“They sound wonderful,” Zerah says.
“They are.”
“I hope I can meet them some day.” The sincerity behind Zerah’s words makes my heart leap with hope that she wants peace too.
“You remind me of Emerin. She loves to read too.”
“Oh. What is her favorite kind of book?”
“Every kind,” I say with a grin, warmth spreading through my chest as I think of Emerin’s insatiable appetite for the written word. “Truly. She’ll read any type of book. From ancient histories to fantastical tales, from the secrets of the natural world to the musings of philosophers.”
“Then, she must come here someday.” Zerah rises to her feet and turns in a circle as she takes in the shelves filled with books of every size and color. “I have heard that this is the largest library in all of Hematite land.”
“It is quite large,” I agree, nodding as I follow her gaze across the library.
“Here.” Zerah pulls a thick book bound in worn leather from the shelf and turns, cradling it in her hands. “This book will help you understand Sharhavva.” As she passes it to me, the faded gold lettering on the spine catches the light streaming through the arched windows. She quickly adds, “I hope I’m not being presumptuous in assuming your interest.”
“You’re not presumptuous at all,” I assure her as I accept the heavy tome and hug it against my chest, the leather smooth and cool beneath my fingertips. “I would like to learn about this city.”
“That’s great.” A sudden smile spreads across her mouth as she turns back to me. “Are you hungry?”
I nod.
“Fantastic. Cook makes the best almond pastries. Would you like to go with me to the kitchen?”
“I would love to.”
She grabs my hand and leads me from the room. The entire time we walk toward the kitchen, she talks about the different people in the palace. The ones I should make friends with, and the ones I should avoid.
When we enter the kitchen a few moments later, I sit with Zerah at a wooden table near a brick oven. The kitchen is bustling with activity as cooks and servants prepare food, their voices and the clanging of pots and pans filling the air.
Zerah passes me a still-warm almond pastry. The flaky crust shatters as I take a bite, revealing the sweet almond filling within. The pastry melts in my mouth as I close my eyes, savoring the symphony of flavors.
Zerah wasn’t exaggerating. These are the best pastries I have ever tasted. The almond flavor is pronounced but not overpowering, perfectly complementing the delicate, buttery crust.
We sit together enjoying the pastries, the sounds of the busy kitchen enveloping us. And for the first time since arriving in Sharhavva, I feel a true sense of belonging.
* * *
After we finishin the kitchen, Zerah and I head out toward one of the many outdoor courtyards that dot the sprawling grounds.
A gentle breeze tugs at the edges of my veil as we pass by flowerbeds bursting with jade plants and plump sedum.
Zerah talks as we walk, eagerly telling me all about her brothers. How Jasce is the eldest and Jude the youngest, and how they’ve always been so protective of her ever since they were children.
As we round a corner in the garden path, I spot Ellery sitting on a stone bench up ahead, partially obscured by a trellis dripping with fragrant white flowers.
Sunlight glints off the thin silver threads wrapped around her wrist. I glance left and right, expecting to see the formidable Widow Maker somewhere nearby. But strangely, the scarred general is nowhere to be found.
Zerah leans in close, as if sharing a secret. “That’s Ellery over there on the bench. She’s the woman from House of Silver who had her magic bound to Widow Maker summers ago.”
I nod slowly, recalling my conversation with Tristan, how he explained the ritual that now links Ellery’s silver magic to Widow Maker’s control. It seems cruel to have one’s gift stripped away and given over to another. Yet as Zerah and I pass by, Ellery sits with her head tilted back, eyes closed, letting the warm sunlight wash over her face.
“Is it true,” I began as I follow Zerah along the path that takes us further from Ellery, “that Widow Maker can control Ellery’s silver magic?”
Zerah nods.
I twist my lips to the side as I consider the implication behind such a binding. “Then why wouldn’t more people from House of Crimson bind a person from House of Silver to them? Then, they could control everyone they capture with silver magic.”
