Aliya

chapter thirty-seven

Maria leaned in close, eyes big and twinkling like the owls sold in the markets of Babylon. "—it's said that he drafted his will."

Will?

"The King is dying?" I whispered.

"Oh, it's old news, Miss," Maria replied. "I thought you knew. I think all of the other ladies know, as well. He has been sick for a very long time."

"Sick? With what? Since when? Was he already sick when I came?"

"Oh, yes. No one know why but everyone thinks it's a heart ailments. Although, there are rumors that it's some kind of poison, but most of that is just hogwash from the laundry maids. Most of the gossip comes from them, but the maids in that department are always bored and looking for entertainment, so we don't ever know what's true or false."

He has been sick for that long? And I didn't know?

Do the other girls know? Has the fight for the princes been so competitive because they aren't looking for a concubine position, but a shortcut to Bibi or Shahbano instead?

"And then?" My fingers clawed into my hands, deep enough that I felt myself bleed, only to look down and see clean nails and pale crescent moon. "What happened next?"

"After that, the King sent all his advisors away. And then, he called Prince Cairo over, once again. That's why everyone thinks that the future King is Prince Cairo, not Prince Omar. The other two princes probably feel this way, too, which is why the Palace is so tense lately."

Maria picked at the corners of the pillow and said, "The three of them have never gotten along well, Miss, and I'm sure you've noticed. I've heard the King used to deeply favor the older two princes, but then one day he started favoring Prince Cairo more and more. He'd delegate quite a few tasks over to Prince Cairo's side. That probably makes the older two princes jealous. But, well, it doesn't really matter to us, Miss. The fight for the throne is just for us to watch. No matter what happens, everything will stay the same. You'll still be my Miss, and I'll still be your maid."

Maria smiled brightly. I wondered if she could tell the bile threatening to rise up inside my mouth.

Nothing will be the same.

The King is dying. When he does, the kingdom's entire structure will change. After all, a nation needs a leader, and I don't believe any of the princes are ready for that responsibility.

If either Prince Omar or Prince Finn becomes King... there is no way they'll let Prince Cairo live.

In turn, they won't let me live, either.

But if Prince Cairo becomes king...

What then? What becomes of him? Of me?

Of whoever or whatever he becomes on some nights?

I reached up to touch my head and, when I pulled my hand back down, found that I'd pulled out several strands of hair in one swipe.

There's no helping it.

I can't change whoever becomes King. The only thing I can do is find out how to protect myself. And the only way to do that is to find out what is wrong with Prince Cairo.

And negotiate.

I took a deep breath.

There was no love in the Palace. Maria had said that Prince Finn and Prince Omar had been deeply favored by the King, before this favor had switched to Prince Cairo. I didn't believe that he had done nothing. After all, as a mere concubine's son, he would have had everything to gain and nothing to lose.