After the rough night, I slept later than intended, leaping from bed as soon as I realized it was well past dawn. With the scales tucked under my arm, I opened my door and nearly stepped on the package just outside it.
The date bread inside the wrapping had probably been warm when it was left here, but it was stone cold now. I sighed. Layla must have told Yara I intended to leave early.
Doubly annoyed at my uncharacteristic folly in sleeping late, I hurried for the closest exit into the courtyard. When I stepped out of the house without running into anyone, I let out a soft breath of relief. But I’d hardly taken two steps when a sharp voice called my name.
“Zaria! There you are!” Nyla swept toward me, remnants of a late breakfast still clutched in her hand. If she was chasing me down mid-meal, then the night had done little to cool her bad mood.
I straightened my shoulders and managed a smile. It was never a good idea to let Nyla see any irritation.
“I’m just leaving,” I said. “Ali requested that I help him again today.” I allowed a downcast expression to cross my face, and Nyla relaxed a little at the sight of it.
“Yes, you deserve another day outcast from the city. When I think what I went through yesterday with that odious woman laughing into her tea—”
I edged toward the gate, wondering if I dared slip out while she was still ranting. Her eyes speared me, however, her words abruptly breaking off as she focused on the bundle under my arm.
“What have you got there? Are you stealing something?”
I stopped, holding out the scales for her inspection.
“No, of course not.” I restrained my anger. “I would never steal. Mariam asked to borrow some scales, and Yara has sent these old ones.”
Nyla sniffed, clearly torn between the desire to disapprove of her sister-in-law’s actions—whatever they might be—and approval of the fact Yara had only sent the old scales.
“Here, let me see those.” She snatched the scales away from me, turning them over as if she wanted to check for herself that they weren’t the new set.
“What could Mariam possibly have that needs weighing with such large scales?” she demanded, her eyes narrowing. “You must find out, Zaria!”
I blinked, taken aback. “But I—”
“No!” She held up a hand to stop me. “Everyone is always telling me how clever you are—although I take leave to doubt it myself. I’m sure you can think of a way to discover what Mariam is about. You can report back to me tonight.”
With a satisfied nod, she thrust the scales back toward me and pointed at the gate. I gulped and accepted them, hurrying out of the courtyard before she could change her mind. At least I had the whole day to think of what answer I could give her. I certainly couldn’t tell her the truth.
I groaned as I rushed through the streets of Karema. As if my list of worries wasn’t big enough, I now needed to add the fear that Nyla might learn the truth about Ali’s discovery. That would certainly be disastrous.
I took my usual shortcut through the market, waving greetings at the various stallholders but not stopping to speak to anyone as I rushed to Ali’s. However, when I passed the bakery on the edge of the market, I came to a halt. A hand-drawn cart rested to one side of the door. Its load of sacks was already half-depleted, the work of a burly man who was slinging another two across his shoulders as I passed.
The miller and his cart were a familiar sight around this part of the city. And standing beside the cart, gazing toward the market, was an even more familiar figure.
“Zaria!” The petite young woman flicked her long black braid over her shoulder and dived toward me, her rounded face alight with joy.
I laughed as she wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. “Kali!” I said back, half mockingly.
She grinned in return, unfazed by my teasing.
I had met Kalila, the miller’s daughter, the first time I visited the market. She was full of curiosity about the new girl—especially when she heard I had spent most of my life at the palace. It only took the discovery that we were mere months apart in age to turn us into firm friends.
She pulled back, her face full of excitement. “Have you heard the news?”
“News?” Fear shot through me. Had Ali already slipped up? Surely news of the treasure couldn’t have spread through the market already.
“The thieves are back!” She said it like it was the most thrilling thing to happen in the last month.
“Oh.” Relief shot through me before I looked at her suspiciously. “You seem unnaturally pleased about that.”
A wounded expression filled her mobile features. “Of course I’m not excited they’re robbing people, but…” Her face shifted back to bright animation. “Samir actually saw them! He’s been out of the city visiting relatives down south, and he was on his way back yesterday afternoon when the gang converged on a caravan traveling just ahead of him.”
“What?” I twisted around, trying to peer back toward Samir’s stall in the market. It was just out of sight, however. “Is he all right? Did they rob him?”