They moved to her game room and immediately set up a game of kadam board. The next few hours passed in the bliss of laughter and competition and games. The mockery and teasing that belonged to family.

That night, as Durkhanai and Zarmina climbed into bed, Durkhanai was grateful the emptiness was filled. Zarmina had her own room in the marble palace, but tonight, they would stay awake until fajr talking and talking.

“My heart has longed for you in this time apart,” Zarmina said, holding Durkhanai’s hands. Durkhanai squeezed her hands and was glad her cousin was finally home. She felt safe, more like herself. Stable.

“Finally Saifullah has left,” Zarmina said, snuggling in. “I can ask: how is the kind Rashid?”

Zarmina wiggled her eyebrows. Durkhanai laughed. She’d almost forgotten about Rashid. Though as son of the strongest nobleman, he would make a good ally . . .

“Quiet, as usual,” Durkhanai replied with a sigh. “I wonder when he’ll gather the courage to talk to me.”

“Not all are as courageous as you,” Zarmina teased. “Besides, it is good to have shame.”

How boring, Durkhanai thought to herself.

“Any new gossip with you?” Durkhanai asked, changing the subject.

Zarmina sighed. “Mama showing me this nobleman and that, but they’re all too old or too stupid for me to consider. I yearn for love, just as you do.”

“But duty must always come first,” Durkhanai said, reminding both Zarmina and herself.

“Yes,” Zarmina agreed. “Or I told Mama I’ll just stay with her forever, and she said she would like that, to keep me all to herself, but such is not the way of the world. When she and Baba have passed, what will become of me?”

“You could stay with me!” Durkhanai said. “I’ll take care of you, always.”

“Mm,” Zarmina said. “That would be nice, wouldn’t it? Just you and I.”

“It would,” Durkhanai agreed.

Durkhanai knew one day she would be Badshah, and she would fulfill her promise to take care of Zarmina, to take care of everyone, from her extended family to all the families that lived in her mountains.

It was her sacred duty.

Chapter Six

Some days later, Durkhanai made her way down the mountain, enjoying the view: the emerald green mountains, the tufts of trees, the cerulean blue sky. The thin streams of a waterfall looked like the white strands of an old man’s beard. On another mountain, clouds hung low in the sky like smoke, making the mountains look like they were on fire.

Here, nature was an entity of its own, and to Durkhanai, it was the loving presence of the parents she had never known. The trees had supported her when she had learned to walk, the air had kissed her cheeks every morning. The rain had softened her angry tantrums, the sweet hum of birds had sung her to sleep.

It warmed her heart. This was her home.