What Asfandyar said made sense. She could come clean to the people, condemn her grandparents’ actions, avoid war, and take her place as Badshah.

But she couldn’t overthrow her grandfather. She couldn’t banish them to shame, undoing everything her grandfather had worked tooth and nail for in the past fifty years. It would ruin their legacy, their memory. It would be a permanent stain.

She couldn’t be so disloyal to her blood. Despite all they had done—the Kebzu alliance, killing Naina—Durkhanai could not forsake them in such a manner.

She took the paper in her hand and ripped it to shreds.

“You have no evidence,” she said, voice flat.

Asfandyar was silent in return.

She needed to leave.

“Wait,” he cried, grabbing hold of her. “You don’t understand. I swore my life to Wakdar, after Naina—we both swore to Allah we would avenge her. And yes, I had been sent to spy on you, and it was a ruse, but as I got to know you, I—” He stopped, holding her tight.

“Durkhanai, I love you. I never thought myself capable of any emotion so strong after Naina, but you’ve opened that part of me once more. I love you.”

“I don’t believe you!”

“Teri kasam, Durkhanai, I love you,” he said, swearing it on her, but his words meant nothing. “I love you.”

His voice cracked. She shook her head.

“I tried to tell you before anything happened between us,” he continued, “but I didn’t know how—I lacked the courage—and you’ve avoided me. You don’t understand everything, just let me explain to you, please.” She had never seen him so desperate. “I decided to run away from my oath to Wakdar after that night in the village, after the farmhouse and the rain. I didn’t want to hurt you anymore.”

“It’s too late,” she replied, voice quiet. “It’s much too late.”

“Please, Durkhanai, I don’t want to be the villain anymore,” he pleaded. “I just want to be with you.”

She couldn’t stand any more.

Her father was alive. She had a sister, then lost her. Her grandmother had her sister killed? Asfandyar loved her. He was here to cause her grandparents’ ruin. Her grandparents, who were guilty.

Durkhanai couldn’t understand how all of this was true.

She needed clarity. She needed to think. She needed to breathe.

She needed to get away from Asfandyar.

“Please,” she said, voice breaking, holding up a hand to silence him. She couldn’t bear any more.

Shaking, she approached the door. She needed to speak to her grandparents, to see what was true and what was false, but before she could make it two steps past his room, a slew of guards charged past her.

“What is the meaning of this?” she snapped, a princess once more.