don’t.”
Rondel had heard the cult mentioned several times during the night, but it was all with the same dismissive tone. Like it was nothing more than a fairy tale. Perhaps he is still a boy after all to be focused on such nonsense.
Jahi’s face tightened. “It isn’t that simple. However, if you and your partner will help me, we can—”
“Look, I know you mean well. But if this cult was any real threat to your father, he would have addressed the issue, regardless of what else he’s dealing with. The last thing he needs is for you to stir up more trouble for him. That’s what your sister did, and because of that he may have lost some of the support he was counting on. Start accusing people of working with a cult, and you might do more than cause them to switch sides. It might be the final push toward war.”
“You don’t understand. It’s growing stronger all the time. Hundreds of years ago, they ruled these lands by fear and strange powers that were said to come from Sutek himself. Even now since the cult’s resurgence, people like Thabit and Menetnashte and others who are connected to it have grown wealthier with greater resources at their disposal. The rumors of what this cult used to do to obtain its power would turn your stomach. If those things are going on now—”
“Jahi, I know you’re a smart child, but trust me, forget about cults and conspiracies. Leave that stuff to the adults.” He gestured to one of the younger dancing women. “Why don’t you spend your time talking to one of them? They might seem a bit old for you, but many would love nothing better than to catch the eye of a young, king’s son.”
The boy started to protest again, but Rondel ignored him and walked away. He wanted no part in politics, and he sure didn’t want to become involved in rumored cults.
“There you are!” said a high voice that caused Rondel’s shoulders to bunch.
A large woman, half as wide as she was tall, waddled up to him and blocked his path. She wore a bright, single-strapped yellow dress, far too tight for her own good. Familiar orange bracelets adorned her wrists and forearms, clinging tightly against her where once they hung loose.
Rondel cursed himself for staying too long in one spot but still managed to force a smile, and bow. “Jamila, it’s good to see you this evening.”
She frowned. “I was beginning to think you didn’t recognize me.” She looked away. “I know I’m not quite as lovely as I once was.”
An enormous understatement. “Nonsense, my dear. Your mere presence fills this room with light.”
He chuckled to himself at the joke. Dressed like that, she looks like the sun.
She blushed. “You always said the sweetest things to me.” Her gaze ran up and down his body. “I have been hearing about your trials. It’s a cruel thing what happened to you.”
Rondel tilted his head in surprise. Others had made similar comments to him throughout the evening, but none with Jamila’s sincerity.
“Yes, it was a . . . trying time.” He cleared his throat, changing subjects. “But please, tell me about you. Who is the lucky man to call you his wife?”
She looked away, wiping at the bottom of her eye. “I-I never married.”
Rondel blinked. How is that possible? She might not be much to look at now, but she was once quite beautiful. And more importantly, very rich. “I can’t believe you’ve had no suitors.”
“I turned them all down. I’ve been waiting for you to return. Like you promised when you left.”
Gods, that was what . . . nine years ago?
“Oh. Well, I—”
She reached out and touched his hand. “It’s all right. You don’t have to explain. I understand now that you just needed to finish your entertainment obligations like your note said. And then on the way back, you were imprisoned and unable to return to me.”
“Yes, of course. But Jamila, you see—”
Andrasta stepped between them, angry. “We need to talk.”
She snatched Rondel
Rondel had heard the cult mentioned several times during the night, but it was all with the same dismissive tone. Like it was nothing more than a fairy tale. Perhaps he is still a boy after all to be focused on such nonsense.
Jahi’s face tightened. “It isn’t that simple. However, if you and your partner will help me, we can—”
“Look, I know you mean well. But if this cult was any real threat to your father, he would have addressed the issue, regardless of what else he’s dealing with. The last thing he needs is for you to stir up more trouble for him. That’s what your sister did, and because of that he may have lost some of the support he was counting on. Start accusing people of working with a cult, and you might do more than cause them to switch sides. It might be the final push toward war.”
“You don’t understand. It’s growing stronger all the time. Hundreds of years ago, they ruled these lands by fear and strange powers that were said to come from Sutek himself. Even now since the cult’s resurgence, people like Thabit and Menetnashte and others who are connected to it have grown wealthier with greater resources at their disposal. The rumors of what this cult used to do to obtain its power would turn your stomach. If those things are going on now—”
“Jahi, I know you’re a smart child, but trust me, forget about cults and conspiracies. Leave that stuff to the adults.” He gestured to one of the younger dancing women. “Why don’t you spend your time talking to one of them? They might seem a bit old for you, but many would love nothing better than to catch the eye of a young, king’s son.”
The boy started to protest again, but Rondel ignored him and walked away. He wanted no part in politics, and he sure didn’t want to become involved in rumored cults.
“There you are!” said a high voice that caused Rondel’s shoulders to bunch.
A large woman, half as wide as she was tall, waddled up to him and blocked his path. She wore a bright, single-strapped yellow dress, far too tight for her own good. Familiar orange bracelets adorned her wrists and forearms, clinging tightly against her where once they hung loose.
Rondel cursed himself for staying too long in one spot but still managed to force a smile, and bow. “Jamila, it’s good to see you this evening.”
She frowned. “I was beginning to think you didn’t recognize me.” She looked away. “I know I’m not quite as lovely as I once was.”
An enormous understatement. “Nonsense, my dear. Your mere presence fills this room with light.”
He chuckled to himself at the joke. Dressed like that, she looks like the sun.
She blushed. “You always said the sweetest things to me.” Her gaze ran up and down his body. “I have been hearing about your trials. It’s a cruel thing what happened to you.”
Rondel tilted his head in surprise. Others had made similar comments to him throughout the evening, but none with Jamila’s sincerity.
“Yes, it was a . . . trying time.” He cleared his throat, changing subjects. “But please, tell me about you. Who is the lucky man to call you his wife?”
She looked away, wiping at the bottom of her eye. “I-I never married.”
Rondel blinked. How is that possible? She might not be much to look at now, but she was once quite beautiful. And more importantly, very rich. “I can’t believe you’ve had no suitors.”
“I turned them all down. I’ve been waiting for you to return. Like you promised when you left.”
Gods, that was what . . . nine years ago?
“Oh. Well, I—”
She reached out and touched his hand. “It’s all right. You don’t have to explain. I understand now that you just needed to finish your entertainment obligations like your note said. And then on the way back, you were imprisoned and unable to return to me.”
“Yes, of course. But Jamila, you see—”
Andrasta stepped between them, angry. “We need to talk.”
She snatched Rondel
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