Dancers of the Dawn by Zulekhá A. Afzal

Author:Zulekhá A. Afzal
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780861545087
Publisher: Oneworld Publications

TWENTY~THREE

The afternoon wanes as we meander along the cobbled road that slopes down towards the souk. Laughter and music drift from the gardens of the large houses that sit on the palace’s doorstep, as local residents entertain guests. Any thought of the conflict beyond the city walls seems a distant one. Here, the wealthy only ever have something to celebrate. As we pass by the gates of one mansion, I spot a young attendant watching us from the other side. At first, I can’t read her expression, but when she puts her hand up to wave, I see the faint line of a floral mehndi design on her palm that mimics the symbols that decorate our hands. Magic may not run through her blood, but the fight to defend our country is still fierce in the glimmer of her eyes.

As the road grows narrower and busier, our party splits into smaller groups, despite our strict orders to stay together and with our guards. We dancers have been given the afternoon off to see more of Naru, along with the palace’s newest apprentices, a rare opportunity we probably won’t get again if the schedule Amal shared with me after class this morning is anything to go by. I hang back with Dana, Sahi, Amina and Maya, while Meera and some of the others hurry ahead, giddy at being free of the confines of the palace. The air feels close the further down the cliff we venture and lanterns flicker like starlight to reveal the interlaced rows of stalls as a haze rolls in from the sea.

‘How was this morning?’ Maya asks us.

‘Mistress Soraya isn’t easily impressed – let’s put it that way,’ Dana says quietly, conscious of our chaperones, who are the queen’s eyes and ears. ‘There was a moment when I really believed I might not be able to conjure my sand serpents.’

‘But then you did,’ Sahi says encouragingly.

‘And you’d already shown the strength of your ability in the desert,’ adds Amina.

Dana beams at the memory.

Although she pretends not to hear us as she walks on ahead, I see Meera’s shoulders tense momentarily at this further reminder of her poor performance when we were ambushed.

‘Have you met your instructors yet?’ I ask Maya and Amina.

Maya nods. ‘Their skills are unparalleled. The level of detail in their designs… I’ve never seen anything like it.’

I smile at her enthusiasm.

‘It’s the same with the musicians,’ Amina chimes in. ‘Neesha and I listened to the orchestra rehearse this morning. Their ability is beyond anything we were ever taught at the sanctuary and I’m not sure I’ll ever be up to their standard.’

‘You’re already brilliant,’ Neesha says and puts an arm round Amina’s shoulders. ‘If you don’t think you have a place among them, I certainly don’t,’ she jokes, but there’s a tinge of real doubt there.

‘That’s not true,’ Dana says, a sudden skip in her step. ‘Soon, the whole city…no, the whole country will descend on the palace to hear you both play.’

The others

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