The Forbidden Wish(61)

Without looking back, Sulifer descends and strides through the crowd. Darian hesitates, his face scarlet.

“You heard the queen,” says Aladdin coolly.

After giving Aladdin a furious look, Darian runs to catch up to his father. The astonished people part wide, none wanting to be caught in Sulifer’s path. The vizier and his son leave through the central door, letting it slam behind them.

Only then does Caspida turn back to Aladdin and hold out a hand. He takes it, his face pale, and together they face the court.

“Let the wedding preparations commence,” says Caspida.

Then she sits on the throne, Aladdin standing beside her, their hands still joined. The crier, brought forward by a flick of Caspida’s free hand, dismisses the nobles. They are slow to leave, and long, calculating looks are cast at the couple on the dais. Guards speed up the process, ushering them all out, until at last the room is empty save for the few guards, Caspida and Aladdin, and the Watchmaidens and me.

The princess exhales deeply and bends over, her face in her hands. Her girls flock to her, brushing Aladdin aside and kneeling before their princess.

Aladdin stands by quietly. I move to his side, and he meets my gaze. The look he gives me is longing and uncertain, and soon I must avert my eyes, unable to withstand it.

It is for the best, my thief.

Caspida says, “Sulifer won’t give up this easily. Even now, he is regrouping with his followers. We must move quickly. The Eristrati are loyal to me, at least, as are a few of the ministers.”

Khavar takes over, assigning tasks to the others in preparation for the sudden nuptials. Within minutes, the girls have planned the entire ceremony, with special attention paid to security.

“Find Captain Pasha,” says Caspida, who sits with her knees drawn up on the throne, her face creased with thought. “He is loyal to me. Tell him to gather the Eristrati and every guard he trusts and bring them here.”

Nessa’s eyes grow round. “You think Sulifer will attack?”

“We’ve known this moment was coming for years. Sulifer will try to control me the way he did my father. If I give him any ground, even for a day, he will inextricably insinuate himself into my reign. These next hours are crucial. I must establish myself independently of him and prove to my people that I will not be ruled. I want to speak to my council of ministers, to discuss the coronation.”

Aladdin speaks up, startling the girls a bit. “Then what are we waiting for? Why don’t we throw him into the dungeons now?”

Caspida frowns. “It’s not that simple, Rahzad. The vizier has the loyalty of the army as well as much of the court. Locking him up will only turn them against us.”

“But you’re the queen. Can’t you do whatever you want?”

“I don’t know how your Istaryan kings and queens behave,” she returns, a bit sharply, “but in Parthenia, our power relies on the good will of the aristocracy and military. If I did ‘whatever I wanted,’ I’d have riots breaking out on every corner.”

Aladdin gives me a frustrated glance, but there is nothing I can do. He must learn that Caspida is right. His vengeance will have to wait a while yet.

“Rahzad, I do not mean to be sharp with you,” Caspida says more softly. “How patient you have been, while I have dragged you about like a goat on a leash. I wish we had time to do this properly. To send gifts to one another’s kingdoms, to discuss terms of our alliance. I have not met your family, and I know so little of your people.”

Aladdin winces. “There’s really not much to know.”

“When this is over, we will retrace our steps and begin anew. I cannot leave my city until the jinn have been dealt with, but when the time is right, I will journey with you to Istarya and see your land for myself.”

He smiles a bit weakly and glances at me, his eyes bright with panic. I feel a bit ill as I return his look, knowing I won’t be around to help him. Knowing it’s my fault he’s in this mess. The consequences of my recent actions seem to be piling up, and I feel like a spider that has spun too thin a web.

Caspida makes us wait until Captain Pasha arrives with a contingent of Eristrati before leaving with her handmaidens. Aladdin and I, surrounded by a dozen guards, exit after her.

Back at Aladdin’s rooms, he insists the guards wait outside, which they do only after thoroughly searching the chambers for assassins, poison, or other plots.

Alone at last, Aladdin slumps onto the cushions and lets out a long, groaning sigh. Outside, the storm winds rip at the silk curtains hung between the arches, and rain patters on the courtyard. Though it is midday, it is dark enough to be midnight.

“It’s all happening so fast,” he says. “I didn’t think . . . I’m marrying the princess in a matter of hours.”

“And yet you look as if you’ve swallowed broken glass.”

He slowly runs his hand through his hair, his eyes fixed on the floor. “She doesn’t love me.”

I go stand in one of the arches and let the rain dampen my face as the curtains billow around me. The smoke roiling and pulsing inside me echoes the wildness of the storm. I watch the sky for any sign of jinn, the bond with my lamp chafing like a rope around my core. Where is Zhian? Where is Nardukha? Why do they delay? I long to fly away from here, to outrun Aladdin’s gaze and hide myself in the clouds.

“Love is a path lined with roses,” I say bitterly. “But it leads to a cliff’s edge, and all who follow it tumble to their doom. You will not find your happiness there.”