Page 42 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
He frowned. “What?”
“I don’t think you should approach her as the King. She will be overwhelmed.”
Namir scoffed. “It is not as if I am frightening.”
Zahra turned away. “Of course not…”
Namir sighed. “I do not want to lie to her.”
“You lied to my master,” Zahra pointed out. “To me.”
“That was different,” Namir claimed, throwing out his hands. “If she is indeed my bride?—”
Zahra’s feet came to a stop, and he walked past her. “What if she does not want to marry you?”
Namir paused and glanced back at her. He laughed. “Please, if I picked her over everyone else?—”
“But you don’t know that. Have you consideredherthoughts?Herchoice?”
Namir’s eyes narrowed, and Zahra realized she had struck a chord. “I did not mean to overstep, my King. I only meant?—”
“I wouldn’t force her to be my wife,” he said bitterly. “She was always going to have a choice. The spell cannot end without the other’s consent.”
Zahra bit her cheek. Once again, she had spoken when she should have held her tongue. “I apologize, my King.”
Namir’s eyes narrowed. He gestured forward, and she swallowed and continued walking up the hill. Finally, they came to a stop on Fukayna’s doorstep.
She turned to Namir. “I will introduce you as amedjay, but I will not claim to know you.”
Namir stepped up to the door with a darkened expression. He lowered his hood, letting his curls fall loose around his face. “You don’t know me.”
The words sat on Zahra’s chest and swirled in her mind. She pushed them to the back of her thoughts, ignoring their echoes as she knocked on the door.
Faisal opened the door and smiled at Zahra. The corner of his mouth twitched as he saw Namir. “Zahra, it’s good to see you. And who is this?”
Zahra glanced at Namir. “Amedjay. We came to the door at the same time. He has business with Eshe.”
“I see.” Faisal studied Namir up and down, eyeing his cloak. He stepped aside. “I will let my master know you are both here.”
Zahra and Namir wandered into the vestibule, standing several feet apart as they waited for Fukayna.
“No,Mwt.” Namir jumped as Eshe came stomping down the hallway. “I will not try on the dress. I am not going to the Feast!”
Fukayna ran after her. “You must! Can you not see, child? Your reasoning will be your undoing!”
“I am not going!”
Namir turned to Zahra as Eshe sobbed out of sight. Zahra shrugged. She’d tried to warn him.
Fukayna entered the vestibule after a few minutes. “I apologize for keeping you waiting.” She smiled at Namir first. “I heard you have business with my daughter?”
Namir bent his torso, his fist against his chest. “Yes. I am Commander Namir. I am on business from the King.”
Fukayna’s brows knitted together. “From the King?”
Namir nodded.
Fukayna lifted her head. “Yes, well… I will fetch her.” She turned to Zahra. “Would you?—”
