“As to that matter…” He drew a steadying breath. “I can assure you I felt far frommeasured. But even in the moment I could tell my rage over his treachery was dangerous. I pushed back against Adara because I was afraid of what I would do otherwise. It would have been so easy to use Father’s search for the traitor to punish Azzam, but…”
“You did the right thing,” I said firmly. “Finding the traitor is far more important than petty revenge. We need to stay focused.”
“Yes, we do.” He buried his nose in the top of my head and breathed deeply. “And yet, every time I see you, or smell you, or think about you…”
“Rek.” I spoke his name in a last, strangled attempt to be sensible before we were both consumed.
“You’re incredible, Zaria,” he murmured into my hair. “It would have been so easy for you to grow bitter and jaded from your experiences. But you haven’t lost any of the qualities I always loved in you. You’ve only grown more mature—and even more beautiful.”
“But your parents,” I managed. “Your position.”
He pulled back, looking into my eyes, his voice and face fierce. “I lived without you for three long years. I know what that’s like, and I don’t want to do it again. Adara can have the throne if keeping it means giving up you.”
“Rek, no!” I put my hands on his chest, gripping the front of his jacket. “You were born to rule.”
He shook his head obstinately. “I refuse to be like my father, so focused on ruling, he has no room in his life for love. I’m done choosing duty, or anger, or hate. I choose love. I choose you, Zaria.”
His face dipped, his lips coming to rest a hair’s breadth from mine. “But what of you?” he whispered. “What do you choose?”
“You. I choose you.” The words were like an exhale, a relieved sigh as I gave up the fight.
It took only the slightest tug on his jacket to bring his lips crushing down onto mine. His arms swept around me, pulling me close, and the years of sadness and grief and betrayal rolled away. He was mine, just like he’d always been mine—even if I hadn’t known it.
The sound of the door being thrust abruptly open broke the reverie. I pulled away, reality rushing back in as I stared in horror at Sultana Rabia.
She stared back, her eyes wide and mouth open.
CHAPTER22
“Zaria?” Her warm voice was just as I remembered it, although it didn’t usually sound so astonished. “I’d heard something from Adara about you being back—or never having left? It was a bit confused, but I didn’t expect…”
She looked from me to her son, her surprise swept away by brisk action. Shutting the door firmly behind her, she crossed the room to join us.
“When Adara said you were back, I was concerned,” she said matter-of-factly. “But I didn’t expect matters to move so swiftly. I wasn’t even sure you’d seen each other yet. The twins seemed to think you’d been at the ball, but I didn’t see you, and I was assured by several people that you weren’t one of Rek’s dance partners.”
“No.” I swallowed, not quite able to meet her eyes. “We didn’t dance.”
She groaned. “You’re the one Jerome found him in the garden with? I should have guessed, but I thought—Never mind that. The question is what are we going to do now?”
“You and Father will announce our betrothal, of course.” Unlike me, Rek had no issue holding his mother’s gaze.
“My dear son.” She raised a hand to cup his cheek before dropping it and sighing. “If only it were that simple.”
“It is that simple.” He sounded implacable.
“I didn’t realize you knew—” My words got tangled, and I started again. “I didn’t even know myself about…” I gestured between Rek and me. “How did you?”
She laughed. “I’m a mother, Zaria. I see a lot more than my children realize. I can’t tell you how it hurt to see my son in so much pain, but I did wonder if it wasn’t all for the best. He was doing so much better, and I thought…” She gave me a sad smile. “Not that I blame you, of course, my dear. I always liked you, or I wouldn’t have let Adara adopt you as she did. Looking back, I should have seen it coming, of course. But you couldn’t have known what bad timing it was for you to reappear.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Mother.” Rek hadn’t softened at her speech, his voice still stern. “We owe a great deal to Zaria. She’s the one who delivered the gang to us—single-handedly, I might add. I don’t know anyone else who could have done it.”
The sultana raised an eyebrow. “Is that why the palace is in an uproar? I was just coming to ask you about it, Rek.”
“Jerome is interrogating them now,” he said. “But thieves or not, it doesn’t matter to me. Zaria didn’t choose to reappear—she never left at all. We were deceived, and I need to talk to Father about it at the first opportunity.”
“Yes, your father.” She gave us both an apologetic smile. “He is the issue, of course. I would happily see you take my place one day, Zaria, but the sultan has other ideas.”
“Of course he does.” I tried to keep any hint of tears from my voice. “Rek will be sultan one day.”