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

Melly sighs as the door closes behind him. “I’m sorry, Rae. I didn’t fully appreciate how difficult this would be for you.”

“It’s all right,” I tell her. “I’m just grateful you handled that.”

Besides, the shoes are the least of my concerns.

Chapter

15

When I walk into Alyrra’s bedchamber the following morning, she smiles somewhat hesitantly. I curtsy in my new set of slippers—delivered at dawn and carefully padded with bandages—and gather myself to make the speech I have spent the early morning hours composing.

The princess is quicker. “I am so glad to see you this morning, Amraeya. Let us go for a walk together before breakfast. Jasmine, will you come with us?”

“Zayyida,” I begin, fairly certain I want to walk as little as possible today.

“I know we have things to discuss,” she says earnestly. “But let us discuss them on our walk.”

Jasmine and I follow her out and through the quiet halls to a courtyard the likes of which I’ve never seen before: it is a small forest growing hale and strong in the heart of the palace.

Catching my astonished gaze, Alyrra says, “It is a wedding present. Zayyid Kestrin knew I would miss the woods of my home.”

But this little glade is well-established, the work of many years. Wasn’t the wedding only just arranged last fall? Perhaps Alyrra does not realize how old it is. Or perhaps, much more likely, there are more secrets at play here than I have been given to understand.

“Jasmine, why don’t you rest here on the bench?” Alyrra says. “You have a long day ahead of you.”

Jasmine obeys, shooting a derisive glance my way. Mina had been terse yesterday evening, saying very little other than to inform me the princess had asked after me, and that I cannot abandon my duties without notice. No doubt Jasmine and Zaria enjoyed the fact that I’d disappeared without a word, to all appearances proving myself unfit for my position. Jasmine probably expects I’m about to be chastised—or relieved of my duties. I can’t bring myself to care.

Alyrra leads me along a winding gravel path into the trees. The uneven footing does not help my aching feet at all.

“You intend to leave,” Alyrra says as the woods hide Jasmine from sight. I can still see a flash of her yellow skirt through the trees, but Alyrra’s voice is low enough that it will not reach her.

I focus on the princess, on the way she watches me, her expression grim. Well, that’s not my fault either. “Forgive me, zayyida, but I do not think I am suited to the politics of such a position. I can stay through the wedding if you wish it, but no longer.”

“I am sorry for how—for what happened yesterday.”

“The horse’s head?” I ask bluntly. “Or the guard who cornered me about it? Or the fact that I actually feared what he might do?”

“Falada—the horse. He was a friend of mine,” Alyrra begins. “I do not understand the magic at work through him, but I wished him laid to rest.”

“I understand.” But I’m not interested in remaining here, and she’s wise enough to hear what I don’t say.

She grimaces and looks away, through the trees toward Jasmine. “I didn’t think things would go as they did. Please don’t leave, Amraeya.” She takes a breath as if bracing herself and turns to me. “I would like you to learn more about the snatchers.”

I stiffen. Filadon must surely have reported my questions about the snatchers to Kestrin, and so Alyrra knows. Unless she read me so easily from our conversation on the walls. Either way, she knows this is the one thing that would keep me. I swallow and say, “I thought you didn’t intend to look into them.” But that’s not right either. “No, you just wished to test me first, didn’t you?”

She nods. “They are not to be trifled with. You must be both brave and able to keep your work secret in order to help me with them.”

I fist my fingers into the fabric of my skirts. But there is no investigating the snatchers, is there? At least not according to the shopkeeper. I wouldn’t even know where to start without getting myself killed. In truth, investigating the snatchers myself wasn’t my plan in coming here—I just meant to find out what was being done. But can I really walk away if I’m the one who can do something?

Alyrra tilts her head, watching me. “I have a contact in the city who may be able to shed some light on who they are, how they operate. One of my friends in the stable will be able to take you to meet him. If you will go.”

“I take it,” I venture, “that your contact is not entirely on the right side of the law.” If he were, she wouldn’t need me to parley with him. She could invite him in and chat with him here.

Alyrra offers me a crooked smile, unexpectedly endearing in its wryness. “No,” she says. “Not entirely.”

I don’t want to suddenly find that I like her, that she reminds me a bit of Niya, even down to the secrets she has allowed me to hold for her. This woman ordered a man to corner me, to intimidate me, to stop just short of assaulting me. Admittedly, I don’t know what her exact orders were, and I do know she apologized for the bruises I gained in escaping Captain Matsin. And he apologized as well. Light and shadow! I don’t want to be reasonable about this. I’m not even sure what reasonable is.

“I have to be able to trust you,” I blurt. “I can’t wonder if—if something that happens to me is because you ordered it.”

“You have my word,” Alyrra says, meeting my gaze steadily. “I will not test you again, nor ever order any harm to you.”

Is that enough? Are there other things I should ask to protect myself?

Alyrra goes on, her voice almost pleading. “If you