The Desert Princess: A Retelling of Aladdin (Return to the Four Kingdoms Book 3) by Melanie Cellier

Author:Melanie Cellier [Cellier, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Luminant Publications
Published: 2021-08-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

“We’ll be safe from interruptions in here.” He paced away from me toward a window that was covered in a lattice screen with an intricate pattern.

When he thrust it open, leaning both hands on the windowsill, I frowned.

“I can hear your frown,” he said without turning around. “It’s a private garden. There’s no one out there.”

I gave a soft snort but relaxed, turning to take in my surroundings. We stood in a large, airy reception room, the long wall punctuated with a whole row of large windows. Glimpses of green through the lattice suggested they all looked out onto Zaid’s private garden.

Prince Zain, I corrected my thoughts.

The other end of the room held a set of sofas arranged around a plush rug, but it was the only alleviation to the cool stone of the rest of the room. It produced an elegant, masculine feel that suited Zaid in some indefinable way.

“Is this your personal sitting room? Prince Zain.”

Even from behind I could see his wince at my use of his title and true name. He turned slowly around to face me.

“Sitting room. Audience room.” He shrugged. “You can call it what you like. But no one comes here without my invitation.”

“I suppose I should feel honored.” I couldn’t keep the bite out of my voice.

“No, I didn’t mean…” He seemed to deflate.

For a moment we just stood, looking at each other.

“Would you like to sit?” he asked eventually, gesturing toward the sofas.

“Not really.” I walked over to join him at the window, gazing out at a lush oasis of vines, bushes, and small trees. “Is that a lemon tree?”

“What?” He looked from me out to the garden. “Oh. Yes, it is. There are several.”

“I like lemon trees.”

What was I talking about? Apparently all the shocks of the day had fried my brain.

Zaid stared down at me, a guilty, pained look in his eyes. He opened his mouth, and for a moment I thought he was going to apologize for the months of lies. But instead his words exploded at me.

“What were you doing back there? For that matter, what are you doing here now? You promised to stay away!”

I spun to face him, my hands flying to my hips. “What was I doing? I was looking for you! When I agreed to stay in Qalerim, I expected you to be gone a day or two—three at most. Not more than two weeks! I thought you’d accused Malik and been thrown in prison or been caught trying to find his secret room for yourself, or something.”

His eyes flew to the door, as if he suspected Malik might have his ear to the keyhole. I lowered my voice.

“I went to Malik’s house to find out if there was any talk in his household about an apprehended thief or…or spy, or something. I didn’t expect to see Malik himself. I certainly didn’t expect to see you!”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve been away. I only got back yesterday. I invented an excuse to look through Malik’s house at the first opportunity.

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