“I don’t get this at all,” Alexandra said with a pout on her lips as she looked down at the wooden board with the different colored stones littering it. Carolina had insisted that she join her, Adira, and Yashmina in a game of Mezna. She’d been trying to understand the game all evening but it was just too confusing. She didn’t even know what the point of the game was. It seemed like they were just moving their pieces randomly around the board with no end in sight. So far, the game had gone on for nearly three hours. She was just about ready to give up.
“You’re doing well for your first time,” Yashmina said with a forced smile. Her eyes were tinted pink after she spent the entire day crying, but she was trying to put on a good face.
“Thanks,” Alex said, returning a sympathetic smile to her. She picked up her colored stone, shook it in her hand and tossed it onto the board. The emerald colored piece tumbled around before landing on a carved design that indicated her next move. Alex, of course, had no clue what it meant, and she looked to the other ladies for guidance.
“You’ve landed in a bad position, again,” Carolina said with a sigh. She had no idea that Alex would be such a terrible partner for the game. Carolina herself was undefeated throughout the harem, but that was apparently about to change. “Our pieces are now frozen. They will almost certainly win.”
“Sorry,” Alex said, chewing at her fingernail. She tried to sound like she cared, but it was obvious that she didn’t. The door of Lady Carolina’s apartment opened and pulled their attention away from the game.
Hasan stepped in with his shoulders slumped forward and he shuffled over to the ladies. His grey eyes remained trained on the marble floor as he held his hand out to Alexandra. A small rolled piece of parchment sat in the palm of his hand. Alex looked at Carolina, unsure of what to do.
“It’s a summons,” Carolina said, a purely satisfied look on her face as she trained her eyes on Hasan. “This eunuch isn’t good for doing much else around here.”
Hasan still refused to look up, but Alex could still see his eyes burning with outrage. Alex reached out and gingerly took the summons from him. She unrolled the paper and tried to read the words that were printed on it, but the writing was so elaborate she found it hard to make out.
“The Lord Sultan requests your presence,” Carolina said, as she looked over Alexandra’s shoulder to read the summons. “It’s an honor for him to summon you through such official means. He must want to speak with you about something important.”
Alex heard satisfaction in Carolina’s voice, but she couldn’t understand why, nor could she figure out what Balthazar would want to summon her like this for. He’d never done it before. He’d always just sent someone to get her. She felt her stomach buzzing with nervous energy as she got up to follow Hasan out of the harem.
“I can escort her from here,” Salaman said to Hasan when they had made it to the gate of the harem. He held his wrinkled arm out for Alex to take. Hasan turned away from the old demon without a word, leaving Alexandra with him. A toothy grin spread across Salaman’s face as Alex wrapped her hand around his arm. He led her through the gardens that sat in the middle of the palace with the harem quarters on one side, and Balthazar’s private quarters on the other side.
“You’ve chosen a name for the firebird?” Salaman asked, quirking an eyebrow at her as he gave her a sidelong glance.
“Peta,” Alex said. “It means gold.”
“How appropriate,” Salaman said, nodding his head. The sunlight shone into his eyes and made them look an opaque white.
“Do you know why Balthazar summoned me?” Alex asked. Something told her that he did. He seemed to know a lot more than he ever let on.
“I believe he wishes to organize a training session with you,” Salaman said.
“Oh,” Alex said. She didn’t know why that disappointed her. It was a logical reason for him to summon her. She was just expecting something more than that. She had to remind herself that he needed her to help him. That was why she was here.
“Don’t sound so down, dear,” Salaman said, patting her on the hand. “The young Lord has designs on you, don’t you worry about that. He’s just been in a rather unique position as of late.”
Alex blushed at his words. She didn’t know what to say. She was excited and embarrassed all at the same time.
“Although,” Salaman said, his eyes narrowing as he looked up in thought and his voice suddenly filled with concern. “I do wonder what that will mean for you both in the near future.”
“What do you mean?” Alex asked.
“Your powers are developing faster than I would have expected,” Salaman said. “The smell of it on you grows every time I see you. You’ll be able to return home before too long. Especially if you train hard enough.”
“That’s great news,” Alex said, her eyes popping open in excitement.
“Mhmm,” Salaman said, nodding his head slowly. He stroked at his beard with his free hand. “But, I’m afraid Lord Balthazar won’t be able to follow you when you do return home.”
The realization hit Alex like a sledgehammer to the face. Of course he wouldn’t be following her. He had his own kingdom that he was worried about. He wouldn’t, nor would she ever ask him to, leave it for her. For the first time since she woke up here, she felt like maybe she didn’t want to go home. It was a silly thought. She didn’t have a kingdom to rule over, but she did have a life, and she couldn’t throw that away so easily.
“Don’t fret dear,” Salaman said as they came to the gate of Balthazar’s private quarters. “There’s still plenty of time until a decision must be made.”
44