The Sultan and the Storyteller by Lichelle Slater

Twenty-Three

Not wanting Jade to take on our injuries, I sent for healers. I didn’t want her to try and take on our injuries. Kiara found one, who gave me medicine for the pain so I, being the less injured of the two leaders, left the healer so she could attend to Zayne. Kiara helped get ointments for her. With my arm in a sling and my husband wounded in bed, I requested everyone gather in the destroyed throne room—sorceresses and guards.

I stood before them.

Fourteen sorceresses gathered in the throne room, along with the soldiers of the palace.

“Is this everyone?” I asked, noting Jade’s absence. I hadn’t seen her since she attempted to heal me.

“Mostly,” one of the women answered.

“I wanted to personally thank you for coming to my aid when you could have run and kept yourselves free. Soldiers, I know you have gone through much over the past several weeks. If any of you can offer help in fixing the throne room, I would appreciate it.” I gave a fleeting smile.

The women exchanged glances. Surely that wasn’t what I had summoned them there for.

I drew a deep breath. “I will speak with Sultan Zayne. I want the Sorceresses of the Sand to be able to practice their magic in the open. I want the academy reopened. If any of you can offer your experience and insight on how this would benefit our kingdom or economy, please write a letter to Sultan Zayne. I would like to present him with this when he is well enough. In the meantime, please send for your families and friends and assure them Sultan Zayne was never the one killing his wives, but it was Khorshid, his vizier. The kingdom is safe now Khorshid is dead. Thank you, again, for your help.”

As they stepped forward one by one to thank me or meet me personally before leaving, I spotted Kasim lingering just inside the throne room.

He was the last to reach me and he bowed. “You look happy. And a bit exhausted.” He winked.

I smiled. “I am. Both. How is Jade? Where is she?”

“She is ashamed to show her face to you because she froze.”

I sighed and adjusted the sling on my arm. “She tried to heal me, Kasim. She tried to heal your father. She has no reason to be ashamed.” I looked back at him. “Do you think she’ll let me see her?”

He nodded. “I think she would like that.” Kasim’s brows softened. “I heard what your father did to you.” His eyes darted to my broken arm before returning to my face.

“I will heal. In the meantime, I don’t suppose you know any builders or artists who could help repair the throne room?” I looked up at the scorched ceiling.

“Perhaps. I shall find out.” He turned to leave but paused. “You were born for this. I know it sounds ridiculous to say aloud, but I somehow feel like this was your destiny all along.”

I gave him a soft smile and nodded. “I agree. But I wish you happiness, Kasim. You deserve it.”

Kasim tilted his head toward the door. “Want to walk back with me and visit Jade?”

“I would love to.”

* * *

It wasdays before Zayne woke and weeks before he could get out of bed on his own. I was at his side the entire time, helping the healers change his bandages and apply the ointment. He protested my help, seeing how I still hadn’t healed from my own injuries.

He was frustrated with what he felt to be slow progress and climbed out of bed in spite of our protests. “I have more important things to do than lie in bed all day.”

I stepped up in front of him and cupped his face in my hands. “If you hurt yourself, it will take even longer to heal.”

He bent down and kissed my head, then slowly reached forward and held onto my hips. “I cannot be in bed any longer. What happened to the stone?”

“I have it. I wanted to make sure it got locked away or hidden where no one can reach it or ever find it.”

Zayne nodded. “I agree. In fact, there is a vault I’ve heard of inside of the Dragon’s Lair cave. Also—” Zayne tilted my chin up with his index finger. “I want you to call the sorceresses forth again. It is time for changes in our kingdom.”

Finding the vault took significant effort, but we got the ruby locked away. The chances of anyone finding it, and thus Khorshid, would be nearly impossible.

Zayne and I also held several meetings with the sorceresses and came to an arrangement that the Zauberin Academy would reopen and the sorceresses would be able to practice their magic openly, but all law and any criminal activity would go through Zayne as the sultan. There were still laws and regulations to draft, but we were off to a good start.

After one particularly long day, Zayne took me down to Piarya Beach again. This time, however, there were families playing in the waters. They cleared a space, giving us a large berth as a palace servant set up a canopy on the glass stones and set out our food. Zayne removed his shirt, revealing the four pink scars across his back. They were in the final stages of healing, just scabs now, but he was able to function normally.

I still had to contend with broken bones.

He held me close to his side as we stood in the cool ocean waters and I held my good arm around his waist. “I would like to take you across the sea,” he said, breaking our comfortable silence.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“To Fidsa. You mentioned you always wanted to travel and see the world, and I would like to do that with you. I want you to visit Fidsa with me. I already sent notice to Prince Gerard and he wrote back saying that we were more than welcome to come to his wedding in a few weeks. Would you like that?”

“Can the kingdom stand on its own without us here?” I asked. “You and me both leaving after . . . you know. And no vizier to keep the kingdom safe?”

Zayne shook his head. “Captain Nadeem is trustworthy. Not only that, but I have had a couple of conversations with Roshanak about her being our new vizier.”

I turned to face him, my jaw hanging open. “A sorceress?”

The corner of his lip tugged. “I knew that would surprise you. Do you know her?”

I shook my head but smiled widely. “I have heard of her. She is one of the rare sorceresses with multiple abilities.”

“Then you are happy?”

“I am more than happy, Zayne. Because I have you.”

He kissed my lips.

“There may be one tiny issue with traveling,” I said as he pulled away.

“What is that?” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

I swallowed hard, butterflies flittering in my stomach. “I think I’m pregnant.”

Zayne blinked at me, his eyes wide. “What? You are?” I didn’t know he could smile so big. He hugged me as tightly as he could, careful of my still-tender arm, and kissed me again and again. “I get to be a father?” He slid his hand down my stomach.

“Are you okay with that?” I asked, placing my hand over his.

“I thought I would be terrified if this happened,” he admitted. “I didn’t want to be like my father. But all I feel is happiness.” He kissed me with passion.

“Zayne?”

“Hmm?”

“What will I do without my magic?” I asked softly. Tears came unbidden to my eyes. It was a conversation I hadn’t wanted to bring up with him, but I couldn’t hold in the pain and worry.

He lowered his hands to my hips and turned me to face him. “Shahira, you can still weave stories for our children with or without your magic. You can teach them and raise them without it. Magic will be part of our kingdom, and you can raise our daughter to go to the academy if she so chooses.”

A lump snagged my throat. Zayne wanted a daughter?

My father had never wanted me or Kiara, and to hear Zayne say he desired a little girl made me weep.

He pulled me against his chest and kissed my head again. “I love you, Shahira. I will always take care of you.

“I love you too, Ulley.”

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The Sultan and The Storyteller

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The Stepsister and The Slipper

The Goblin and The Dancer

Hansel and the Gingerbread Queen

The Dark King and The Eternal Dance

Gothel and the Maiden Prince

The Sorcerer and The Swan Princess

The Baker and The Wolf

The Prince and The Sea Witch

Carabosse and The Spindle Spell