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The other rider returned his measured study.
“So it would seem, my lord.”
The first rider smiled with unctuous slowness. “You are as they described, Reza bin-Latief.”
“As are you, my lord.”
The Sultan of Parthia laughed. “I will take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant as such, my lord. Forgive me for failing to convey the sentiment properly, but I did not agree to this meeting for the purpose of exchanging banter with you.”
The sultan’s laughter echoed into the night. “A man of candor. I am pleased. Shall we cease with the pleasantries and proceed to business?”
“By all means, my lord.”
“What are your intentions regarding my bastard nephew?”
“Suffering. And a
The sultan’s eyes gleamed with a martial light. “I see.”
“And what are yours?”
“Humiliation . . . followed by a
“My assistance depends on what you have to offer, my lord.”
“For now, I can offer money and weapons. Once you secure the border and strengthen your existing forces, I will be open in my support, but until that time, I ca
“Understandable.”
The sultan gestured behind him, and a pair of guards brought forth a small sealed trunk. “A gesture of gold faith. Once these funds are depleted, send word, and I will dispatch more.”
Reza nodded. He glanced over his shoulder at his retinue, and two hooded figures stepped forward to collect the gold.
As one figure bent to lift the trunk, the light of a blue desert moon struck against the skin of his forearm.
On it was the mark of the scarab.
• • •
Shahrzad,
I’ve failed you several times. But there was one moment I failed you beyond measure. It was the day we met. The moment I took your hand and you looked up at me, with the glory of hate in your eyes. I should have sent you home to your family. But I didn’t. There was honesty in your hatred. Fearlessness in your pain. In your honesty, I saw a reflection of myself. Or rather, of the man I longed to be. So I failed you. I didn’t stay away. Then, later, I thought if I had answers, it would be enough. I would no longer care. You would no longer matter. So I continued failing you. Continued wanting more. And now I can’t find the words to say what must be said. To convey to you the least of what I owe. When I think of you, I can’t find the air to breathe. And now, though you are gone, there is no pain or fear. All I am left with is gratitude.
When I was a boy, my mother would tell me that one of the best things in life is the knowledge that your story isn’t over yet. Our story may have come to a close, but your story is still yet to be told.
Make it a story worthy of you.
I failed you in one last thing. Here is my chance to rectify it. It was never because I didn’t feel it. It was because I swore I would never say it, and a man is nothing if he can’t keep his promises.
So I write it to the sky—
I love you, a thousand times over. And I will never apologize for it.
Khalid
Khalid stood at the railing of the rooftop terrace, watching the sun rise across a clear horizon.
His broken palace of marble and stone still smoldered at the edges, cleaved on many sides.
His city was a wasteland of dark plumes and rubble. Of lost promises and heartbreak.
For a breath, he closed his eyes to the ruin.
But only for a breath.
Because it was his city. His choice. His responsibility.
He would never hide from it again.
With renewed purpose, he took the single piece of parchment and held it to the flickering torch nearby.
A corner of the page began to fold into ash, and the flames licked up the sides in shades of azure and orange.
Khalid held the burning letter before him.
Then he released its embers into the wind.
Into a glorious dawn.
GLOSSARY
Akhal-Teke—a breed of horse noted for its metallic sheen; Rahim’s horse
al-Khamsa—a desert-bred bloodline of Arabian horse, translated as “the five”; Tariq’s horse; Khalid’s horse, Ardeshir
Amardha—the biggest city in Parthia; the city in which Salim Ali el-Sharif resides
astragali dice—bone dice of quadruped knucklebones, originally used in astragalomancy, a form of divination
Badawi tribe—nomadic desert tribe, controlled by a sheikh
caliph—the ruler of Khorasan, a term synonymous with “king”; Khalid Ibn al-Rashid
calipha—the wife of the caliph; a term synonymous with “queen”; Shahrzad al-Khayzuran
caliphate—the region ruled by the caliph; Khorasan
Chagatai—a dead language of Central Asian origin
cuirass—upper-body armor consisting of a breastplate and a backplate fastened together
delam—a term of endearment meaning “my heart”
dinar—a form of currency made from gold bullion
effendi—a suffix attached to a name to denote respect
emir—a nobleman of Khorasan, akin to a duke; one of the caliph’s ba
faqir—a scholar of magic and mysticism
Fida’i—a mercenary marked by the brand of a scarab on the i
ghalyan—a hookah or water pipe
jahkesh—an insult meaning “whoremonger” or “master pimp”
jan—a term of endearment, a suffix attached to a name to mean “my dear”
joonam—a term of endearment meaning “my everything”
kamancheh—a stringed instrument resembling a violin
Khorasan—a wealthy kingdom, currently ruled by an eighteen-year-old caliph with a murderous past
kohl—an eye cosmetic, traditionally made from ground galena
lavash bread—a type of very thin flatbread
magus—a sorcerer; Musa Zaragoza
malik—the ruler of Assyria, a term synonymous with “king”
mankalah—a leather cuff that spans from wrist to elbow, associated with falconry
mantle—a loose-fitting robe, usually made of an elaborate material such as damask, typically worn by royalty
marg-bahr—a wish of ill will, specifically death or destruction to someone or something
ney—a wind instrument resembling a flute
Parthia—the smaller kingdom adjacent to Khorasan, ruled by Salim Ali el-Sharif
qamis—a loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt, worn by men and women alike, typically made of linen
Rajput—member of a warrior class; Vikram
Rey—the greatest city of Khorasan; the city of Shahrzad’s birth
rida’—a cloak worn over a man’s shoulder, covering his shirt; can also include a hood to conceal his face
sahib—a title used in deference, often to denote rank
sama—a practice associated with whirling dervishes
santur—a stringed instrument also known as a hammered dulcimer, struck with a small mallet to produce sound
sayyidi—a term of respect used when addressing the caliph; translated as “my liege” or “my lord”
scimitar—a single-edged, curved sword; Tariq’s sword; Jalal’s sword
Shahrban of Rey—the highest-ranking general in Khorasan, second only to the caliph; General Aref al-Khoury
shamla—an embroidered dressing gown or robe
shamshir—a slender saber with a rather sharp curve to it; Khalid’s sword
sheikh—the leader of a Badawi tribe; Omar al-Sadiq
sirwal trowsers—voluminous pants worn by men and women alike, typically gathered at the ankle and secured at the waist by a sash