Page 14 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Zahra glanced behind her at Namir. He stared at her in confused panic, his eyes urging her to hurry. She turned back to Riyad. “A servant from Bahiti’s residence.”
Namir scoffed.
She ignored him. “I did not see you in your usual spot this morning.”
“My daughter was unable to claim a spot early this morning,” Riyad replied sadly. “She has been preparing all day for the Pa-sekhemty Feast. She has saved all she has to pay for passage there.”
“May Re be with her on her journey,” Zahra said. “She is beautiful. I am sure the King will only have eyes for her.”
Riyad chuckled. “I hope so. Give my good wishes to Bahiti’s daughters, too, yes?”
She nodded. “Of course.”
Namir cleared his throat beside Zahra. He lifted his eyebrows, motioning with his head down the street.
Zahra’s mouth twitched, and she inclined her head toward Riyad. “We must be going, but it was a delight to see you, Riyad. Re bless you.”
Riyad nodded. “Re bless you as well, Zahra.”
She stepped away, motioning for Namir to follow her further down the street. Once they were out of earshot, she turned to him with a glare. “Why did you rush me? I had it under control.”
“I do not understand why you stopped at all.” He glanced back, pulling his hood further down in front of his eyes. “Themedjaycould have seen us.”
“It would have looked strange if I hadn’t stopped,” Zahra defended. “This is my city, Namir. If I act suspiciously, as you have, I will surely be reported, and you will be found. Is that what you want?”
Namir grumbled something unintelligible.
Zahra sighed and walked faster, leading him away from the marketplace. For a man who had deceived Bahiti and her daughters into thinking he was a commander, he had an awful lot to complain about. “Be patient. We will be there soon.”
Zahra led Namir down narrow streets, passing by smaller homes belonging to farmers and sailors. Behind a row of housesstood a small, weed-covered well. The area was overgrown, with only a nearby ash tree providing shade.
Namir leaned against the tree, his nose turned up. “Are you sure no one will come looking for me here?”
“The well dried up a couple of years ago.” She crossed her arms. “If anyone does come, they will be looking for a quiet patch of sunshine, not a fake commander.”
“I am not sure anyone would want to come here.” He pulled a plum out from his cloak and took a bite.
Zahra’s forehead wrinkled. “When did you—? Did youstealthat from Riyad?”
“I stole it from whichever noble owns the farmland,” Namir corrected. “He won’t notice anything is gone until tonight when he counts his produce.” He took another bite of the fruit. Plum juice squirted down his chin, and he wiped it away as he spoke. “Besides, he won’t have lost anything tomorrow. The day starts over, remember?”
Zahra scrunched her nose in disgust. “I still don’t understand why it does.” She reminded herself why she was there and stepped toward him with caution. “You promised me answers.”
Namir relaxed at the base of the ash tree, letting his hood fall back and propping his feet up on a rock. “I cannot tell you everything, not without knowing what you know first.”
She fought the urge to roll her eyes. “I don’t know anything.”
“You know the day repeats, at least,” Namir said. “How many versions of today have you lived? Do you only remember yesterday?”
Zahra froze. “What do you meanversions? How long has this been going on?” And how had she not realized it sooner?
“Longer than you know, it seems.” He took another bite of his plum, speaking with his mouth full. “You remember seeing me in the gardens, though, do you not?”
Frustration bubbled in her stomach. “We already established that.”
Namir shook his head. “I meant the night before last. We crossed paths then.”
Zahra reflected on her foggy memories. Though the nights overlapped in her mind, she could place his face in every one of them. “You were at thepr-aa.” She recalled themedjayat her back and the Auran maidens that jumped out of her way as they chased her down. She had tripped and fallen into someone—a man with the same startling black eyes that sat before her now.
