Hayat Nazar, the only daughter of Hashmet and Mariyam, was practically living her dream. She couldn't have asked ALLAH for more. She was about to marry the love of her life Ahmar Shams. Everything was going fine until the wicked, notorious and cruel...
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A V I S I O N W I T H E Y E S A N D E A R S
Tayyab held her while he strode onto the center stretch of tables on the dias and took his place. Hayat sat to his right, her mind a jumbled mass of thoughts. He still held her hand, and even though she had tried to free her hand of his grip, he only tightened it.
The royal hall of the Al Qasr was undoubtedly the largest room she had ever seen in her life. The floor was immense, alternating stones of black and white, patterned diagonally as far as the eye could see. Beautiful reliefs depicting human bulls charging into battle and winged women with long tresses flowing in the wind adorned the walls, which stretched high into the air. So high that Hayat had to lengthen her neck to see the very tops of the carved columns bearing the ponderous weight of the ceiling. Fashioned near the base of each of these columns were two-headed lions with iron torches protruding from their roaring mouths.
Beside them sat Umar, greeting everyone who came up to the dais to meet Tayyab and her. The king was seated on his throne and he carefully watched Tayyab and Hayat.
In the center of this vast space was a three-sided, raised dais with a series of low tables situated upon its surface. Sumptuous fabric and richly appointed cushions littered the dais with vibrant color and lush texture. Fresh rose petals and dried jessamine were strewn across the silk and fringed damask, perfuming the air with a sweetly intoxicating scent that beckoned to anyone who wandered by.
When Umar rose to his feet with a grumbled oath to greet the vizier, Altamash bin Zoravar, Hayat placed her palm on the dais to follow suit.
But Tayyab immediately tugged her back.
Hayat met his gaze, and he shook his head very slightly, his eyes narrowing at the edges. His thumb trailed along the underside of her forearm, and the knot in her stomach pulled tight. Then he let go, his features blank once more.
Hayat didn't get up. The vizier came to them.
The vizier of Hudaan began in a spuriously pleasant voice, putting his wolfish white teeth on full display. “My dear nephew, I regret assuming the worse about our future queen. Indeed she has beautiful features.”
Tayyab’s piercing gaze turned to Altamash. Then he smiled slowly, with such patent falseness that its chill blew back like an icy gale on a mountaintop.
Altamash regarded her with an eager friendliness that Hayat found disarming. He beamed at her with no small amount of charisma.
Hayat offered him a ready smile. She bowed her head and touched her fingertips to her brow, the one that was not held by Tayyab.
