“He’s fine. I guess his one little cart wasn’t an appealing target compared to a whole caravan. But he saw the whole thing! And—!” She paused and looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to show the proper shock and interest before she delivered the climax of her news.
“Were the merchants in the caravan harmed?” I asked, a sick feeling developing in my stomach as I thought of the hard look on the faces of the thieves.
“They probably would have killed them all,” Kali said with dramatic relish, “except guards came thundering out of the city and drove them into the forest. And guess who was at their head!”
“Oh,” I said, finally catching up with the real reason this news was so sensational.
She gave me an odd look. “Did you already hear the story?” Her voice dripped with disappointment.
I shook my head. “No, not at all. Keep going.”
Her smile returned. “It was the crown prince! Prince Tarek himself!” She nudged me, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “Your old friend.”
I managed to dredge up a smile. “That’s ancient history, Kali. You know that.”
Two days ago I would have added that the prince wouldn’t even recognize me if he saw me now, but it turned out that wasn’t true.
But as good a friend as Kali was, I wasn’t ready to tell her about my encounter with Rek or my revelation of the night before.
Kali sighed. “You’re always so practical and focused, Zaria! Surely even you must be a little interested to hear that someone we know saw the prince pursuing the thieves into the forest!”
I laughed. “Sorry to be such a disappointment, best of friends. Shall I ask with bated breath whether he caught them?”
I had nearly forgotten to ask the crucial question that any uninformed person would surely ask.
“Sadly, no.” Kali wilted. “Think how much better the story would be if he had!”
“And the lives of everyone who uses our kingdom’s roads,” I said wryly.
Kali waved aside my words. “Of course, of course. But think of the celebrations if the prince had caught them!” She rolled her eyes. “Not that you would have come.”
“Actually,” I said, “about that…”
Kali gasped and clapped her hands. “You mean you’ve changed your mind about living like a hermit?”
I laughed. “I don’t live like a hermit! I’m here right now talking to you, aren’t I?”
She wrinkled her nose. “You know what I mean! Whenever there’s something especially fun going on, you hide away at home.”
I grimaced, and she instantly looked contrite. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t tease you. Of course I understand why you don’t want to come.” She took my hand and squeezed it with a look of warm sympathy.
Kali was the only one who knew the whole story of my history at the palace. Except she didn’t know the true story, I realized with a jolt. Although it had been unintentionally done, I had misled her.
Guilt filled me at having given her the wrong idea about my old friends. Kali was too loyal to accept the practicalities of our difference in station as a reason for the royals abandoning our friendship. Despite every protestation on my own part, she always declared that even if she became a princess tomorrow, she would remain friends with me. And now it turned out Adara might have been feeling the same way all along.
I shook my head. It was too late to think about that, and the present had plenty of worries without piling on ones from the past.
“I think it’s wonderful if you’re ready to join us at the next celebration, though,” Kali said earnestly. “I’ve always hoped you would be able to move past the hurt eventually.”
I winced but made myself squeeze her hand back, promising I would tell her the full truth at some point. Just not right now, with me late to Ali, and her father about to finish delivering the flour to the bakery.
“Thank you, Kali,” I said. “You’re a good friend.”
“The best, naturally.” She let go of my hand, giving me a cheeky smile just as her father called to her.
I chuckled, shaking my head as I waved goodbye and hurried back on my way. Kali was one of the things that had made it easy to settle into my life here, providing me with a delightful respite from Nyla whenever I had a rest day.
It was only a few minutes further to Ali’s house, but all my earlier worries had returned by the time I reached the gate. I paused in front of it, staring at the festive red material tied around the handle.