I smiled, pride filling my chest as she stood her ground. But I wasn’t about to let her deal with this man on her own.
I came around the door to find a pinched-faced young man with his hand gripping Anam’s wrist. He was wearing the same dark sherwani as the palace guards, but he had a golden sash slung over one shoulder. I tried to remember what that sash meant, but my thoughts were clouded by a flash of anger at him grabbing her.
“Did you lose the dagger I gave you, Anam?” I said loudly, my fingers hovering over the talwar sheathed at my hip.
They both jumped and the young man whirled on me.
Anam used his distraction and wrenched her arm from his grasp. A red imprint from his fingers stood stark against her skin. I narrowed my eyes and took a step forward.
“Well?” I inclined my head.
Anam stared at me, seeming to remember I had asked a question. “I… No. I didn’t lose it.” She took a hurried step toward me.
“Then why does this man still have his eyes?” I turned my gaze to him and smiled.
Anam blurted out a laugh, but the mongoose-faced man stared at me.
“Who are you?” He curled his lip and looked me over, his gaze stopping on my plain kameez, then at my hand resting on the knife at my hip. “This conversation does not concern you. And how were you allowed to bring a sword into the palace?”
“I am the daughter of the emperor’s weapons master.” I crossed my arms. “Whoareyou?”
“This is Darbaran, he’s the new captain of the palace guards.” Anam moved closer to me. I didn’t miss the hurt way she wrapped her arms around herself, the delicate patterned embroidery on her kameez pulling tightly.
I looked him up and down, taking in the sneering boy who was trying to make Anam do something she didn’t want to. “Thisweasel?”
“Dani!” Anam reached up, covering her laugh with a hand.
The weasel turned bright red. “If you keep talking to me like that, I’ll have you arrested,” he sputtered, reaching for his sword.
“You won’t even get a chance to unsheathe your scimitar before I’ve sliced your hand off.”
I turned away from him.
Never expose your back to an attacker. I could hear Baba’s voice, but I ignored it.
The sound of metal pulling from its sheath sent a rush of excitement up my spine. If Darbaran attacked, he’d regret it quickly.
“Darbaran, I don’t think you should do that,” Anam pleaded.
“It’s okay, Anam, maybe we should let him try.”
“Who do you think you are?” he spat.
I glanced at him over my shoulder.
“I already told you who I am. If you don’t know, that’s your downfall.” I pulled the talwar from its home. “It won’t take much effort to cut you down.”
“You do, and the emperor will have your head.”
I shrugged. “I’d gladly give my head for a good cause. And it seems like ridding you from the world would be a fantastic benefit to everyone.”
“Darbaran, just go,” Anam said, her voice low. Then she put her hand on my arm. “Leave him. He’s not worth it.”
Darbaran’s beady eyes slid to her and then back to me, and for a moment we just stared at each other with steel in our hands.
“I’ll leave,” he said finally, sliding his scimitar back. “But not because you’ve avoided punishment. It’s because I have other duties to attend to. Don’t think I’ve forgotten this.”
I rolled my eyes.
