Shadow Seer [18+]

~ Nineteen ~

Miri was spying on Ghassan's condition.

Fatima was involved somehow with the people who'd tried to kill him.

Amir and Archimedes were... friends? She wasn't quite sure.

The most important moment of her findings of course, was that she knew how to get to Ghassan's rooms.

Sanaa struggled with the implications of this but once she got her head around the fact that these were once Queen Amina's rooms, it made a little more sense. Not though, that the entrance was through a linen closet. Still, she realised the boon she had been offered since coming up with her non plan of gaining access to the emperor.

Could I really hurt him? Unlikely, but the possibility of it was so close she could taste it. She had a knife thanks to the armoury she'd found and she know had access to Ghassan should she be brave enough to take the opportunity.

I'm not a murderer, Sanaa thought. She was barely anything. She'd not had a vision in days and she hadn't tried to call for...

Sanaa scrambled off her bed and rushed to the door, wrenching the door half way off its hinges in her rush to get to Miri on the other side.

"Mistress, what's wrong are you hurt?"

"No, no, I'm fine but I just had a vision."

"A vision?"

"Yes, yes. Tell Emperor Amir that I must see him, that I must see Emperor Ghassan immediately!" The lie rolled off her tongue the more momentum she gained but Miri nodded quickly before darting out of the room. Sanaa rushed back into her room for something to wear.

Sanaa hadn't see Amir in days but when he turned up outside her chamber door, he took her breath away. He always had a regal air about him, he was royalty after all but he looked every inch the emperor. He looked resplendent in loose black linen pants, shirt and a gold embroidered long overcoat. His hair was in a tight top knot on his head, a gold circlet across his brow displaying his otherwise obvious status. Despite her insistence that she needed to see them both soon, Amir had not graced her with his presence til much later in the afternoon. As such, the sun was sinking low on the horizon outside her window, casting a warm, amber glow over the corridor walls. She stood in the doorway, taking him in as he was her but he said nothing. She hated where her mind went, to his hands - his shadows - on her.

"Thank you," she said, her voice small despite trying to be sensible in his presence despite all she'd heard and felt.

"For what?" his voice was cold and she flinched.

"My trip into the city," she said. "It meant a lot to me." His eyes seemed to soften at those words and while he didn't say anything he simply nodded and turned from her door, to head toward Ghassan.

Prince Amir strode purposefully down the corridor, his golden robe flowing behind him. Sanaa struggled to keep pace with him, his strides so much longer than hers. She wore pale blue pants, a cropped blouse and veil, her hair in tight braids in a twisted crown atop her head. Her hazel eyes, lined with kohl, were large with apprehension about what she intended to do.

Amir glanced at her, his gaze lingering on her for only a moment before he spoke.

"You still haven't explained why you must to see my father," he said, his voice a low murmur, laced with frustration and a hint of anger. Sanaa's steps faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her rhythm,

"It's not something I can easily explain," she replied, her voice soft yet firm. "I Saw something and I believe it best I speak with both you and he in the room."