Chapter 17
Rami
Isteadily avoided glancing in Nahlah”s direction, fully aware of her gaze boring holes into the back of my head. My hands were shaking from what the Sultan had just forced me to do, my stomach roiling at the thought of what else he might have in store for her.
Indulging in that dance before arresting her was a mistake. I’d suspected it then, but now I knew for sure that it was a selfish act, fueled by a desperate urge to feel alive. I’d tricked myself into believing it was just a single moment of weakness, a way to get her out of my system.
But when her body had been pressed so intimately against mine—igniting a frenzy within my heart—I realized how far gone I was. One moment would never be enough with her, and since a future together wasn’t an option, the most important task at hand was keeping her at arm’s length and further off the Sultan’s radar.
“Behold!” his voice reverberated around the cell, his eyes widening as the letters on the first page twisted and shifted, forming an image. “Rami!” he exclaimed, thrusting the book toward me. “Look!”
It was a map, a distinct line winding its way from the palace toward the desolate heart of the Marasynth desert, where civilization’s touch had yet to reach. Beneath it, a riddle materialized, letter by letter.
In the desert’s heart, where silence reigns,
Beneath the sun that scorches plains,
To prove your worth and claim your right,
Begin your search by the Marasynth’s light.
Sultan Ghazi drew in a sharp breath before advancing toward Nahlah with a newfound fervor. “Are you aware of your role as a Heartseeker?”
Defiance sparkled in her eyes, but it was through gritted teeth she conceded, “Yes.”
”Good,” he nodded in satisfaction. ”You will follow the tome and retrieve the Heart of Eternity for me.” Her body tensed, an immediate refusal clear in her expression. Before she could utter a word, he raised a hand, signaling for silence. “If you accept this bargain, you’re free to go, and I will never interfere with the Mirage again. But if you refuse,” his voice lowered menacingly, “everyone tied to the Mirage will suffer a fate worse than death.”
Nahlah recoiled, a visible shudder running through her. At that moment, I wished nothing more than for her to defy him, but having known the Sultan all his life, I knew his threats were never empty.
“I will do it,” she responded angrily. “But only if you promise no harm will come to anyone associated with the Mirage.”
Sultan Ghazi responded with a dismissive wave. “Yes, yes, I promise,” he said, his gaze swinging to me. “Now, let’s begin preparations. Rami—”
“I want an oath.”
He paused, turning slowly. “You doubt my word?” he asked, his voice unnaturally calm, almost amused.
“Yes,” she responded without hesitation.
Admiration for her bravery twined with concern for her safety, especially when the Sultan laughed, uncontrolled and frenzied. “Very well! Rami, perform the oath!”
Immediately, I stepped forward, eager to put the protections in place. “Extend your hands,” I requested, waiting until they complied. “Sultan Ghazi promises not to harm, injure, maim, or kill—whether directly or indirectly—anyone belonging to, associated with, or aided by the Mirage in any capacity.” Turning to him, I asked, “Sayyidi, do you promise to uphold this oath?”
He nodded, his eyes never leaving her. “I promise.”
“In return,” I hastened my speech, hoping to divert his attention from my choice of words, “Nahlah will follow the tome in search of the Heart of Eternity. Nahlah, do you promise to uphold this oath?”
“I promise.”
A shimmering glow materialized around their hands, leaving behind the faint outline of a sandsilk lily—a symbol of a promised oath. As the glow faded and the flowers disappeared, the Sultan dropped his hand, glancing around in utter revulsion.
”I must leave this horrid place immediately and retire to my bathing chamber,” he said, fixing me with a severe glare. ”Ensure you are prepared to leave as soon as possible.”
“Wait,” Nahlah frowned, waving a hand at me. “He’s coming?”
“Of course! I don’t trust thieves,” Sultan Ghazi scoffed, sweeping out of the cell with a flourish.
Though her face reddened at his words, she met my gaze head-on. ”Will you tell me one thing?”
I raised an eyebrow curiously. ”It depends on what it is.”
Her jaw clenched irritably before she asked, ”Was I the only one taken?”
Ah. I should”ve known that was where her concern lay. Here she was being forced to embark on a dangerous journey, and she was worried about her family. I knew Sultan Ghazi would want me to withhold the truth as an added incentive to keep her under control. But since he hadn”t expressly forbidden me from saying anything, I wanted to ease her burden in any way that I could.
”Yes,” I nodded.
Placing a hand over her heart, she let out a relieved breath, blinking rapidly, as if desperately trying to keep herself from crying. After a moment, she pulled her shoulders back, lifted her head high, and fixed me with a look that made it clear she was not to be underestimated.
”Let”s get this over with then,” she declared, her voice laced with steely determination.