“Yes, this makes sense,” Asfandyar replied, reading about B’rung’s need for roads. “I have been there before, and B’rung is exceptionally hilly, which makes the land highly inaccessible. Even within the zilla, roads are underdeveloped, and there is no proper system connecting the villages to the main cities.”

The letter continued to describe how Marghazar had such impeccable infrastructure—if Palwasha-sahiba could negotiate for Marghazar to aid B’rung in the building of roads, they could negotiate something for B’rung to give something in return—something the Badshah couldn’t refuse.

But it didn’t say what exactly.

As they snuck out of Palwasha-sahiba’s rooms, one thing was sure: the B’rung zilla was immensely suspicious. They could have been the ones to inform the Kebzu Kingdom of the summit, inciting the attack.

All she needed was proof.

Chapter Eleven

Adjacent to investigating, Durkhanai got into the habit of slipping out some nights to hand out medicine with Asfandyar, trying to reach different villages each time. During the day, she tried to note which homes housed the ill, and they would do as much as they could in the little night they had. They would send one another letters to check if the other was awake, then head out. One night, it rained, so they stayed in the palace, but they sent letters back and forth for hours.

Asfandyar was always awake.

They had an easy alliance, an even easier friendship, and she started to look forward to that time with him, when nobody was watching, and they didn’t have to pretend or worry. He didn’t have to accompany her, but she suspected he enjoyed that time as much as she did.

Soon, Durkhanai became addicted to the game of it all.

It felt like gambling: the thrill, the risk, always on the edge. She pushed and tested the boundaries each day, waiting to see how Asfandyar would react. They had an easy rapport, and for every nudge she sent, he always nudged back.

Durkhanai had to keep reminding herself she was only working with Asfandyar out of necessity. To exonerate her people and avoid war.

But it was getting harder to convince herself.

So she focused on the ambassadors other than the wry one from Jardum—starting with Gulalai.

“Your help with Palwasha-sahiba is something I will not easily forget,” Durkhanai said at their first opportunity to talk privately. Their alliance was now set in stone, and Durkhanai would repay the favor in kind whenever she could. Until then, she asked Gulalai to trust her—she didn’t want to discuss the theory about B’’ung until it was confirmed. After all, B’rung and Kurra were still allies.

In return for that trust, Durkhanai sought out an opportunity to speak to the Wali of S’vat. She wondered if her grandmother would know anything about B’rung and a link to the summit attack.