Page 38 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

Zarya threw her a skeptical look.

“A powerful daughter,” she continued. “You are something to show off.”

“I’m not his monkey trained to perform tricks,” she snapped, and Ekaja smiled.

Zarya had stepped into the sparring ring with Ekaja only once, and Abishek’s commander was as formidable as she looked. But they all liked training in that godforsaken Cradle, and Zarya decided her time was better spent on her research.

“You are correct,” Ekaja continued. “But the king never expected his line to continue. You were quite the… surprise.”

“Okay, so I guess he expects me to attend,” she said, taking the note from Rabin and scanning it.

“I think it would be easier to go along with it,” Ekaja said.

“I have nothing to wear,” Zarya said.

“My lady,” Urvi interrupted, still waiting by the door. “The king has already taken care of that.”

Zarya stood before the mirror a few hours later, wearing the most stunning lehenga she’d ever seen. A rainbow of soft pearlescent swoops of fabric gathered to form the full skirt while beading in similar hues covered every inch of the choli. Urvi had curled her hair and pinned the top half to her head, adding a pair of dangling golden earrings and a golden hoop to her nose.

Zarya’s eyes were ringed in black, and her cheeks and lips were dusted with pink. She looked like a different person dressed like this. Older. Wiser. Powerful.

The message was unmistakable. This wasn’t just a fancy outfit for a party.

This was how a princess dressed.

A knock came at the door, and Urvi opened it to reveal Rabin clad in a simple but well-made black sherwani that fit perfectly to the curves of his frame. Her heart did a little stutter as he stood in the doorway, his gaze assessing her from head to toe.

Urvi excused herself, leaving them alone.

“Spitfire,” he said, his voice low and rumbling so deep, she felt it in her very bones.

“Hi,” she said, doing a little twirl, “what do you think?”

“I think you’re so beautiful you could stop time.”

Rabin crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her from behind while she leaned into him.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Have you been to many of these things?”

“A few. They’re boring. Full of ancient Aazheri who love the sound of their own voices.”

“Oh, good. My favorite.”

Rabin brushed a lock of hair from her shoulder and kissed the skin. “They won’t know what hit them when you enter the room.”

She sighed. “Are Yasen and Miraan coming?”

“I’m not sure. They’ve received another letter from Ishaan, and I don’t think Miraan is willing to wait much longer,” Rabin said. “Yasen is trying to calm him down.”

Zarya frowned, biting the inside of her cheek.

“Let’s go see them.”

Rabin nodded and took her hand before heading for Miraan’s room, where they found the pair in the middle of a somewhat heated discussion.

“Zarya,” Miraan said as they entered. He strode across the room and wrapped his hands around her shoulders. “I’m sorry, but I can’t wait here anymore. My brother sent word that Dishani has been meeting with someone in secret. She’s planning to bring in additional forces to quell the riots and root out the resistance.”