This book is a sequel to Khalifa and cannot be read as a standalone. To avoid spoilers, description and excerpt are added inside the book.
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Started: May 2, 2022.
Completed: December 3, 2022.
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cover by @xniftykayx
Whether you come as a lover or as an executioner, I am ready to receive you.
— Agustin Gómez-Arcos
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Him
"A messenger from Isfahan insists to meet you."
"What does he want, Zahir?"
"He says he brings you a message," his vizier informs him. "From your wife, sayidi."
He lifts his eyes from the papers in his hands to Zahir and arches a skeptical eyebrow. His wife hasn't ever send him any message in all their time apart. Then how now?
"Bring him in," he orders and his vizier tips his head before presenting the man before him.
"Marhaba, my Ameer," the man greets him. "I was instructed to assure that the letter I'm given reaches the governor of Qahira, so I had to deliver it to you myself."
He produces a scroll from his tunic and presents it to him. He takes it from him, suddenly feeling both tense and thrilled. But the emotions soon turn to uncontrollable rage as he reads the letter, one snapping string of patience away from setting the courtroom on fire and sticking a spike through the heart of the man daring to come between him and his lover.
After all these months away from you waiting for you, I've come to the conclusion that you probably have moved on and won't return. There's a man I wish to marry. For that I require you to divorce me so I can move on with my life too. Either you come to me or I request the court of Khalifa Sulaiman bin Khalid to take care of the matter.
Noura Al Makhzum.
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Her
"Noura khanum?"
"Yes, Roya?"
"Your husband sent a messenger again."
"Uh huh. Did you send him back?"
"Eskander agha (sir) caught me with him; he sent me back."
She looks up from the dress in her hand which she's doing embroidery on, the needle stilling halfway through the fabric at Roya's words. "When?"
"This morning," Roya replies. "I was watering the plants outside the house when a man arrived and said that the governor of Qahira had send him. He demanded to see you. I led him away from the house so no will find out, but agha found us. He was with Laleh khanum."
Noura doesn't know whether to ask her about the messenger or about Laleh and Eskander? She has no idea why the messenger required to meet her, such a request was never made before now, but she has an idea why Eskander might be with Laleh and it makes her gut twist. He's going to tell Laleh things that might make her question him as her choice of interest for marriage. Roya increases her worry when she adds.
