The Bodyguard
Esana backed away, her shaking fingers reaching for the door handle. She would rush out and alert the guards of my presence. My plans for saving Dayyan would fail before they’d even begun. I stood, my bloodstained hands extending toward her.
“Wait.”
Esana’s gaze flicked between Farani’s motionless form and my face before she seemed to steel herself, then stepped into the chamber and closed the door.
“Shahzadeh Dayyan ensured your life would be spared. Why have you returned?”
I walked around Farani’s corpse. “I returned for him. I will not allow him to perish. I was going to search for him when she attacked me.”
A smile creased her mouth. “I never did believe in love. Not until I saw how much you and Shahzadeh Dayyan fight for each other.” Her face turned serious. “Come with me.”
“You won’t turn me in?”
She paused and then shook her head. “No, and before you ask, that shahdokht was a cruel mistress. I am not sorry that she’s dead.”
She took me to the basin and washed my hands before finding me a change of clothes—servant clothes, just like hers. We exited the chamber, appearing identical, our faces lowered to passersby.
“Shahzadeh Dayyan is in the dungeon. I will take you there.”
I nodded and glanced out an arched window as we traveled the hall.
Down below, at the entrance of the palace where I had been crying hours before, were two large stakes.
A man hung from one and a woman on the other.
They were thrashing, clearly alive, but wounded and beaten.
Their faces were so bloody and bruised it took a second for their features to sink in.
I gasped, reaching for the wall to steady myself.
“Eskender.”
And across from my brother, on the opposite stake, was Bazmara.
Esana stepped to my side. “Shah Jihangir became informed of their liaison by Shahdokht Farani. She said Zeki had confessed it in a moment of delirium when she’d captured him, and she had brought him to the shah as a gift to torture.”
“What will he do to them?”
Esana frowned. “The Northern princess with a Southerner. It is impossible and against the shah’s laws. Even if she is his daughter, he shows no mercy.”
“The monster,” I seethed.
“Come, we must make haste, before they take the shahzadeh,” Esana urged
After retrieving a tray of food, we made it to the dungeon without suspicion. We kept our heads lowered as a guard examined us.
“Why have you come?”
“Food for the prisoner.”
He hmphed under his breath and finally nodded. I breathed a sigh of relief. We trekked down into the cold damp dungeon. As I reached the final stair, Esana touched my arm.
“I will stay here and keep watch. Hurry.”
“Why have you aided me? You could have easily reported me.”
She squeezed my arm. “I am helping you as you once did for me. You spared my life, Shahdokht. I am only returning the favor.”
I left her behind with the tray, guided by shining torchlight hanging from each empty cell.
A rattle at one farther back quickened my pace.
I stopped before the cell, spotting Dayyan huddled in the corner.
Bruises touched his cheekbones and one eye, making his skin swollen. I wrapped my fingers around the bars.
“Dayyan.”
At my voice, his eyes flashed open, and he rose. He rushed toward me, only to be held back by chains linking him to the wall. Panic circulated his gaze.
“Yildiz? What are—why have you come?”
“I came to save you.”
“After what I’ve done? After all that you know?”
“You were forced to do so. I know that, Dayyan. I forgive you. Just as my father would have.”
He reached out, barely touching the bars. My arm slipped through and clasped his hand. As our skin touched, a small measure of peace filled me. But then Dayyan shook his head.
“Get out of here before you are seen.”
The dungeon door heaved open, and I heard Esana’s voice.
“Shahdokht, someone’s coming.”
“Go, Yildiz,” Dayyan begged, but it was too late.
Guards marched into view, then parted for Shah Jihangir.