CHAPTER THIRTEEN

KHAI HAD BEEN RESTLESS FOR the past three days and it was catching up to him now in this meeting.

His focus kept wavering in and out, catching only bits and pieces. He hoped it was nothing important because his mind kept telling him sleep, sleep, sleep.

The splitting image of Mazeeda sleeping was what he wanted to do himself. She was the very reason he was going mad, his eyes shot red like the horizon sun, his clothes a day old.

“Caliph?”

Khai's eyes shot up. “Yes?” He was never good in political things, at least not until he found him. He looked at each and every one of his advisors.

“If we really want this alliance with Salidah, we must break the one we have with Iskawr,” Zane proclaimed --one of the newest councilmen.

They were speaking of the small country southwest of Yaheisea run by mountain men. Khai's eyes flicked to Amon's face, which was cold and passive. Not a flicker of emotion.

“No,” the Caliph told all twelve men, “we will not.”

“But...but,” Zane stumbled out, “our alliance with them are already unstable.”

“We, no, I will not tamper our bond with Iskawr by betraying them and allying ourselves with their enemy country. Must I remind you of the war we've only recently ended with them.”

“Salidah is twice the size of this mountain country, Caliph. And they have materials we could use.”

Such a sad thing for everyone to be under the veil Khai put them under, something he was not going to lift. At least, not when he was under the smallgod's power too.

Because no one shall know the truth, that was the deal --no one but Amon, or else ruin would fall everywhere.

His voice deepened in authority. “My word is final and we will not betray our loyalist country.”

Everyone fell silent at the long table before the slamming of the door behind the king penetrated through it.

Khai turned his head and found Adelah, breathless. His breath caught in his throat.

“The Malika has woken.”

And those words, and them alone, were enough for Khai to go running.

HER HEAD FELT LIKE STEEL grinding against steel when Mazeeda gained full consciousness. Everything around her was in a haze, her eyes couldn't focus on the moving objects in the room.

She groaned as she sat herself up and leaned against the headboard. Her entire body was unbearably painful to move, pins and needles shooting up.

Mazeeda combed her hair with her hand and found it catching air when it reached the nape of her neck. She'd forgotten she had cut her hair. She touched it once again and found it uneven, like shards of broken glass.

She sighed in defeat as what happened caught up to her at an alarming rate. Khai's sudden outrage to kill her. Her running away. Befriending Fani only to be traded in by thieves. Cutting her hair to get away.

And then...Khai was there in the end.

Mazeeda’s face fell into the palm of her scabbed hands in bewilderment and relief. She was not going to cry, she was not.

What would have happened if Khai hadn't come? she thought to herself.

The door to the left of the bed opened slowly, giving the storyteller enough time to fix her composure.

Adelah shyly peaked her head in and smiled at her awoken queen. Opening the door wider, she let Khai walk in before leaving them be.

Mazeeda stiffened and her hand immediately fell to her hip. No dagger. She shouldn't have been surprised that it wasn't with her and instead on the hip of her husband, but she was.

Her mouth found no words to describe what she was feeling, and so she made sure not a flicker of emotion was shown on her face.

Khai would do the same and fail miserably. “You look...rather...you look better than you did two moons ago,” he flustered out.

The storyteller winced. She realized that her husband was wrecked, his face unshaven and eyes red as blood. Disaster was etched on his face and yet it remained flawless. Mazeeda hated it.

She turned her head away from his stare. “You tried to kill me,” she whispered hoarsely.

The Malik straightened his posture at the foot of the bed, fist clenched against his thighs. “Ma-”

“You wanted me dead,” her voice began to rise, raging like a quiet storm.

He looked away before returning his gaze back onto his wife. “I know. And I do not think I can ever forgive myself or expect you to forgive me.”

His ever changing emotions was like the weather, and it was upsetting her. Even the skies knew when to rain and leave it as that.

“How could I when your hands are stained with the blood of a thousand girls? I can never forgive you.” Her hands were shaking in her lap and she did not know how to stop it.

Khai let out a strangled sigh, his fingernails digging into his palms. With a curt nod, the king pivoted his foot effortlessly and began to leave the room. His hand was the doorknob before he froze in hesitation, conflicted with himself.

Mazeeda watched as the Caliph began to leave her room. Watched as he stood paralyzed by the door before turning around and making haste to her.

He was standing in front of her, forcing her to crane her neck up. His hands gripped her scabbed ones and placed the cool blade of the dagger in her palm.

She looked up in bewilderment.

Khai raised her hand up to his neck, the point digging into his tough chestnut skin. “If you think of me so poorly then kill me like I did to the others.”

All she could think of was how strangely warm his hands were.

“Slit my throat like how I would,” he whispered. “Give me the death I deserve.”

Mazeeda's stomach did not feel well and her breathing was irregular. She searched his brown eyes, as if trying to find the secrets. “I can't. I won't.” She lowered the weapon into her lap.

The Malik’s arms went limp at his side, and he had to force himself to stand instead of fall onto his knees in front of this magnificent women.

“Why?” He strained out.

“Because I want to know why you've preyed on women,” she looked him in the eye, face serious but tired, “I want to know if I intend to kill you. I should be a judge before I decide.”

“My love, a wolf will always be a wolf even in sheep's clothing. No disguise will ever change it, just like I.”

Mazeeda shook her head. “I will not accept that answer. There are secrets in that mouth that I want out in the open.”

“The truth will only get you killed,” he rubbed his face in exhaustion. “You want answers I am not willing to spill. They are mine to keep and mine only, just as you have yours.”

Her eyes became slits like glass. “What is it that makes you hold onto them so dearly?"

Khai bent down and brought her hand to his lips. “You.”

|AUTHOR'S NOTE|

wow, so i revealed a little bit of Khai's perspective. i also kinda sorta revealed something that'll play a much bigger role as the story progresses.

pronunciations:

Salidah: Sah-lee-dah

Iskawr: Esk-war