But as Durkhanai visited more villages and homes over the course of the next few weeks, more and more people were falling ill. Until it was no longer merely a coincidence.

It was a concern.

Chapter Seven

By the time Durkhanai made it back to the palace after another round of visits to the villages, she was weary and sad. Another village riddled with illness. First foreigners, then the Kebzus slaughtering the soldiers, and now illness and a very upset people?

The past few weeks had been brutal. She needed a hug and a miracle.

“Dhadi!” Durkhanai called out to her grandmother. She rushed to her and was enveloped into a firm hug. It was enough to fuse some of her heart together for a little while.

“Yes, gudiya?” her grandmother asked, holding Durkhanai’s face in her hands. “What’s upset you, my dear?”

Durkhanai sighed.

“Dhadi,” she said. “Everything seems to be going wrong, and it’s hardly three weeks since the ambassadors have arrived.”

“What now, janaan?”

“The villagers are uneasy,” Durkhanai explained. “They don’t like having foreigners in our home.”

“Ah,” Dhadi said. “Nor do I, but I have been negotiating with them, trying to see what advantages we can gain from their arrival. It is at least buying us some time to avoid war.”

“Have we gotten any closer to finding out who was behind the summit attack?” she asked. Dhadi waved her off.

“You don’t worry about that, chiriya,” she replied. “Your Agha-Jaan is handling it.”

“But Dhadi—”

“That is enough, Durkhanai,” she said, voice stern. “I told you it is being handled, so it is being handled.”

“There is an illness spreading through the villages, too, Dhadi,” Durkhanai added. “When can we send medicine?”

“I am aware, and I have begun distributing it,” Dhadi replied. “But there is not much, so we must be circumspect. Priority goes to the families of soldiers.”

Durkhanai frowned.

“Don’t worry,” Dhadi said, tapping the crinkle between Durkhanai’s eyebrows. “Your Agha-Jaan has been Badshah for nearly fifty years. All will be fine. Don’t fret about a thing.” She smiled, pulled Durkhanai close before motioning her out the door.

As Durkhanai turned to leave, though, her grandmother said one last thing.

“And Durkhanai, janaan? Do steer clear of that Jardumi ambassador,” Dhadi said, voice sweet, but there was no mistaking the command. “It does not bode well to be so closely associated to foreigners.”

“Bu—” Durkhanai stopped when Dhadi’s eyes sharpened. “Yes, Dhadi.”

“Now, go, my pretty little princess. Calm your heart and your thoughts.”

Durkhanai tried, but her heart would not be calmed. As she walked to her library, she wondered why Dhadi would forbid her from seeing Asfandyar, specifically. Dhadi had no qualms with Durkhanai spending time with the other ambassadors. If anything, Dhadi had encouraged her to be hospitable to them!