Page 47 of Wings of Cruelty and Flame

I rolled my own. “I’m not going to repeat anything you say in my presence,” I huffed. “I’m part of this conversation too; I’d implicate myself.”

“What’s your opinion of the king?” Aliah asked, her head tilting as she focused on me.

I shrugged, their attention on me making my stomach tangle. I wasn’t used to people focusing on me unless they were pointing out my flaws or taunting me about my mother. “Other than him wearing a shocking number of colours all at once, I don’t have one. He seemed nice at the wedding.”

Aliah scoffed this time, her nose wrinkling. “He does that. Seems nice. Don’t fall for it.”

I was getting the sense from Varidian, his mother, and his legion that there was more to King Bakhshi than there seemed. “Is he cruel?”

“Very,” Aliah replied with a flatness to her eyes that spoke of personal experience. “Keep your distance, never enter a room with him alone.”

That wasn’t a warning I would ever ignore, not with her tone, with that look in her eye.

“I won’t,” I agreed seriously. “Not that I’ll have cause to be alone with the king when I’m not part of the royal family anymore. I don’t think being married to his son for a single day will suddenly make me a princess.”

“It does, actually,” Zaarib said, striding into the room and making me jump. I was gratified to see Nabil startle too. “Once a princess, forever a princess.”

I didn’t want to be a princess. It was a strange and unwelcome title with my husband missing, and the chance of his survival dwindling with every hour that passed.

“That’s a thought,” Nabil said, a devious smile crossing his face as he fixed on me. “You might not be an official part ofthis legion, but since Varidian introduced you to us and you flew with us, fought with us… you’re technically the highest ranked member with Varidian missing.”

I waited for laughter, but he was serious. Amused and sharp, but serious.

“Fuck off,” I muttered, shaking my head hard. “Don’t look to me for commands, I have no idea what I’m doing here.”

Nabil’s smile deepened, the sharp edge somewhat dullened. “Sure you don’t want to command us to fly to the nearest market town and acquire you a thousand sparkling jewels?”

My stare went flat. “What kind of princess do you think I am?”

“A spoiled one.”

A laugh burst from me, a sharp crack of sound that echoed off the ceilings. “You’re funny, Nabil. Very funny.”

I cracked my book open again, my face hot. They heard the word princess, knew I came from a gentry family, and jumped to conclusions. I might have come from wealth and comfort, but I could never be called spoiled. If I was truly spoiled, I’d have a library in my name and never leave the walls. I’d hoard stories and information, collect dresses in luxurious fabrics, have an endless supply of hot meals and sweets and pastries, and I’d have a husband utterly devoted to making me happy, who promised to murder all my enemies and maim anyone who spoke bad of me and—

I was describing Varidian. Fuck.

“I don’t want to fly anywhere,” I said when my laugh stopped echoing through the kitchen, the silence hollow in my ears. “We need to stay here so Varidian and Fahad know where to find us when they return.”

“And if they never return?” Zaarib asked, leaning against the table beside Aliah, his voice wiped of all emotion, his expression smooth. “What then? Will you stay here forever?”

A tight, painful lump formed in my throat. I wished I knew the answer to that question.

What would I do if Varidian never came back?

“Enough of this,” Aliah said firmly, pushing back her chair. “You two can put your many skills together and make tagine for dinner.”

Zaarib opened his mouth to protest; Nabil looked horrified.

“Oh, shut up, it won’t kill you,” Aliah huffed, walking around the table to me in a stream of brown and red fabric.

“Why can’tyoucook for us?” Nabil asked, earning a swift glare.

“BecauseI’llbe busy teaching Ameirah how to wield a knife.” She met my eyes. “If you’re staying here, you’ll need to know how to use one, and with considerable skill.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

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