Page 38 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Others.The way he said it made her furious. The assumption that she wasn’t there to attend the Feast—even though she had been invited—irritated her.
“I am here with my master’s daughters. I was simply complimenting the young lady’s dress.” Zahra swallowed. “Nothing more.”
Themedjayconsidered her response. His companion stood several feet away, observing the interaction with sharp eyes. Finally, he gestured for her to leave. “You may be on your way. Remain with your master for the rest of the night, please. And try not to pester any other guests.”
Zahra smiled and bowed. “Thank you, sir. Have a blessed Atum.” She walked away as the twomedjaybegan talking. A thirdmedjaycame running down the hill. The three conversed, and themedjaythat had dismissed her called out to her.
Zahra continued walking, pretending not to hear.
“Stop,” themedjayordered.
Zahra bolted. The festivities disappeared behind her as she ran into the village below thepr-aa. The homes were well-built and the streets were clean. Aurans and the occasional Ionian shouted at her, some even cursing as she shoved past them. As she continued down the hill, the houses became older, and the streets were littered with rotten food and rats. Themedjaywere not far behind, and the people panicked as they rushed past.
Zahra pivoted on the sole of her foot and turned down an alleyway. A small, dirty creek appeared between the buildings. She flattened herself against a wall. Themedjaycame down the alley, and Zahra’s heart pounded. Namir’s promise was far from her mind. In that moment, all she could think of was their blades and the promise of death on her head. She would be caught and killed. She did not want to die again.
“You.” An Auran man with greasy curls and mud-soaked feet stood a few feet from her. He gestured with his head. “This way.”
Zahra did not ask questions. She ran past him and spotted a crevice between two buildings. Her small frame fit in the space. She pushed herself deeper into it until the closeness of the walls prevented her from going any further.
The man glanced at her through the crack, his face masked in shadow. After a moment, he walked away. Themedjaycame to a stop by the creek. “You there! Did you see an Ionian woman run this way?”
Zahra sent a silent prayer to Selene, wishing she could see the moon from her hiding spot. She needed comfort in this moment, even if it was certain she would die.
The man’s response surprised her. “No, sir, it’s only me here.”
Zahra stood still as themedjayran past her. After several minutes, the man entered her view and motioned her out. “They’re gone.”
Zahra squeezed out of the small space, heaving as she allowed herself to breathe. “Thank you.”
The man bent over, picking up a bottle from the ground. He swirled the contents and leaned against the wall. A small piece of fraying fabric sat beneath him, covered with sand and what Zahra hoped was beer. A rancid smell came from him, and she turned to walk away, but he spoke. “What were they after you for?”
Zahra turned to him and rubbed her arms, glancing around. “They thought I stole something.”
He took a big swig of the bottle. The beer trickled down his lips, soaking his sweat-stained shirt. Zahra’s nose wrinkled in disgust, and she took a hesitant step back, her chest tight with apprehension.
His voice came again. “And you did not?”
Zahra paused her movements. Her instincts told her to leave, but this man had saved her life. The least she could do was answer his questions. “Did not what?”
The man’s curls fell in front of his eyes as he focused on the liquid in the bottle. “Steal something?”
“Of course not.” She shook her head. “I would never do such a thing.”
“Why were you running?”
Zahra swallowed. “What do you mean?”
He took another sip of the bottle and sputtered out a response. “If you were innocent, why did you run?”
“I thought they would kill me.”
He shook the bottle once more. The contents were all but gone. “So, they wouldn’t offer a reward for your capture, then?”
Zahra froze. The man’s eyes were on her, glazed and curious. He was indigent, without a home and without much else. She sympathized with his situation, but the truth was simple. He was dangerous. He had lured her there in hopes of a reward.
“No.” Zahra stepped back, keeping her eyes on him. She cursed herself for not listening to her gut. “No, they wouldn’t have given you anything for me.”
The man spat on the ground and dropped the bottle. Rage flickered in his eyes, and he sneered through broken teeth. “That wasn’t the answer I wanted,sobki.”
