Page 16 of A City of Hearts and Feathers

"Most of the cistern is a library, my dear," Arslan said, ignoring Kahil completely. "I suppose you will have to look through the bookstore first before you have time to explore our collection properly. Know that you are welcome to visit whenever you wish."

"Thank you. I would love to come and see you again," Zoe said, giving him a warm smile. "I am overwhelmed by all of this, but as I told Kahil this morning, my curiosity seems to be greater than any fear I have."

"That is a good place to be. You have nothing to fear from us, Zoe. We will protect you while you hunt for the book. Do you have any idea where Oman might have hidden it?" Arslan asked.

Zoe took the letter out of her pocket and passed it to him. "I only have one clue that I found this morning. If you hold the page to the light, there is hidden writing on it. It's Coptic, and I have no idea what it says."

Arslan studied the letter before holding it up to catch the light of the chandelier above them. "In English it says, 'Princess or prince, which was more lovely?'"

"What? That makes no sense," Kahil complained.

"It's not meant to make sense to you," Arslan replied and handed Zoe back the letter. "Any ideas coming to you?"

Zoe shook her head. What princess? What prince? Something niggled at her, but she couldn't pin it down. "Let me think about it. I was only ten when Dad died, and I haven't thought about that time with him in detail for many years."

"Don't force it, Zoe. It will come to you, or Oman wouldn't have left it for you to figure out," Arslan assured her and patted her arm with his big paw of a hand.

"And while she is figuring it out, I think we need to make our protection of Zoe official," Kahil said, his expression darkening. "Thatalukahwasn't as careful as he should have been, and unless we claim her, either side will try to turn her. We need to make a proper contract, Arslan, so that no one can dispute it."

"A proper contract? I have no money to pay for bodyguards," Zoe argued, and she didn't know how she felt about anyone being around her permanently either.

"I know a trick with money." Kahil gestured a hand at her impatiently. "Do you have a 1 Euro coin on you? I want to show you something."

"I don't know, maybe." Zoe fished around the back pocket of her handbag, producing a pile of change. She passed over a 1 Euro coin. "There. What's this trick?"

Kahil inspected the coin, flicked it into the air with his thumb before catching it, putting it on the table, and sliding it across to Arslan. "I accept the payment of 1 Euro to officially act as the protector of Zoe Theodora Elizabeth Kartal until the Sais Codex is found and dealt with."

"I'll summon Kerem to bring the paperwork," Arslan said, picking up the coin and fighting not to smile.

Zoe spluttered. "What? I didn't agree to that!"

"That's why they call it a trick,balim," Kahil replied with a cheeky grin.

Zoe shut her mouth with a click before she hissed, "You are so annoying."

She was still cursing under her breath when Kerem arrived with papers in his hand. His hair wasn't swept back in a style, and with his curls wild around his face, he appeared even younger.

"Zoe, I'm so happy you are here," he said with a wide smile and sat beside her. "And that you have agreed to let the Order help you."

"Agreedisn't the word I would use," Zoe replied, stuffing a piece of Turkish delight into her mouth. The rose water and sugar hit her tongue, and she felt a little better. Kahil was right about the sugar too, and it made her even more frustrated.

"She paid me fair and square. Arslan has the fee. We just need you to do the paperwork, little brother," Kahil said smugly and relaxed back in his cushions like a well-fed caliph.

"Is he always like this?" she asked Kerem.

"For as long as I have known him. Just keep throwing rolling pins at him until he learns," he suggested, smoothing the papers out on the table. He produced a fountain pen and started filling in the gaps of the contract.

Zoe tried not to stare at him but couldn't help herself. If Kahil had been telling the truth, Kerem was her godfather. It was a strange feeling, especially because he didn't look much older than her.

"What's wrong, Zoe?" he asked.

"How come your eyes aren't gold too?" she said. It wasn't the time to ask about the godfather business.

"It's because he was Arslan's first successful experiment, isn't that right, little brother?" Kahil called from his mound of cushions.

Kerem shot him a glare. "Arslan should've left you for Mehmet to deal with." Kahil only cackled and said something to him in Italian.

"What's going on?" Zoe asked, looking between them.

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