“Finish the drills for me?”
Mazin gave a nod, concern crossing his features as he watched me. He stepped into the yard and shouted out instructions.
I walked over to Noor, meeting her at the gate and hopping over the fence.
“Your school has come a long way,” she commented, nodding at the training yard. “It’s impressive.”
I followed the direction of her gaze, watching my students with pride.
“I always knew you’d do something amazing.” She said the words so softly, they were almost carried away by the wind.
“I’m not sure about amazing. I’m not building an empire or anything. But I love it.”
“Youarebuilding an empire. Just because it isn’t made of kingdoms and djinn doesn’t mean it isn’t powerful. And it doesn’t mean that you aren’t an empress ruling over it all.”
“I rather like the sound of being an empress.”
My grin faded as I eyed her travel pack and stallion. “And you?” I dared to ask. “What will you do?”
She released a heavy breath and tilted her head back in the sun, her wild, short curls blowing in the wind. “That’s the question I’ve been asking myself. After helping Anam and Mazin destroy the last remnants of zoraat, there isn’t really a big need for an herbalist in Basral.”
“You are always needed here,” I said quietly.
She shot me a grateful smile. “And I would happily stay here and cultivate mountain plants for the rest of my life, curing all the ailments of your would-be assassins.”
“Sword masters. Not assassins,” I corrected.
She quirked a brow. “Whatever you say. I refuse to believe this isn’t a secret assassin school.” Then she blew a curl of hair out of her face and gave me a serious look. “I would be happy here, Dania.”
I sighed. “But it’s not enough.”
She shook her head. “I want to track down my mother’s people. I have unanswered questions, and before I settle down and become an old village aunty, I want to find where I come from. I want to know my family.”
“Well, you always have family here. Whenever you choose to come back.”
“I know. And I will be back.” We stood in companionable silence until Noor leaned back against the fence and gave me a once-over before letting out a chuckle.
“What?” I punched her in the arm.
“I’m just thinking of how different you look from when I first saw you—dirty, bloodied, and scrambling on the floor of your cell, accusing me of being a ghoul.”
“Trust me, a bath didwondersfor your appearance too.” I gave her a small smile, remembering the moment we met, and all the rage and fear inside me.
But there was yearning too. A dream that there was somethingbeyond the walls of our cell, more than what we were condemned to. Noor helped me see that.
“Digging the wrong way and ending up in your cell was the best thing that ever happened to me, you know?”
“Me too.”
My eyes burned with the things we didn’t say to each other, but our parting embrace spoke all the words we needed.
Maz walked over to me, long after Noor rode away, and leaned against the fence.
“Noor left?”
I exhaled, looking up at him, the shadows haunting his eyes not quite gone, but less. I knew mine were the same. Anger and grief had taken so much from me, but they had given as well. Mazin standing beside me, wearing a blue tunic in the afternoon sun, was one gift I never thought I’d have. Noor’s friendship was another, and though my heart didn’t want to see her go, I knew she needed to find her purpose, like I’d found mine.
“Yes, to find her mother’s people.”
