Gifting Fire by Alina Boyden (read my book .TXT) 📕

was talking to his zahhak. To prove it, he made a gesture with his hand and the men parted, clearing the path for us, though their presence was a clear reminder of who held the power here. As if I needed another.

“Come along, then, ladies. My husband won’t keep us long, and then I can help you settle into your chambers,” Asma said.

So it was their plan to keep me in the inner courtyard. I mulled over whether or not it was worth fighting them over that point. I supposed that it didn’t much matter at the end of the day. Until I could work out a way to send messages out of the palace, which particular courtyard I was confined to was of no great consequence.

As we stepped into the baradari, my heart quickened its pace. There were no courtiers here, none of the leading men of Mahisagar. All the men had been kept to the edges of the pavilion, and they were all armed guards. More guards followed us in, taking up their positions on the stairs, effectively blocking us from our zahhaks. But it was difficult to protest, as Karim’s fliers had stayed outside the baradari too. He and his father were the only men present, apart from a pair of armed and armored soldiers with shields and spears standing at the base of the throne.

While I felt like I technically outranked the sultan of Mahisagar as the princess of Nizam, I decided that politeness outweighed precedence, and I bowed properly to Ahmed Shah as we reached the throne.

“Welcome, daughter,” he said, his tone betraying no small amusement at the situation.

“Thank you, father-in-law,” I replied, keeping my eyes downcast, my voice quiet, my posture submissive. I didn’t want him to see the least seed of rebellion in me. He’d be suspicious enough without my giving him cause for it, and if I wanted to keep any power of my own, I was going to need to play the part of the proper princess to assuage his doubts—particularly after the way I’d tried to negotiate his destruction with my father in Karim’s hearing.

“Father,” Karim said, “Razia has had a difficult past few days. I think it would be best if we concluded matters here quickly, so that she can rest.”

“Yes, of course,” Ahmed agreed. To me, he said, “As my son’s fiancée, you will be treated as my own daughter. You will be given a suite of apartments in the inner palace, as will your sisters and your maids.” He gestured dismissively to Hina and her celas. “However, there are certain rules you must abide by, just as any daughter-in-law must when entering her husband’s home.”

“Of course, father-in-law,” I replied, still the picture of filial submission.

“I keep a conservative home,” Ahmed said. “As such, you will remain in the inner palace, and will not leave it without a proper escort. If you do need to make public appearances, you will veil yourself appropriately. Needless to say, as a princess in the heart of my palace, you will have no need for weapons of any kind, and neither will your maids.”

“My father did send Sikander and two bodyguards to serve as my chaperones, father-in-law,” I informed him. “I trust they will be permitted to remain armed?”

“They will be,” Karim said, answering for his father, and Ahmed dipped his head in acknowledgment.

“You will be provided with every comfort in the women’s quarters,” Ahmed continued. “We will give you a generous allowance of clothing and jewelry until your father sees fit to send your dowry. You will be permitted to go anywhere in the inner palace you like, and to send and receive letters to and from your family. Simply hand them off to any of the guards, and they will have them sent via my own couriers. If you need to procure anything from the markets, tell a servant, and we will have one sent to fetch it for you.”

“Yes, your majesty,” I replied. It was going to make sending messages to Arjun all but impossible if I couldn’t find a way to get someone out of the women’s quarters with my letters, but I didn’t want to press the case too hard now, lest I make them more suspicious than they already were.

“If there is nothing else, I am sure you’re tired owing to the long flight, and my wife is eager to show you to your chambers,” said Sultan Ahmed.

“I would be most grateful, father-in-law,” I agreed, as getting a sense of the palace layout would be crucial if I was going to find some way around these restrictions they had placed on me.

“If I may make a suggestion, your majesty,” Hina offered, bowing her head to Asma. “I think the rooftop chambers along the southern wall will suit her highness best. There is usually a strong breeze coming in from the sea, and the view is magnificent.”

“I think that’s a lovely choice,” Asma agreed. “I’ll let Hina take you there, and I will join you later.”

“I look forward to it, mother-in-law,” I replied, meeting her smile with one of my own. I still wasn’t quite sure what to make of her, but all things considered, I didn’t think I had fared too badly in this first encounter with Karim and his family. I didn’t exactly have my freedom, but I thought I had enough of it to work with if I could just find some way of sending my messages out of the palace.

CHAPTER 12

I understood at once why Asma had agreed so readily to Hina’s recommendation when I had been led to my new chambers. Perched high atop the palace’s southern wall, they looked out over the calm waters of the lagoon and the barrier island to the south, with the sea visible beyond as a dark blue smudge that stretched out until it met the sky. It was a remarkably