Page 94 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
“Heba protected me as much as she could,” Zahra whispered, watching his fingers. “Bahiti was happy to punish another, but Heba eventually moved away with her son. I was grateful when she left. I was afraid she would die at Bahiti’s hand. She feared for my life, but I told her I would be alright.” She paused. “Since then, that’s what I have been. That’s what I had to be.”
Namir was silent, his features controlled but his anger evident. “Why did she do this to you today?”
“I… I discovered she had been stealing from us.” Zahra swallowed. “I accused her of theft, and she…”
Namir waited for her to continue. When she did not, he nodded in understanding. “And… Kanefer. Who is he?”
Zahra was stunned by the question. Her lip trembled. “I… I…”
Namir leaned forward. “You do not have to tell me.”
“N—No, it’s not that…” She found that shewantedto tell him. She wanted to explain all that had happened to her. And she feared she wouldn’t ever tell him if she did not do so now.
Zahra wiped at her tears. “Kanefer came under Darius’s care when I was twelve. He was a new orphan, and his uncle had him work under Darius to pay for some of his debts. We grew uptogether, and we always talked about running away from Bahiti and living as nomads where no one could find us. They were childish stories, but somehow I always thought we would escape Bahiti together despite it.”
Zahra swallowed hard, avoiding Namir’s gaze. “A year ago, he asked me to marry him. He promised to protect me from Bahiti and pay off both of our debts so we could purchase some land or a boat. I thought I could be free, so I said yes.” Her lip trembled as the memories returned. “But he lied.”
Namir listened quietly as she tried not to cry. “While on a trip with Bahiti and her daughters, Femi broke an expensive pot and blamed it on me. I tried to explain I had not done it—I had been with other servants in a different room at the time—but no one believed me.
“When we returned to the house, Bahiti beat me for hours, eventually locking me in that same room you found me in. Kanefer was there. I called out to him, but he did not come. I remained there for days with little food or drink, until Kanefer was finally allowed to nurse me back to health. When I could finally speak, he asked for my forgiveness, but I broke off our engagement. He is gone with Bahiti’s husband today, so I have not seen him in some time, but I must have gotten confused when you came and thought you were him.”
Namir was silent. “Does your father know about any of this?”
Zahra shook her head. “I tried to tell him years ago, but he thought I was not telling the truth. He did not think the wife of a priest would do such a thing.”
Namir held her hand in his hands, mulling over her words. “I will have her punished for this.”
“She has done nothing wrong,” Zahra said. “She has not broken any laws. At least, none that I can prove. It is legal to punish servants.”
“Surely not as she has been,” Namir claimed. “And if it is so, I will change it. This… This should not happen.”
Zahra looked down. “It is fine. It will not happen again. I have been saving to pay off my debt, and soon I will have enough.”
“What if she steals from you again?” Namir questioned. “What if she prevents you from leaving?”
Zahra was not sure how to answer. In truth, she did not know how she would leave. Would Bahiti even let her?
Namir rubbed the skin between Zahra’s thumb and finger, trying to catch her eye. “Let me help you, Zahra. I can take you away from that place. You will never have to see Bahiti again.”
Zahra’s voice quivered. “You would do that?”
“Yes.” Tears swelled in her eyes, and he smiled. “Here, look what I got you.” He released her hand and retrieved his bag. From within, he pulled out something small and held it in a closed fist. He took her hand, placing the object in her palm.
“A seashell.” Zahra traced its spiral shape, studying the soft, golden spots on its off-white surface. It hung from a thick white cord, creating a beautiful necklace. “Where did you find this?”
“I traveled to Iunu and purchased it this morning.” Namir grinned. “It comes from the beaches of Ionia, as far as I was told. I know it does not compare to your mother’s necklace, but I thought you would still like it.”
Zahra sniffled as she studied the shell. “You remembered.” She had not given more thought to where he had gone off to that morning, and all along he had been searching for a gift for her. “It is beautiful. But I have nothing for you.”
“Your company is gift enough.” He leaned forward, his breath soft on her skin. His black eyes sparkled. “I have no intention of letting you drift from my memory when this spell ends. I hope you will still accompany me to the library or take me to visit your people’s homes.”
Zahra laughed. “Of course, I will.”
“Good.” He gestured to the necklace. “Do you want to wear it?”
“Yes.” She offered it to him, and he took the strands, securing them around her neck. She clasped it in her hand, smiling at it. “I love it.” She turned it over with her fingers. “It is a pity it will return to the seller tomorrow.”
“Then I shall find it again,” Namir said with a grin. “It is yours now.”
