He laid his hand against my cheek, and I was struck by what a miracle that was. All our relationship was spent in shadow. Even when I’d played the new bride, I’d been forced to navigate Maram’s personality, and that required a level of reticence in public that limited how we were around one another. I could not have imagined even two months ago that one day I would stand in the souk with Idris beside me as myself and be able to look up at him as I did now. That I would be allowed to conduct a conversation with our eyes alone or that he would be allowed to lean down and press a kiss against my forehead in reassurance.

Someone clearing their throat broke into our reverie and we pulled apart. ‘Imad stood a few feet away, a wide grin on his face. When our eyes met his grin widened and he swept into a bow.

“Sayidati,” he greeted.

“‘Imad,” I drawled. “What are you doing here?”

“Your wedding and the coronation procession has brought business caravans to town,” he replied. “Horse traders from Khemisset have come. I was hoping I could steal Idris away?”

“Of course,” I replied, then gripped Idris’s arm before he fled. “My future husband will remember that the Mas’udis were kind enough to allow him to keep the wedding gift from his prior marriage and that the stables are full.”

“Of course,” he said, grinning. “I only want to look!”

I waved a hand in dismissal and he and ‘Imad shot off like boys half their age, their guards only a few steps behind. When I turned away from them it was to find that I’timad had taken her brother’s spot, and with her was Khulood.

We stared at one another, silent. Since my unmasking we had rarely had time to speak. Their provinces had required their immediate attention, and I was likewise occupied with the public-facing duties Maram had assigned to me.

I raised an eyebrow. “Will you stare at me all day or can I shop while you observe?”

I’timad grinned. “I wondered if you had some of Maram’s frost or if you were that practiced an actor.” She came forward and looped her right arm through my left. Khulood came to stand on my right.

“Have you been skulking, waiting for a chance to get me alone?” I asked as we strolled through the souk.

“A little,” Khulood said. “We were curious.”

“Curious?” I asked. I paused at the fig seller, and Khulood was silent until our transaction was concluded and a bag of figs was passed off to one of the handmaidens.

“How much of the press release was true,” I’timad clarified. “If you did love our cousin.”