Page 38 of Wild Flame

Zara had continued speaking, explaining more about the holiday traditions, but now I barely heard her as I tried to breathe through my nerves as the sound and heat of the fire engulfed my senses.

When I finally got my breathing under control, I was glad to see Zara hadn’t noticed anything amiss. Malik approached us then, taking me in with a pleased glint in his eye. He smiled at Zara before extending one bare, muscular arm to me. “Shall we?”

After giving her brother and me a knowing smile, Zara bowed her head and left us alone. As we left the courtyard and the palace behind and made our way down into the city streets, sultry music, the sweet and spicy scent of food, and ringing laughter surrounded us. My guards and his walked several paces behind us. They were at a discreet enough distance they couldn’t hear what we said, or at least I hoped they couldn’t. We were also accompanied by Azrun. Malik’s dragon walked on his other side, his presence ensuring most people kept a respectful distance.

Neither of us said anything as we walked, simply taking it all in.

For starting out as having no light at all less than a quarter hour ago, the city around us was near glowing with light now. I tried not to react to all the bonfires and candles and flames surrounding us. My anxiety at being so close to so much fire probably lent some sharpness to my tone as I finally spoke. “I don’t appreciate your strong-arming me into an outing with you,” I told him.

He regarded me from under his dark brows. “Is that what I’m doing, siren?”

I glared at him. “You know very well it is.”

“If you prefer to see it that way, I cannot stop you,” he said. “But I hope what I have planned can in some way make up for anyinsistenceon my part.”

I shot him a look. “What plans?”

The familiar glint was back in his eyes. “You’ll see.” He refused to tell me more as he led me deeper into a part of the city I had not yet explored.

I was amazed at how relaxed but respectful people were around Malik as we walked, and how they, for all intents and purposes, appeared to love their prince. People were, in turn, courteous to me as well. Though I didn’t miss the surprise and confusion on many of their faces as they realized who I was. Why had their future king chosen to spend the holiday with the princess of another kingdom? Why not Priya or one of the other women? Little did they know, I wondered the same.

When we finally reached what I assumed was our destination, I was pleasantly surprised. It was an outdoor theater with tiers of stone benches that led downward to a flat stage floor at its base. People were already filling up the rows of seating around us as the guards cleared a path and Malik led me down to a bench in the front row. The whole place was magnificent. We had nothing like it in Nevgard. Though, I suppose the cold weather was such that for much of the year, an outdoor theater would be impractical.

I could feel Malik watching me as I glanced around in awe. Azrun leapt up and sat on Malik’s other side.

“What is the performance?” I couldn’t help but ask.

He smiled. “A play. The Breaking of Palasia. Considering your love of music, I thought you might enjoy it.”

My eyes went wide. “I’ve never been to a formal play.” Well, except for the one he had interrupted the night he followed me.

His brow pinched. “They do not have theater in Halmar?” he asked. “I find that hard to believe.”

I shook my head. “No, they do . . . I simply was not allowed to attend. My mother . . . sees little value in the arts, though she and my father still attend when required.”

When I met his eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed for some reason, he simply said, “Then I am glad to share the experience with you.”

My chest warmed. We continued staring at one another, locked in that same charged moment, when the first actor appeared from behind the tall curtains that had been erected across the open space.

I finally turned forward, and it wasn’t long before I was captivated by the actors, the singing, and the entire performance. At the final heartbreaking note of the last number, I had tears streaming down my face and was the first to stand and clap when they were done.

I turned to Malik as I wiped the tears away, a huge smile on my face. “Thank you for bringing me.”

Oddly, Malik appeared slightly stunned as his eyes traveled my face, lingering on my mouth. He cleared his throat. “You’re welcome.”

As we left the performance and returned to the street, we passed a small crowd of people clustered around a seller holding up a tiny, worn lamp. It looked like nothing special, but everyone was staring at it with awe.

“It holds a djinn,” Malik explained.

I looked at him. “I’m sorry?”

“The lamp,” he repeated, “holds a djinn. Or at least so the seller claims.” At my look of confusion, he continued, “They usually inhabit desert caves and can only be caught through deceit. They’re shapeshifters that grant wishes to whoever owns the object they are tied to. But they are dangerous tricksters. They’re usually ancient, and skilled at twisting truth. Rarely does your wish give you what you truly ask for.”

“Have you ever encountered one?” I asked, curious.

He shook his head. “No. When I was young and foolish enough to be interested in such things, my father forbade it. He told mea man was a fool to wish for something he could make happen himself through his own effort.”

“That is wise advice,” I murmured.

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