Only Jassem remained by Aisha. “There’s no such thing, fools,” he snapped.
Mazen approached, gripping his sword tight enough to make his knuckles numb. He honed his fear into conviction. I survived the Queen of Dunes. I survived the shadow jinn. This is nothing.
He sidestepped Jassem and knelt behind Aisha, who stiffened when he sawed at her bindings. She whipped her head around as they fell, and Mazen pushed his sword into her hands. “Run,” he whispered. And though Aisha trembled at the sound of his voice, she did not hesitate. Even bloodied and weak, she rose quickly. Jassem turned, mouth hanging open. “What—”
It was the only word he managed before Aisha slashed at him with the blade, drawing a line of crimson across his chest. The big man recovered quickly, but Mazen tackled him before he could give chase. The criminal fell back with a cry that was more startled than pained.
Mazen used the opening to throw a punch—only to have Jassem catch his wrist midstrike. The shadow parted between Mazen’s fingers like a curtain.
Jassem stared. Mazen imagined what he was seeing: reality parted in front of him, and a sliver of Mazen’s face peeking through. Jassem was too shocked to move. Mazen was not.
He kneed Jassem in the groin. The man released his hand with a roar of pain.
Mazen turned and fled.
43
LOULIE
Loulie knew immediately when Imad returned to her cell that something was wrong.
There were human men with him. Mercenaries or cutthroats, if the weapons at their belts were any sign of their occupation. The men were the first indication that something had changed. The second was Imad’s stormy expression. Before, he had been the picture of calm. Now his eyes—Omar’s eyes—flashed with a dangerous light.
Before Loulie could speak, Imad lurched across the cell and grabbed her by the collar of her robe. “What trickery, merchant?” His words flecked spittle onto her face.
Trickery? Her mind spun even as she glared at him.
He shook her hard enough to make her teeth rattle. “No games!”
Loulie looked him right in the eye and spat in his face. Imad slapped her. Stars burst before her eyes as her head lolled.
“Don’t play dumb with me. You knew about the prince’s relic.”
She gritted her teeth against the pain. Tasted metal in her mouth, realizing she’d accidentally bitten her tongue. “I already told you I know nothing about the damned bangle.”
“Not the bangle.” He pressed her to the wall. “The shadow.”
She stared at him. Has he gone mad?
When she said nothing, Imad shoved her back and stepped away. He looked between the men flanking him. “You’re sure of what you saw?”
They shared a glance over his head. “Yes, it happened shortly after you left. We thought there was a shabah in the room at first,” said the younger. “But then we saw the prince’s face—”
“And he and bint Louas got away?”
The men said nothing, only looked at him helplessly. Imad fixed his scowl on Loulie. Her stomach twisted as he stepped closer. “You knew,” he murmured.
No. She didn’t say the word aloud. Imad wouldn’t believe it. Hell, she didn’t believe it. Any of it. The thief and the prince, escaped? A shadow relic? What did that even mean?
“I do not care if I have to slice the boy’s shadow from his body; I will have it.” The mask of calm had returned to his face. “And you will help me steal it.”
No. She tried to speak, but her throat had gone dry. The more Imad’s glare bored into her, the more difficult it became to breathe. She remembered the edge of a knife against her throat.
Do you desire death or slavery, girl?
She gritted her teeth. No. She was Loulie al-Nazari, and she was not the helpless girl she’d been when her tribe was murdered.
She lunged at Imad. Desperation fueled her as she tore at his robes and gouged gashes into his arms. Imad pushed her away with the same effort one would use to swat away a fly. Loulie came at him again, heedless of reason.
There was only that void of loss and anger inside her. Not again, not again.
Imad’s men grabbed her by the arms. “You want to be difficult, al-Nazari?” His gaze was deadly in its blankness. “Then we will do this the hard way.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew something silver. A shackle, she realized when she saw the chain jutting from its side.
Imad barked a command. The older man withdrew a swath of silk and stuffed it into her mouth. The other held her nose. No, no, no…
Her world went dark.