It was a distinct voice, the voice of an orator, or politician, smooth and confident, but something about it drew you in, made you feel as though you were trusted, special.
I closed my eyes.
Not him.
I hadn’t prepared myself for the sound of his voice yet. Not this soon. I thought I would have time to shore myself up, to steel myself like one of my father’s talwars—impenetrable, unbreakable. But every word brought it all back, until I wasn’t certain my legs could still hold me up. I could feel it, everything—his touch on my skin. His smile when I called his name.
His expression when he betrayed me.
That one hurt most of all, and instead of me being the impenetrable blade, he was—slicing through my defenses, through my trust, piercing my heart. That calm mask he wore when the guards took me away was the face that haunted me all my days in prison.
“I think it suits you,” Casildo continued, oblivious to the storm of emotions raging inside me. “But have it your way. Let me introduce you to Mazin Sial, the emperor’s second-in-command. Youngest second there has ever been, in fact.”
I felt rather than heard Noor’s intake of breath at his name being announced.
But I snuffed every riot of emotion clambering to get out.
I couldn’t fall apart. Not now.
Not until it was over.
And I would be damned ifhemade me fall apart, not after everything he had done. This time, I would be the one in control, I would be the one to watch as his entire life crumbled. I took a moment tocenter myself before walking off the edge of the cliff, letting a slow breath run through me. Then, I made my expression a pleasant mask.
This was who I would become in front of him. A sweet, beautiful confection.
And when he bit into the honeyed sugar, it would be poison filling his mouth.
Eighteen
He looked exactly the same. The dark hair, just a little too long. The small mole sitting underneath his eye on one side, like a bold star. Broad shoulders encased in his same palace uniform—dark sherwani with gold detailing and high leather boots to his knees. Even the quirk of his eyebrow was something I’d memorized a thousand times.
And yet, bruised circles shadowed his eyes. His face was gaunt, sharper, more pronounced, as if he needed a few good meals in him. His posture was rigid, like his shoulders directed the rest of his body and they were made from the same steel as the long scimitar that hung at his side—a product of my father as well. His eyes, always dark, always filled with longing, were replaced with a different emotion. If I didn’t know better, I would say it was sadness.
Good. He should be fucking sad.
He should regret every moment of every day since he betrayed me. But I knew he couldn’t, not if it was in service to his precious emperor. If his life was sad now, it wasn’t because of what he had done to me. But there was one thing I was sure of—Mazin wasn’t happy. He was still a blazing force of authority and contradictions, but I knew him too well underneath to not see the restlessness there.
And this time the smile on my face was not forced.
You have no idea what I’m about to rain down on you.
“I am pleased to meet you, sahiba Khara.”
My smile widened, and I tilted my head toward him. Noor and I had practiced this at least. I wasn’t a born seducer, but I’d never had the motivation as I did now. I was going to throw the same tenacity into making Mazin fall in love with me as I did into learning the sword. Because when I revealed the truth, it would hurt far more than the sharp tip of steel.
My eyes flickered to the girl at his side, a girl I also knew very well. Her dark hair was woven into a braid and slung over her shoulder with a deep blue dupatta affixed to it and delicate earrings that made a soft tinkling sound when she moved her head.
She was also the same—innocent, trusting, lovely. And I felt not a single ounce of guilt that I was about to manipulate that trust to my heart’s content.
“And who is this?”
“This is my sister, Anam.”
Anam was impossible to hate, but I tried anyway. Permanent contagious smile touching her lips, predisposition to believe anyone and anything—she was a walking opportunity for every con man and imposter in the city.
Noor moved to the periphery of the room.
She was meant to leave Casildo and me to talk while she tried to gather information from his house. But I could tell from her expression she didn’t want to go, not with Mazin now here.
