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “If Selene has called you to protect the King, then do what you must. Do what I couldn’t.” Tears appeared in his eyes. “You are more like your mother than you know. If Selene is with you, then so is she.”
Zahra’s lip trembled, and her father pulled her into a warm embrace. “I am proud of you,poulaki mou.”
Zahra sniffled. “Thank you, Patér.”
They pulled away, and he wrapped the scarf around her. He smiled. “You look just like her.”
Zahra stood and wrapped her arms around him.
24
Coming Home
The sweet smell of papyrus wafted into Zahra’s nose as she stirred in her slumber. Her pillow was hard, and she recalled she had been sitting at a table when she fell asleep.
Zahra sat up, wiping the drool from her mouth and looking about sleepily. Namir was standing above her, his hand hesitating over her. A blanket had been draped over her shoulders, and he looked as if he had just placed it there.
Aware of herself, Zahra blinked and looked down. “How long have I been…?”
“An hour or so,” Namir said, settling into a chair beside her.
They were in the library. Since they had stopped searching the border records, the library had become quiet again, but Namir had been busy investigating others that might have connections to the assassins.
“I am sorry Ramses had to pick you up again this morning,” Namir said in a quiet voice.
“You don’t need to apologize. I know you are busy with your investigations and looking for your bride.” She rubbed her eyes, but the sleep refused to budge from them. She could barely keep them open. Finally, after much more rubbing and blinking, she was able to wake herself up.
When she pulled her hands away from her eyes, Namir was staring at her, his brows knitted together in a curious worry.
Zahra frowned, pulling her mother’s scarf back on her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”
“I… Nothing.” He tapped the table with his fingers, his eyes focused on his hand. His question came anyway. “How long have you been tired?”
Zahra was taken aback by the question. She laughed. “It was a nap, Namir. I am only tired from all the searching.”
“Yes, mentally, we both are.” He lifted his hand to his eyes, rubbing them with his thumb and forefinger. “But that shouldn’t affect you physically. Lately, you have seemed so…” He opened his eyes, looking at her. “Fatigued.”
Zahra smiled softly, placing her hand on his arm. “I am flattered you are worried, Namir, but I am fine. I think we are both tired.”
Doubt flashed in his eyes, but he nodded with a sigh, resting his hand on the table once more. “Yes, I suppose so.”
Zahra was grateful he believed her. They both felt the weight of the day repeating on theirpsyches.Namir had dark bags under his eyes, ones that had not been there when they had met. Zahra had worried that Namir was also suffering fromapollos, but Katerina had told her that it was the Thoth’s spell that made Namir tired. Hispsychewas not strained as badly as Zahra’s. It was a combination of the Thoth’s spell and her death every night that contributed to Zahra’s fatigue and the cracks on herpsyche.
“We should do something today,” Namir said suddenly, pulling Zahra from her thoughts. “We should go somewhere.Partake in the festivities and relax a little. I think it would be good for both of us.”
Zahra smiled at the suggestion. “I agree.”
Namir moved to stand. “Excellent. I will tell Ramses to fetch our horses.”
Zahra’s smile faded. “What about your uncle?”
“Waaiz? He would not let me go if he knew. We will sneak past him.”
Namir offered his hand to her. She did not take it.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. The assassins are still out there.”
Namir’s gaze softened. “Ramses and some othermedjaywill be with us. My uncle does not need to know everywhere I go.”
