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“Then—that means only five Sisters perished that day,” she whispered.
He nodded. She thought of Sukkar and Lemun, frozen solid. She thought of the Arz disappearing, and the phantom men aboard that unnatural ship. Magic when no magic should exist. Powerful magic.
Skies.
“The Silver Witch—she was Sharr’s warden. She’s … she’s the sixth Sister.”
Benyamin’s silence was the only confirmation she needed.
For a long moment, no one spoke. Altair’s shaky laugh broke the heavy quiet, mimicking how Zafira felt.
“I’ve dropped many revelations in my day, but that, safi, tops all,” he said, but he sounded far off, as if this revelation struck him deeper than it did the rest of them.
“It is truth,” Benyamin said, spreading his hands.
“So the greatest of the Sisters turned evil,” Kifah said with a sigh. “Why am I not surprised? The best are always the worst.”
Zafira sensed years of resentment behind that line.
The Silver Witch was dark, powerful, something else. But Zafira didn’t know if she was evil.
When she said as much, Kifah gave her a look. “I don’t know what rock you live beneath in Demenhur, but the witch convenes with the sultan far too much not to be influential. Look what’s become of him, Huntress.”
There was an edge to Benyamin’s voice when he responded. “We are all flesh and blood, soul and heart. Capable of malevolence, just as much as benevolence. One wrong does not make evil.”
It could, though. Zafira was wholly aware that Benyamin didn’t answer Kifah’s implication. She supposed every creature that could not lie was adept at doling half-truths. Answering questions with more questions.
He had given them only a slice of the entire truth. Barely a page of a hefty tome stored in the library of his thoughts.
“If she isn’t evil, and she was here when it happened, why won’t she get the Jawarat herself?” Zafira asked. “She said she was trying to make things right. Why isn’t she helping us?”
“Sharr contains magic only because it drained the Sisters of theirs during the battle with the Lion of the Night. If she sets foot upon these sands, she will share the fate of the other Sisters. She escaped the first instance only because her power exceeded theirs, allowing her time.” Benyamin canted his head. “Then again, if she knew where the Jawarat was, she could merely materialize for
a trifle, grab it, and disappear. But I don’t believe that is how the Jawarat works.”
Zafira blinked.
“That is where you come in, dearest Demenhune, and the rest of us. We are stronger as one, more likely to succeed as one. As a zumra. You might have already perished had I left you to your own accord.”
“Shukrun for your vote of confidence,” Kifah said dryly.
“So once magic is free from Sharr, the Arz will fall?” Zafira asked.
Benyamin nodded.
Zafira continued, “Then chaos will break out across the kingdom. Only a few know of the quest.”
“Once the curse lifts and the Arz disappears, my runners will take to the streets, sending notice to the caliphs and their wazirs. Order will remain. See, I like to plan ahead,” Benyamin said with a smug smile, and Altair shot him a look.
Zafira was too impressed not to show it.
Altair interrupted. “Tell me something, One of Nine. How do you know of the silver woman?”
Zafira had wondered the same. She hadn’t known of the Silver Witch’s existence until the woman materialized before her.
“It’s not common knowledge, but I’m one of the Pelusian calipha’s trusted Nine Elite, no?” Kifah answered.
Zafira’s eyes strayed to the trees, where she swore she was being watched. Come, come, come, the trees seemed to chant, the call curling around her cheeks. It was as if the darkness had reached a frenzy when it heard of the Silver Witch’s identity. When it learned the woman who had controlled them still lived.
