12. Ezra
Ezra
“When did they say they’ll be back?”
“They’ll be back next week,” I said while peering through the courtyard columns.
After the untimely interruption that one of my men caused yesterday evening, I hadn’t caught Eshe outside her chambers, nor had I had the time to pay her a friendly visit to find out how the fuck she managed to get out.
She was a complete nuisance. I couldn’t have a woman looking for a killing spree roaming around my palace doing God-knows-what.
“They’re visiting mother’s favorite oasis in the far west—”
“Yes, I know where it is,” Casimir interrupted.
I raised an eyebrow. It was too early in the day for this. I hadn’t had my first meal, which was typically when the sun was directly above me. “What’s your issue? Didn’t enjoy the party you threw last night in Urnaz?”
“Fuck you. And how did you know where I was? Are you following me now?”
“No, I’m not following you, Casimir.” I had people for that.
But he didn’t need to know that—he’d be pissed if he knew I had my men keeping tabs on his whereabouts.
I wasn’t having him followed because I didn’t trust him, more or less, but for protection.
I knew Casimir better than anyone, and his reckless behavior could be the death of him.
That was why I took every cautionary action to ensure his safety.
Casimir scoffed and shook his head like he already knew the truth.
He looked at me, and I stared back.
“Spit it out,” I grunted.
“Listen, I know that since you’ve been Qahl and with father being unwell… I know there has been more on your plate than you were prepared—”
“It’s fine—”
“—and honestly, our father has no idea what is going on between Zyriah and Tehara—”
“Get to the point.”
“—but you need help, and I’m here.”
A moment passed.
Slowly, I paced in front of him, my boots echoing on the marble floor.
“What exactly do you think I need help with?” I opened my palms out and made an obvious look in the exotic courtyard we stood in.
The palace’s strong walls guarded the large garden.
The numerous palm trees gave us a pleasant breeze and shade from the scorching heat.
Not to mention the man servants who were currently fanning my brother with palm leaves from a snap of my fingers as soon as he approached me.
I clenched my jaw. “Life is good. God is good. There are no wars for you to fight at this moment. None that will happen if I have anything to do with it. You are safe. Your health is intact—or so it seemed last night. You’re enjoying your youth, your women.
You spend time on the books and music that you enjoy.
I built a street in honor of you, and every time you go there, a multitude is there for you.
So, tell me, what exactly are you complaining about that you think I need help with? ”
Casimir flinched. He hated to feel ungrateful, but sometimes he bit off more than he could chew, and I was there to remind him of that.
He lowered his voice. “I just wanted to be sure that you’re making reasonable decisions—”
I glared at him, and he held strong, though I could see the sweat gleaming at the top of his forehead.
“What is it?” I pressed. My boot tapped against the marble floor. There was nothing I hated more than someone wasting my time.
“Brother, I know you’ve most likely forgotten about the little captive here at the palace, but what is your plan with her?”
The thought of her rushed my blood. And when it happened, I was confused, which was rare and frustrating.
I wasn’t sure what to do with her other than I wanted her contained, controlled—that I was sure of. I didn’t trust her.
“She tried to kill me—us. I’m teaching her valuable lessons by keeping her here.” Most likely, Casimir didn’t know about her little rendezvous.
“I talked with her. She knows now that we had nothing to do with her family’s deaths.”
“No.” I laughed. “She knows you didn’t have anything to do with it. I doubt she believes I’m innocent, and that’s the problem. I can’t have a liability simply walking—”
Out of the corner of my eye, a flash of light blue appeared. I turned my head to see a woman with dark, wavy curls over her shoulders and gray eyes that pierced through mine.
“What the fuck is this!” I snapped at Casimir.
“She’s not going anywhere,” Casimir was quick to explain himself. He didn’t know she could go wherever she pleased. I had to go back to those chambers as soon as possible and repair what she obviously broke. “Plus, your men haven’t left her side since we left her room!”
In that moment, I wanted to snap the necks of the men who guarded Eshe. How dare they let her leave her chambers twice and move from their post?
“They listened to me—blame me, not them, Ezra.”
Of course, Casimir was protecting them—he was too kind for this world. I couldn’t take my eyes off my men. They were shaking in their boots. I cocked my head to the side, and their eyes turned wide.
Eshe stepped forward, cautiously. My eyes slid to hers. A shiver went down my spine.
“I will have my freedom,” Eshe said.
I chuckled, shaking my head. I looked at my deceived brother. How could he be so different from me? So naive?
“Casimir told me that my brother is alive and well.”
I slid my eyes to meet Casimir’s, my entire body tensing more than ever before. There wasn’t a time I wanted to strangle my brother more than now. How could he have told her when I made him swear he wouldn’t?
I knew my brother. He told her on purpose. Acted innocent.
Eshe took another step toward me, her light robes brushing the sand off the stones. She was getting closer to me. I could feel the heat from her body. I wondered for a moment if she was going to attempt to kill me again.
She continued, her voice straining, “I want to see Kavid, whom I haven’t seen in eight years. Who I thought was dead for eight years.”
“No,” I said. I placed my arms across my chest and stared down at her, knowing she wasn’t going to listen to me anyway.
“Ezra, please.” My name was like poison on her tongue, and I could sense how hard it was to say those words. It pleased me more than it should have. At least some of my techniques were working.
“If you had gone to Zyriah first, you’d have realized that and not put yourself in this predicament. It’s your fault you’re in this situation. This is why women don’t involve themselves in politics.”
Eshe’s jaw twitched, but she kept her mouth shut. Her lips thinned.
“He’ll be here in a fortnight, so you see? There’s really no need for you to leave.” I didn’t know why I admitted that information to her, but the words left my mouth before I could stop them.
Her shoulders dropped.
“He is?” She breathed. “Why is he coming here?”
Her chest suddenly rose rapidly. She was probably thinking the worst—that I intended to kill him with my bare hands.
“For trade,” I said as a matter of fact. “He doesn’t know you’re here, and I’ll keep it that way if you don’t behave yourself.”
Eshe clenched her hands.
“Ezra.” Casimir stepped toward me. I raised my hand at him without looking in his direction.
Her eyes threw daggers. “You’re cruel to keep me from Kavid.”
“It’s your choice. What will it be?” I asked Eshe.
“So you’re saying I have my freedom, but that I have to behave in order to see my own brother?” she spoke through gritted teeth.
“No, I didn’t say that,” I said.
She scoffed.
“I would be careful there,” I warned softly. “I could easily take your comfortable chamber away.”
Eshe glared at me, her face turning red. She briskly walked between Casimir and me, but her shoulder subtly brushed against my arm. I stumbled back.
By instinct, I grabbed her arm—
Eshe twisted her body, and her other forearm met mine with a strong force, throwing my grip off.
The world stopped spinning.
Everything turned quiet—even the male servant stopped fanning the palm leaf.
Eshe held her breath, and I could feel Casimir’s body stiffen nearby.
I had never been so disrespected before.
I took a slow step toward her, but she didn’t move. She kept her eyes locked with mine. She was still challenging me, though her face turned ashen.
I grabbed her neck and wrenched her toward me. She let out a small gasp, but wisely kept her hands by her side.
I lowered my face, and the scent of jasmine filled my nose. With a calmness I didn’t realize I possessed, I whispered in her ear, “Disrespect me one more time like this, and I’ll make sure you never see your brother again.”
And I meant it.
She swallowed beneath my firm hand.
“Do you understand?”
A moment passed.
Eshe hesitantly nodded.
I pressed my fingers deeper, demanding a better answer. I could feel her heart beating against my palm. It made me think of a fragile butterfly and how easily it could be crushed.
“Yes,” she responded breathily. Her eyes fluttered to the floor.
Satisfied with my answer, I let her go fast, as if her skin had burned my hands. She was like an untamed horse that needed to know who its master was. Breaking her wasn’t going to be easy, but it had to be done. It was dangerous to have an unpredictable beast in the midst.
“Take her back to her room,” I muttered to the guards.
Eshe turned and walked out of the courtyard, my guards following close behind her. My eyes lingered a little too long on the length of her body.
I gave a quick side glance at Casimir. He gave me an apologetic look, and I shook my head before I walked to my next meeting. I didn’t have any spare time for him. He was a disappointment today.
The painted ceiling above me cast the sun away and immediately gave me sweet relief from the heat.
I crossed the tapestried hallway and walked into my second study, reserved specifically for external matters of the palace.
The platform inside the room held a single row of red velvet couches.
They hugged low to the floor and were pressed neatly against the walls.
In the middle was a small table with incense burning, casting swirling smoke around the room.
“Ezra,” one of my men, Amr, greeted me as soon as I approached the platform.
It was just him and me for this long-awaited meeting.
He had a scarf around his head and neck, leaving his face exposed.
I could tell by the sands that were still on his robes that he had just ridden from the desert, and by the look in his eyes, he had news for me.
“They suspect,” Amr stated in a solemn tone.
“How do you know?” I grunted.
“They captured Jahq and had him brutally tortured under the sun for two days. They let him go before he died from the burns,” Amr muttered. “I’m sure they were afraid to start a war.”
I scoffed. “They have no proof we took her. He won’t find her.”
A minute passed in silence.
“I don’t think he’ll stop until he finds her. It’s been months. He’s been relentless with his searches.” Amr’s voice was growing. “This is our third man, Ezra—”
“I know. What will you have me do? She asked me for this, and I won’t go back on my word,” I growled.
Amr settled into the cushions, seemingly exhausted.
“They’re getting closer to us. Just yesterday I saw him outside the city walls. They’re searching every village in the desert.” Amr’s eyes went distant. “He won’t stop. I’m afraid a war will happen—”
“No,” I shook my head. “Gabriel Halim may be a ruthless war leader, but he won’t start a war over a woman. He has no right. He’s Brestan’s general, not their Qahl.”
“What will you have us do? We’ve tried keeping him at bay, but…” Amr couldn’t finish the words he wanted to say.
“Lead crumbs to Zyriah. God knows they deserve Gabriel’s wrath more than we do.”
Amr chuckled.
A sound echoed in the room. I snapped my head toward the cracked door. Amr stepped toward the door in alert. I held a palm toward him, stopping him.
I stepped off the platform and moved quietly toward the door.
Jasmine wafted through the air.
My heart pounded violently, and my teeth clenched, nearly breaking them in half.
This woman was dancing on my last nerve.
I flung the doors open, but there was no one in sight.
“This meeting is over,” I barked over my shoulder as I marched down the hallway. The sweet, soft smell was floating in the air, guiding my direction.
Following the scent through the palace hallways, a guard rushed from around the corner, his eyes full of hesitation.
I narrowed mine.
“She—she slipped from my hands for only a second! I—I don’t know how—she’s too quick,” he stuttered.
My jaw tightened so hard that I nearly broke a tooth. “Get out of my sight.”
The man trembled past me with a bow while the another guard was seconds behind him. He was out of breath.
“I managed to find her.” His hands lifted in a settle-down motion. “She’s back, she’s good,” he panted.
She was going to learn another lesson today about eavesdropping on conversations. This was not her father’s house.
My breathing turned heavy and deep, and I was suddenly warmer than I had been before.
The thought of her joining the palace harem crossed my mind.
She had managed to escape her chamber and the guards. This time, she pushed me too far.