CHAPTER1
“Greetings!” a loud, cheerful voice called from outside.
Nyla glanced toward the window but couldn’t see into the courtyard beyond since she was sprawled across the sitting room’s daybed.
“Kasim isn’t usually back from his day’s business so early,” she said with the same irritated tone she’d been using all morning.
I rapidly debated whether to reply and decided it was marginally safer to correct her error than say nothing.
“I think it might actually be Ali,” I said, careful to keep my voice free of any hint of criticism. I even peered through the closest window as if I needed to confirm it with my eyes, although I could easily hear the difference between my employer’s voice and that of his brother.
“Ali?” Nyla sat up, her look of annoyance growing. “I know my husband’s brother likes to take advantage of our good nature most every day of the week, but he usually comes in the morning, at least.” Her voice dropped to a mutter. “And why Kasim allows it, I’ll never understand.”
I suppressed a sigh. It was true Ali often came to his brother’s house looking for a servant to assist him in his day’s woodcutting. But Nyla’s complaints were old and tired by now, especially since she was all too aware of the reason both she and her husband permitted a groom or manservant to accompany Ali.
Much as they might decry being related to someone as unsuccessful as Ali, they feared the situation could grow even worse. Neither of them wanted the humiliation of such a close relative descending into abject poverty.
Nyla heaved herself onto her feet, a calculating look entering her eyes as they turned to me. Her impatience with her brother-in-law usually led her to ignore his daily arrival, allowing Ali to pick from among the available servants himself. But apparently her bad mood on this occasion needed a more proactive outlet, and Ali’s arrival provided her another opportunity to take her annoyance out on me.
Obediently I trailed her as we left the room and crossed to the mansion’s main door. I stayed several steps behind since it wouldn’t do to let Nyla see my lift of spirits at the unexpected reprieve from a day spent in her sole company. She had spent the entire morning complaining about not being invited to a party at the palace the previous evening, becoming gradually more and more annoyed in the process. I had grown tired of her ill-temper long before the midday meal, but she had required my continued presence as a receptacle for her complaints.
Nyla liked to direct any annoyance she felt that was even vaguely related to the royals toward me, as if I was somehow responsible for her exclusion from royal circles. And one of her favorite punishments was sending me along with Ali in place of his usual assistant. But while she might consider the task unpleasant and degrading, I found Ali to be a pleasant enough companion, and I enjoyed getting out of the city and into the shaded greenery of the surrounding woods. Naturally I took great care not to let on about my true feelings to Nyla.
We stepped out into the enclosed entry courtyard, and I lifted my face toward the afternoon sun. It danced off the water in the elegant fountain, lighting up the greenery that edged the packed earth of the courtyard center.
“Ali.” Nyla’s tone stopped just short of open rudeness, her eyes traveling from her brother-in-law to his son. “And Navid. How…delightful.”
Ali’s lined face remained creased in a friendly grin, but the carefully blank expression on the tall young man at his side tightened slightly.
I sent Navid a quick smile of welcome, and the hardness in his eyes softened. I’d been explaining to him for years that there wasn’t any point being offended at the things Nyla said. It just exhausted you while having no effect whatsoever on her. But such restraint required practice, and he didn’t have the constant exposure to Nyla that I did.
“I see you’re heading out of the city again, brother.” Nyla eyed the three donkeys standing behind the two men.
One of the animals brayed loudly, as if sensing Nyla’s disgust, and her look of dislike deepened.
“As always, sister.” Ali bowed. “Navid had intended to accompany me on this occasion, but his master needs him in the city today. He’s negotiating a deal with a new supplier and wants his most promising apprentice to observe the proceedings.”
He swelled with pride as he always did when he mentioned Navid’s apprenticeship with one of the leading merchants in the city—an apprenticeship that would have been out of Navid’s reach without the assistance of his merchant uncle.
“Indeed.” Nyla unbent slightly. “Kasim has had excellent reports from his friend about the apprenticeship of my nephew. Navid brings credit to the family.”
Since her pleasant expression faded almost immediately, her eyes straying once more to the donkeys, this measure of praise did nothing to soften Navid’s stiff posture.
Ali, however, appeared oblivious to her underlying distaste. “We are eternally grateful to Kasim, and to you, Nyla, for your good nature in recommending Navid to such an illustrious position.” He bowed again.
Nyla smiled graciously, accepting the compliment while I rolled my eyes behind her back. Navid had started his apprenticeship before I arrived in Kasim’s household, but the older servants had described the scene to me.
Nyla had raged and protested to Kasim in private, claiming it wasn’t their responsibility to provide for Kasim’s poverty-stricken brother and his family. She had sworn her nephew would bring dishonor to Kasim’s own good name—a reputation won not through his own merit but from her unexpected inheritance a short time after their marriage. The fact they had once been almost as poor as Ali and his wife did nothing to engender sympathy in Nyla.
Of course, now that Navid had nearly completed the years of his apprenticeship—having excelled throughout—all memory of her earlier opposition was erased from her mind. I had even heard her claim the entire arrangement was her idea.
“In fact,” Ali continued, “I am hoping to trespass upon your good nature once again. Without Navid to assist me, I find myself one hand short.” He chuckled as he gestured to the three donkeys, making his request as if he didn’t make the same one nearly every day.
Nyla swiveled slightly, her gaze latching on to me. This time I let the sigh escape, assuming a depressed air.
Her mouth curved up in response to my manner. “Zaria is available to accompany you.” She turned back to show Ali her falsely sweet smile. “I’m sure she would be most happy to assist.”
“Zaria?” My name startled Navid from his silence. “Surely you can’t mean to send only her? Just this morning they were talking in the market about the return of the thieves.”