How would Maram have reacted to the maligning of her mother, who she—we—so closely resembled? In all likelihood as she had suffered everything from her father. In dignified silence.

“Come along,” he said. I moved as if I were a droid reduced to its base programming. My hand slipped into the crook of his elbow, and his large hand in turn first adjusted my veil so that it fell correctly. I could hear Tala falling in line behind us, straightening out the folds of my gown so that they trailed behind me just so.

The doors to the hall boomed open, and somewhere a herald announced our entrance.

The reception hall was a grand ballroom, with a high glass ceiling, and fortified glass walls all around. This, I knew, was the center of the center of the world. The light refracted off white clouds, so that everything had a pink, orange, and red cast to it. The sun would be entirely gone from this side of the planet soon, and in its place would be a hundred shining orbs of light, and many strung over the ceiling, to mimic the stars.

The king guided me to the center of the room, and I sat demurely on the divan. A moment later his fatherly hands lifted the veil from my face and crown and pinned it to my shoulder.

“Feast,” he said softly, “for tomorrow is a new world.”

3

Up until the ceremony, I’d been surrounded only by women. And during the ceremony itself, I could not focus on anything but Idris—on avoiding his eyes, on trying to make sure he did not see me, realize that it was not Maram who stood across from him. But now, I was aware of all the Vathek and Andalaan men who were present. Those who’d been denied Maram’s hand and access to the throne, and those who mourned the loss of the last heir of the Banu Salih, at last absorbed into the Vathek family structure. By Vathek and Kushaila law, Maram had been absorbed into Idris’s household. But in practice, Idris was more tightly bound than ever to the Vathek throne and their aims. Every now and then I would look out at the crowd feasting and laughing and singing and I would find more than one pair of eyes fixed on me, contemplative and hostile.

It was no wonder Maram didn’t want to attend her own wedding.