The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani (story reading .TXT) 📕

well, after you looked into the grave. What did you see there?”

I swallow. “It was a grave, kel. I am not used to looking in one. That is all.”

“That isn’t an answer,” he says quietly.

The princess’s secrets aren’t mine to share. If the royals didn’t tell their guards what was within the graves, then, arguably, they don’t need to know.

I make to step around him, one hand reaching for the doorknob. “I don’t see that it’s your concern.”

He turns with me, his hand closing over it first. “It is, actually. It’s our job to keep the royal family safe. We cannot do that if we do not know whether she buried a friend or enemy, or something else altogether—and how they came to be there.”

“They came to be there because they were dead,” I say, keeping my voice even despite the anger roaring through me. Is he actually trying to intimidate me? “Considering the prince was there as well, I suspect the princess will be protected. In fact, I suggest you bring up your concerns on how to keep the princess safe to her—I’m sure she’ll hear you out.”

“There’s no need for that when you can answer us just as well,” he says, his voice low. “What was in that grave?”

“Ask her yourself. I’m going in,” I say through clenched teeth, reaching to push his hand away from the doorknob. Instead, he releases the knob, his fingers closing on my wrist. I try to pull back, but his grip is too tight. He steps toward me, shoving my other shoulder so that I am pressed up against the door. His chest walls me in, one hand pinning my wrist to the door, the other resting beside my head. I fight back a surge of panic that overwhelms my anger.

“Not yet,” he says, his voice deceptively mild. Behind him, I hear no sound of movement, no voice. My breath rattles in my chest. Either his whole quad planned this, or they haven’t yet noticed what their captain is doing. I’m not sure they’d stop him regardless.

He tilts his face down, looking me straight in the eye. “It’s a simple question, my girl. I’d like to think we can trust you. What did you see?”

My girl? Oh no. I’m not his girl, or the princess’s lame mongrel, or a fool whose mind is apparently as useless as her foot. I answer him, but not in the way he expects. I snap my knee up into his groin, wrenching my hand free at the same time. He yelps a curse, reaching for me even as he hunches over, but I slam both hands against his chest and shove.

I may be a royal attendant, but it wasn’t all that long ago I was working with horses, lifting saddles, and carrying bags of oats and barley. I send him backpedaling halfway across the hall, his eyes wide with surprise.

I yank the door open and step through. “Stay out,” I snarl, and slam the door with all my strength.

Chapter

13

The princess returns before dinner, bringing Jasmine and Zaria with her. Thankfully, I am not expected to attend her tonight. The graveyard was enough of a first day for me, and I am still slightly unbalanced after my hallway encounter with the captain. At least the salve the healer gave me has numbed the ache of my blisters.

Alyrra seems pensive, having little to say about Mina’s selection of clothes for the evening. She only nods and thanks her, and asks us to select the jewelry as well. As she turns away, she pauses, her gaze catching on me—or rather, my wrists. I shift, pulling my hands up into my sleeves, but Alyrra reaches out uncertainly.

“Amraeya—?”

“Zayyida?” I ask, keeping my voice light and unworried.

She looks up, her brows furrowed and her eyes wide and sickened.

“Is there something wrong?” I ask, careful not to glance down to my wrists. Why did the seamstress insist on cutting the sleeves just short of my wrists to show off the gold bangles that haven’t yet been delivered? I don’t even like wearing bangles.

Alyrra jerks her attention away, to Mina. “Mina, would you wait in the outer room for me a moment?”

Mina casts me a worried glance. I shrug uncertainly. She dips her head and departs, closing the door behind her.

“Amraeya . . . is your wrist bruised?”

I hesitate.

“Please, will you show it to me?”

Alyrra looks unwell, her face decidedly pale and her brown eyes shadowed. Looking at her, I don’t know what to do. What are the ramifications of reporting what happened to me?

She closes the distance between us and her hand wraps around mine, her fingers cool. “Let me see, Amraeya.”

She lifts my hand, and I let her slide back the sleeve to show the ring of bruises just above my wrist. For a long moment she looks at it, her expression hidden from me by the tilt of her face.

“Who did this?”

I don’t know what will happen if I tell her, but at the same time, she ought to know that the royal guards are more than capable of bullying others. So I say, finally, “A soldier. He wanted to know . . . about the grave. About what was in the second grave. I didn’t tell him.”

Alyrra lets go of my hand and steps back. I tug down the sleeve again.

“I see.” Her voice is soft and shaky. “I am sorry, Amraeya. It won’t happen again.”

How can she be sure of that?

“Come, let’s go out to Mina.”

When we reach the outer sitting room, Mina rises to greet us once more.

“Please check at the guard room and ask Captain Matsin to wait on me,” Alyrra says. “You may go to your own quarters after that, and take a rest. I’ll ring for you when I’m ready to go to dinner.”

“As you wish.” Mina hurries from the room. I watch her go with a sinking sensation.

“Come sit,” Alyrra says, and seats herself stiffly on a sofa. I sit down as well, wondering how this