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
I do not like silent love, tell me how much you love me and make me insane about you.
— Naguib Mahfouz
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Him
They want to kill you.
He rolls the notes between his fingers. Then unrolls it. Then rolls it again. Zahir watches him from where he's sitting at his desk with some papers in hands.
"The same message again?" his vizier inquires.
He hums and holds the note over a candle, letting the flames ashen it. "It looks to me that someone keeps warning me against my enemies, but won't tell me who they are."
"A spy having second thoughts on betraying you?"
"Perhaps."
"Interesting." Zahir puts the papers down and produces another another note from beneath his belt. "This was delivered to me by one of the guards who said it was sent to your chamber for the Amira."
He moves to take it from him. Unrolling it, he reads it and the message pierces his heart: I will kill you.
"Either the same spy who is warning you against the danger is rather threatening the Amira, or there are more than one working together."
"Whatever is the case, Zahir," Adam crumbles the notes in his hand and throws it into the fire, "I'll kill them before they reach Noura."
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Her
"It's beautiful."
"Isn't it? I come here to the lake often. Taha and I race horses sometimes."
"Who wins?"
"Do you want me to boast?"
Noura laughs at him and playfully nudges him away. "Cheeky man."
"Do you think I'm lying?"
"I wouldn't know. I heard general Taha is one of the best horsemen there is," she teases.
"So is your husband."
"So am I."
"Cheeky woman."
She laughs again and shakes her head. "Why, do you think I'm lying?"
He smirks, looking ahead of them as they stroll at the shore of the lake.
"I wouldn't know."
"Oh I've raced horses before. I'm not naive at it," she defends. "Eskander and I used to--"
Noura cuts off, realizing what she has said and gulping down the rest, throwing an apprehensive glance at Adam. She doesn't want to offend him anymore mentioning Eskander, especially given his last reaction. She looks away to the lake.
