Chapter 46
Nahlah
“There!” I called out, guiding Huriyah toward the wards that concealed the Mirage from outsiders. ”You have to get close enough for it to recognize me.” He whinnied in response, before swooping down and gliding to a halt, hovering midair. I pressed my hand to the glittering blue dome, whispering, “Iftah.”
The wards pulsed, and a slight shimmer passed over my skin. After a moment, it parted wide enough to allow Huriyah through, immediately closing behind us.As we glided gracefully to the ground in front of the Mirage, I took a deep breath, my eyes closing briefly as flashes of the last time I’d seen it overwhelmed me. “It wasn’t real,” I murmured, forcing the memories of destruction—fire, smoke, blood, death—to the back of my mind.
A warm chuff of air blew over my face, and I opened my eyes to find Huriyah looking at me with concern. I smiled as he nudged my chest reassuringly.“Thank you,” I said, rubbing his flank affectionately before dismounting, my boots landing on the ground just as the front entrance flew open with a loud bang.
“Nahlah!” Kenzie appeared in the entryway, her red wings unfurling magnificently as she soared towards us. I was crying before she even reached me, the memory of the last time I’d seen her—her beautiful wings torn savagely from her back—making my heart ache.
She collided with me a moment later, our laughter and sobs, frantic questions and continuous hugging filling the air, a cathartic release after so much uncertainty. The commotion drew the attention of others, and as everyone spilled out into the courtyard, Ummi’s loud voice rang out clear and authoritative above the crowd.
“Let me through!” she commanded, snapping her towel at anyone who didn’t move fast enough. “Binti,” she said hoarsely, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
“Ummi!” I choked on a sob as she pulled me into a hug, clasping my head firmly to her chest, as she’d done often since I was a child.
“Move! Sidi Sinbad is coming!” someone called out, and as the crowd parted, Amu Sinbad sprinted into view, slightly breathless, his hair and clothing windblown, as if he”d run from the farthest reaches of the Mirage.
”To the void with that wretched Sultan!” he exclaimed, pulling me into a tight embrace that felt like relief and a reprimand. ”Don’t you ever scare me by disappearing for four months again!” he scolded, inspecting me for injuries and cursing the Sultan with every other breath. Four months?! ”We only found out a few weeks ago that he”d forced you to go on some mission for him. We’ve been going mad with worry!”
“Nahlah!” I didn’t have time to wrap my mind around the fact that we’d been gone for so long as I was passed from embrace to embrace. Every hug, smile, and tear shed on my behalf, spoke volumes about the warmth of home and the love of my family. Their love wrapped around me, strengthening the resolve in my heart. Whatever challenges lay ahead with the Sultan, I knew with unshakeable certainty that I wouldn”t face them alone.
Without warning, a heavy weight draped around my shoulders—Irfan. He solidified from his spectral form, purring loudly as he rubbed his face affectionately against mine.
“Careful, he’s missed you almost as much as I have,” Amu Sinbad joked. His grin was broad as he gripped my hand tightly, as if scared I would disappear again.
As I stroked Irfan’s soft fur, I glanced up, looking for Huriyah. Finding him tucked halfway behind one of the date palms, nervously watching us, I beamed, motioning him forward. “Family, this is Huriyah!” I announced, waiting as he approached me bashfully, placing my hand on his flank. “He’s very special to me, and he helped save my life more than once!”
Applause and cheers erupted from the group, and Huriyah—having recovered from his brief bought of shyness—tossed his head, letting his flowing mane catch the breeze.
Amu Sinbad stepped forward, placing a heavy hand on Huriyah’s neck. “Thank you for keeping our Nahlah safe,” he said sincerely. “What can we do to repay you?” Huriyah glanced at me, and when I smiled encouragingly, he lifted his hoof in the air, and then mimed eating by dipping his head. Amused yet confused, Amu Sinbad looked at me for an explanation.
Laughing, I translated, “He’d like his hooves cleaned, some fresh hay and water, and a bushel of your finest fruits.”
Huriyah nickered happily, as if confirming my translation, and Amu Sinbad laughed, calling over his shoulder, “Tareq!”
Realizing that the stable master was safe, my heart soared, and I rushed over to hug him. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”
“Me? I’m so glad you’re okay!” he returned my embrace affectionately. “Luckily, I was almost home with the pocket watch when you sent out the distress signal.”
“Enough standing around!” Ummi interrupted as Tareq gripped Huriyah’s reins. “There will be a grand feast tonight in honor of Nahlah’s return, and we must prepare!” With the authority of a general, she ordered the older children to the marketplace with a long shopping list before requesting volunteers to help her prepare. “Kenzie!”
“Yes, Ummi!” Kenzie executed a perfect salute, and Amu Sinbad and I both laughed.
Ummi rolled her eyes, motioning toward me. “Take Nahlah to get washed up and ensure she rests!” Tossing the towel over her shoulder, she rolled up her sleeves, and tightened her scarf, readying herself for the battle in the kitchens, a troop of helpers trailing behind her.
As Amu Sinbad led the way into the Mirage, his arm around my shoulders and Kenzie gripping my left hand, I suddenly realized someone was missing. “Where’s Ala?” I frowned, scanning the faces. “Is he sleeping?” Horror suddenly hit me, and I spun to look at Amu Sinbad. “Did he not make it out of the palace?”
”Alauddeen is fine,” Amu reassured me, though his eyes held a hint of tension. ”He’s currently on a mission but should be back soon.” As we reached the central courtyard, he placed a hand on Kenzie”s shoulder. ”Why don’t you go on ahead, Kenz? I need to speak with Nahlah first,” he suggested in a tone that brooked no argument.
“Okay, I’ll see you in a bit, Nahlah!” Kenzie gave me a tight hug before snapping out her wings and taking off into the air.
As we made our way through the Mirage, people greeted me warmly, their smiles and genuine words a stark contrast to the turmoil inside me. Though I kept my smile fixed in place, each familiar face and corner brought flashes of destruction from the dreamscape—visions I struggled to dismiss as echoes of fears, not realities.
“It wasn’t real,” I murmured under my breath, trying to convince myself now as much as Rami had tried to convince me then.
“Let me get this straight,” Amu Sinbad began, pinching the bridge of his nose. I’d just finished recounting every detail of our harrowing journey—minus the parts where Rami and I ravished each other under the stars, of course. “You discovered you’re a Heartseeker, got arrested and blackmailed by the Sultan, ventured through the Shadowed Sands, appeased the Zephyr Wraith, escaped crushing dunes and mirages, got trapped in a dreamscape of horrors, found the legendary Heart of Eternity,” he paused, his gaze falling to the pendant at my neck, “accompanied by a genio fae illegally enslaved to the Sultan? Who you”re in love with, by the way?”
My face heated. “I didn’t say that!” I protested, not prepared for him to lie out my feelings so openly.
He waved off my reaction. “You didn’t have to; it’s quite obvious. No matter, we’ll address it when the fae returns. Is there anything else I need to know?”
”Um, Huriyah is a starllion, also stolen from the star realm.”
Amu Sinbad barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “Alright, let’s focus on the most important issue. What will happen to your genio when the Sultan realizes he doesn’t have the Heart?”
I shifted uncomfortably; the wooden chair suddenly too hard beneath me. “I’m not sure,” I confessed. “He said he’d meet me here tomorrow.”
Amu Sinbad steepled his fingers, his gaze piercing. “Hmm.”
Gathering my courage, I shared the plan that had been simmering in my mind. “What if we use the Heart to free Rami?”
His frown deepened. “Nahlah, is that even possible? It sounds dangerous.”
“Rami said that no amount of wishing or demanding on Sultan Ghazi’s part could force him to conjure it, because of its wards. If it could block the genio bond,” I countered, grasping the Heart at my throat. “Why couldn’t it break it entirely?”
”I don”t know, Nahlah,” he frowned, sitting back in his chair.
”It”s an artifact of legends, yet it has had no negative effects on me after I passed that first test. It feels... right, like I”m meant to wield it.”
He rubbed a hand over his chin, considering. “It’s risky. But you understand its capabilities better than I. If it can be done safely, and Rami agrees, then I’m on board.”
“Shukran, Amu!” I exclaimed, coming around his desk to hug him.
He returned my embrace, smiling. “Anything for you, binti. Now, go get some rest, so you’re prepared for Ummi’s feast to end all feasts.”
”I will,” I laughed, and after giving him one last squeeze, I stepped back, feeling a mix of gratitude and determination. As I left his office, the weight of our plan pressed on me, but so did a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could change everything.
Two weeks.
It had been two weeks, and Rami still hadn’t returned. Every day, I found myself drawn to the entrance of the Mirage, my eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of his return. Initially, being home had been a wonderful distraction, the comfort of family and the rhythm of daily life easing the sharp edges of my worry.
But as each day slipped by with no word from him, the tightness in my chest grew. Unfortunately, the Mirage members in the palace didn’t have any updates, and my mind spun with endless possibilities. Had the Sultan’s wrath claimed him? Or had something befallen him before he even reached the palace?
Despite the efforts of those around me—Kenzie showcasing her latest designs, the children pulling me into their games, Ummi roping me into helping her cook—nothing could anchor my thoughts away from Rami. His absence, the ominous circumstances under which he’d left, his evasiveness and the visible toll on his appearance were haunting me, overshadowing each moment of happiness.
I’d come to the conclusion that Rami had known he wouldn’t return, and that thought was heartbreaking.
At night, the loneliness became unbearable. When I couldn’t sleep, missing the warmth of his embrace, I would slip into the stables. There, on the bedroll I used during our journey, I lay beside Huriyah, who watched over me with silent vigilance. I told myself I would”ve felt if he was truly gone, clinging to the hope that Huriyah at least would sense such a loss. But the truth was, I was adrift in uncertainty, clinging to the rapidly fading embers of hope.
In the kitchen, the rhythmic sounds of chopping and the clamor of pots and pans was usually comforting, but today they only amplified my anxiety.
“Nahlah?” I blinked, looking up from the potato I was peeling. Ummi was watching me expectantly, and I realized I hadn’t heard her question.
“Asif, Ummi,” I apologized, placing the peeled potato into a bowl of water. “What did you say?”
Ummi sighed, her concern etching deeper lines into her already furrowed brow. “I asked if you’ve heard from him today, binti. You seem distant again.” Her knife paused, hovering over the cutting board, as she waited for my response.
“No, Ummi, nothing yet,” I forced a smile, one that felt as hollow as it was brief. Each day that passed without a word from Rami twisted a knot tighter in my heart. While only Amu Sinbad knew he was a genio fae, it was difficult to keep him a secret entirely, especially with my deteriorating state.
“Hmm,” Ummi mused, resuming her chopping with a thoughtful expression. “I wonder if a tale will make you feel better? Like when you were little?”
The suggestion, so reminiscent of happier times, drew a laugh from me. The memories of curling up in Ummi’s lap, eager for stories of adventure, felt like a lifeline. “Okay,” I agreed, settling more comfortably on the chair. “But please, no romances and happy endings today.”
Ummi smiled sympathetically, reaching for a zucchini from the large basket on the table.“Many moons ago,” her voice softened, weaving the tale with the practiced rhythm she”d nurtured within me. “There was a man and a woman who loved each other dearly.”
I frowned, slicing through a potato more forcefully than I”d planned. “Ummi, I don’t want a romantic story tonight,” I protested, hoping for a distraction rather than a reminder of what lay heavily on my heart.
“Hush, Nahlah, just listen!” she scolded, picking up another vegetable. “Their love was profound, but they faced many obstacles. The biggest one was that she was the daughter of the sultan of Sansara, destined for another, and he was her loyal guard.”
The knife in my hand paused mid-air as I processed her words. “That must have been torture,” I murmured, imagining the pain of such proximity without the possibility of a union.
“It was, and it got worse. On her wedding day, her father decreed that her guard would accompany her and stay by her side when she moved to live with her new husband.”
“So, he was forced to watch her marry another man?” I asked, wincing at the cruelty of it all.
“Perhaps it would have been easier on both of them if her husband had been evil. But he wasn’t. He was generous, joyful, happy, and kind, and he adored her more than anything. She had everything she needed, and more than she could ever want—yet the one thing she desired was just out of reach but always in sight.”
Each slice of my knife falling through the tomato, synced with the tragic beats of the tale Ummi told. ”For the guard, it was even worse. Day after day, he witnessed the man he now served touching, laughing, and loving the woman he himself loved. Both were driven mad with desire and heartache, yet it was imperative they resisted.”
”They must have felt so trapped, so... hopeless.”
”Very much so,” Ummi replied, swiftly crushing the garlic with the flat side of her knife. “They were continuously trapped in a tempest of duty and heartbreak; always teetering on the edge of temptation. A year after their marriage, the Sultan was called away to Kemetrah on an urgent matter. He bid his beloved wife farewell, promising he would return to her as soon as possible.”
“Uh oh,” I murmured, sensing the looming tragedy.
Ummi nodded, splitting an eggplant in half with a swift chop. “They tried to avoid each other, yet one night, he couldn’t stay away any longer. When he knocked on her door and she opened it, they fell into each other’s arms, not strong enough to fight their pull any longer. They loved each other for three days and two nights. Yet, on the third night, the Sultan returned early.”
I shook my head. “And he found them?”
“Yes,” Ummi confirmed. “Upon seeing them together, the kind and gentle-hearted man ceased to exist as his heart hardened with grief and betrayal. Without a moment’s hesitation, he drew his sword, executing them both on the spot.”
Wincing, I pulled the basket of onions toward me, beginning to peel one. “That is definitely not a happy ending.”
“You didn’t want one!” Ummi laughed.
“I know,” I smiled. “What happened next?”
“The Sultan decided he would never again allow himself to be betrayed. He grew paranoid and frantic, constantly changing out his guards and staff, executing anyone he suspected had ill intentions. The sultanate fell into ruin as he ruled with an iron fist. Eventually, he couldn’t handle the paranoia anymore and decided to ensure that the one thing he had control over, would never betray him: his genio fae.”
My fingers slipped, and I narrowly avoided cutting my hand. “He had a genio fae?” I asked hoarsely.
”Yes, and he ordered his fae to create his own demise. Who better to figure out the genio’s destruction than the genio himself?” Ummi asked. ”Following the Sultan’s exact specifications, he created a poison he was required to wear at all times, a failsafe.”
A failsafe.
The word echoed ominously around me, sending my heart racing and my breathing into ragged gasps. I pictured Rami’s band in my mind, recalling his mention of a failsafe and the terrible condition he was in when we’d departed. How he hadn’t even had the strength to take us beyond the Shadowed Sands.
Ummi was still talking, oblivious to my reaction. “If he ever attempted to betray, harm, or disobey the Sultan, his family, and any of his descendants, the poison would release into his bloodstream. If he made reparations, the poison would stop. Yet, the longer he went on with his defiance, the faster it would spread, until it would pierce through his heart, killing him.”
My knife clattered onto the tabletop as I stood abruptly, dizzy and shaking. “Ummi, was this in Nephria?”
She frowned up at me, nodding. “Yes, I didn’t mention that?”
I shook my head, bile climbing up my throat. “What did the genio fae craft to hold this poison?”