Iawoke to the scent of jasmine and myrrh, an intoxicating blend that seemed to swirl around me like a protective shroud. My head swam as I tried to lift it from the plush silk pillows, each embroidered with golden threads that shimmered in the soft morning light filtering through the lattice windows.
Tapestries of vibrant hues adorned the walls, depicting scenes of hunting and feasting, while the floor was covered with rugs so thick I knew my feet would sink into them like warm sand.
The canopy bed I lay in was a masterpiece of carved wood, swathed in diaphanous curtains that rippled gently in the breeze. Everything around me exuded excess and luxury—from the intricate inlays on the furniture to the ceiling painted with celestial motifs, gazing down like silent, watchful gods.
I struggled to sit up; every movement was sluggish, like wading through water. The door creaked open, breaking the stillness, and she entered—Zara.
Her face was seared into my memory, etched amidst flames and chaos. She was the enigmatic being who had swooped in to save me when my mother sought my destruction. Zara’s presence carried an unshakable calm, her hands steady, her sapphire eyes shimmered with an empathy that seemed to transcend time. She moved with an elegant fluidity, her steps deliberate and imbued with a quiet power.
Her attire—a blend of deep blues and purples that flowed like water—only heightened her aura of mystique, hinting at the shadows she navigated and the timeless journey she carried within her. Her golden hair cascaded like liquid silk, catching the light in an almost otherworldly way, framing her delicate features with an ethereal glow.
“You’re the woman who saved me,” I rasped, my voice cracking under gratitude and bewilderment. “From the fire, my mother set to force me to talk.”
“I am indeed,” Zara replied, her voice a soothing melody. “I transported you away from the burning building. And I made sure Reyna and Rosie were guided to safety.”
“Oh, thank God,” I murmured, taking a long breath.
“Be still, child,” she said, pressing a cool hand to my forehead. Her touch was a gentle breeze, calming the confusion swirling in my mind.
“You are safe here.”
“Safe?” The word felt foreign on my tongue, muffled by the lingering fog in my mind. How could I be safe when the last thing I remembered was the bite of steel and the certainty of death? “Is that a joke?”
“I do not jest. Your ordeal was but a charade,” she said, offering me a cup filled with a liquid that smelled faintly of mint. “The blade that cut you—it carried no poison, only a sedative to dull your senses.”
Confusion tightened its grip on me, and I pushed the cup away, desperate for clarity. “I don’t understand. Are you telling me that every test my husband and I endured was all for show? Part of some twisted game?”
“In a sense, yes, but for reasons you will come to understand,” she said, smoothing the bedding covering me with delicate precision.
“Who are you?” I asked.
She offered a small, knowing smile, her gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that seemed to pierce through my soul. “My name is Zara.”
Her voice, soft yet firm, carried the weight of centuries, each word a testament to her enduring vigilance.
“I know,” I said, my breath hitching as memories of my mother’s venomous accusations resurfaced. “My mother said your name. Butwhoare you? What are you? Where do you come from?” The words tumbled from my lips like water breaking through a dam.
Zara’s eyes—dark pools of unfathomable depth—held mine with a steadiness that anchored me amidst the chaos of my thoughts.
“All your questions will be answered in due time,” she said, her tone as gentle as the silk drapes lining the latticed windows.
My voice trembled as I asked, “Where is my precious child, Luna? And where is Rosie? I need to see them.”
Zara’s expression softened. “They are safe, my dear. In the nursery, surrounded by new toys for Rosie and a team of devoted nannies for Luna. You will be reunited with them soon, I promise.”
With her tall frame and commanding presence, Zara embodied the essence of both a guardian and a warrior.
My heart ached to hold my children in my arms again.
“Please,” I said, “I must see them now. I miss them more than words can express.”
Zara smiled kindly, though there was a firmness in her gaze. “My dear, you need to rest and regain your strength. Trust me when I say you will see them soon enough. For now, take comfort in knowing they are safe, as are you and Roman.”
I couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea that everything we had experienced was just a facade. My stomach felt sick with confusion and betrayal.
Zara touched my shoulder, her hand warm and grounding. “I understand your confusion, dear. But it was all part of Pasha Hassan’s plan. He wanted the final challenge to be against his son.”
A chill shot through my body, leaving me frozen in place.
