The Sultan's Daughter (Princesses Uncovered #5)

Chapter 4: Tricks and More Problems

Fath pulled her into an abandoned building, watching through a broken window as the guard went barreling past.

He turned to the girl, who had dropped the hood of her cloak, letting it settle gently on her slender shoulders.

Her thick, curly black hair was captured in a messy braid, which hung over her left shoulder. Her eyes were bright with tension and excitement now.

Fath gazed at her, drinking in every detail of her appearance. Her clothing was finer than his, but still coarse enough to be a commoner’s garb. Her skin was a milky mocha color, and her gold eyes gazed at him with consternation. She looked him over, from his worn sandals to his ragged cloak and messy mop of black hair.

Then she smiled at him, and it was as though he was alive for the first time ever. She didn’t even know him, but she’d smiled at him. She didn’t know anything about his past, but she accepted him without questions. It seemed too good to be true. How could she not look at him with disdain as everyone else did?

“Who are you?” He meant to sound strong and confident, but it came out as more of a tremulous whisper.

Her eyes widened slightly. “I’m…” Her eyes darted to the exits, gauging her chances should she decide to escape.

His heart fell. She didn’t trust him even if she didn’t disdain him. She might seem to accept him, but she didn’t really. He’d known it was too good to be true. “I’m not going to hurt you…” Fath smiled at her sadly.

She nodded, seeming to make up her mind and finish some internal debate. “I’m Yaz.” She gave him a shallow bow of greeting according to their customs.

He bowed back, frowning as he gazed at the floor. Yaz? What sort of name was that?

He straightened back up, meeting her laughing eyes. “What is your name?” She asked.

He shrugged. “Shah.” He wasn’t certain what to think of Yaz, but he was pretty sure that the name she’d given wasn’t her actual name. She had hesitated far too long to have been completely honest. Obviously, Yaz had something to hide, and he wanted to know what it was. But if she wouldn’t be honest with him, he wasn’t going to be completely open with her either.

She frowned. “Shah? That’s an interesting name.”

He shrugged. “So is Yaz.” He invited her to open up and be honest about her actual name, but she didn’t take the offer.

Instead, she just smiled. “I’m an interesting person…”

He laughed. “An understatement.”

She grinned.

“So…” Fath settled on the floor next to her. “Why were you running from the guard?”

Yaz shrugged. “I just did not want to be caught.” She murmured, brushing a thick strand of stray hair out of her face.

Fath smirked. “That, I gathered… Why though?”

Another shrug. “I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. That was all.”

Yaz intrigued him. He’d never met someone like her. Her gold eyes caught him, and her secretive manners held him fast in her trap. He didn’t understand the feelings or thoughts swirling about in his mind, but he knew that Yaz was the cause.

He looked at the dust-covered floor, picking at a strand of string lying on the floor from the previous inhabitants. “Where are you supposed to be?”

She gave him a cocky grin. “Not here.”

He looked up briefly, then looked away. “Fine… Don’t tell me.” He stood up, brushing off the dust his cloak had accumulated. “I’ll get going now.”

She strangled a gasp. “Wait… Shah…”

He looked back. Surprised, he stayed still, waiting. Fear shone in her golden eyes. “What?”

“I… I do not know the city. I cannot…” She cut off.

He frowned, confused by her formal speech and her abrupt stop. “You can’t what?”

Her eyes grew large, and a small squeak erupted from her.

He turned to look in the direction she was looking in.

The guard from earlier stood blocking the door.

Great. Just great! What have I gotten myself into? Fath groaned.