The Sultan's Spy

Chapter 33: The Truth

Seated beside the fading wisteria, the last of its perfume suffusing the area, Eliska felt far more relaxed than she had the night before. So far Lizina hadn't called her in, making her guess that her investigations hadn't been noticed yet. She hoped they wouldn't be at all.

It helped that the cool night was relaxing and she no longer had to be on her best behaviour. In front of the others who'd been invited to the ceremony and following gathering, she'd had to keep smiling, had to act as if she knew nothing more than what any young noblewoman of her age should know. She had to be pleasant, graceful, and calm, while keeping those around her politely amused. Smart, but not too smart or she'd make people around her feel stupid. In short, she had to act as the princess she was.

And she hated that.

Eliska preferred her work as a shadow, going out and being someone else. Working, she could be anyone and everyone. She wasn't confined to the harem. She was as free as she could be. Not that she'd ever abandon her family or her duty. They were everything to her.

She sighed and pushed the thoughts away. She always got like this after a court event she was forced to attend. Always thinking about her position, about what her life was like. Part of her wondered what the future would hold, once a husband was found for her. She knew it was only a matter of time.

Unbidden, Tariq's face appeared in her mind's eye. A rush of warmth flooded her cheeks which she did her best to ignore. Of course she would think of him. She was waiting for him after all. It wasn't as if the thought of a husband, a man she would be partnered with in more than one sense had brought forward his-

Eliska straightened and halted that line of thinking. The barely heard sound of footsteps on grass was a welcome distraction. She stood, offering Tariq a half-smile as he approached. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

He said nothing, not stopping until he was directly in front of her. He was close enough that she could feel the heat of him as his eyes bored down into hers. She found herself flushing again but wasn't about to look away and let him think he'd somehow won against her. She frowned, noting his usual smile was gone. She wondered what had happened, what he'd found out. She opened her mouth to ask him, but he spoke first.

"Did you think I'd run away with my job undone, Eliska?"

She made a face. "No, but I know you've been pulled into things before, especially by the scribes. And you..." Eliska trailed off as both his tone and words truly registered with her. His voice was rough-edged, his jaw tighter since she'd started talking, and most damning of all, she could have sworn he'd just called her by her real name. A name he shouldn't know.

"What did you just call me?"

"Eliska. It's your name. Don't bother lying, I know it is."

She hissed. "I don't' care what you know, but my name is something you should forget. Keep calling me Liss or whatever you want, but you don't know me. Have you told anyone about this?"

He glared at her. "No, because I didn't want to damn well believe it. But I saw you last night, and you obviously belonged, and then I asked Sirhan who you were and he told me."

"In the name of all that is holy," Eliska whispered, feeling the blood drain from her face. "You asked Sirhan? Pray that he forgets that or doesn't mention it to anyone. If this gets around to anyone..."

"What do you care? You're a real royal spy."

She shot her hands out and grabbed his elbows, squeezing them hard. "Forget that. Forget everything about that and don't breathe a word of it to anyone. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?"

"You spelled me to keep your secrets, remember? And even if you hadn't, why should I worry about the danger to your family?"

Eliska gritted her teeth. "Because the danger isn't to my family, you idiot. The danger is to you. Do you know how hard I've been trying to keep you alive? My sister wanted to kill you as soon as you arrived. I managed to talk her out of it, but she's been debating about doing it anyway once this is all over. I've been trying to make you as useful as possible so she doesn't." A sudden thought had her breath catching in her throat. "Please tell me you haven't said anything about this to Ajani."

Tariq broke the grip she had on his arms and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. "No, I haven't. And what do you mean, your sister wants to kill me? Is she a spy too?"

She choked. The shock of Tariq finding out had caused her mouth to run off with her again. Eliska kicked herself inwardly while her mind scrambled to find some way to explain this that wouldn't put Tariq in further danger. But it was hard to think with the reality of how close to death he was pushing down on her. "Forget that. Please, if you value your life, forget all of it. You don't know me. You don't know who I am. Continue as you have been and I can probably get you out of this alive."

"Explain it to me, and I'll decide what I'll do from there."

Eliska wanted to shake him, wanted to beat some sense into him. Didn't he know he was walking on the edge of a knife? "Then you'll be in more danger! This is exactly why I didn't want you at the palace in the first place!"

She turned away so she could pace but was brought up short when Tariq grabbed her hand. He pulled her back towards him, using his other hand on her shoulder to force her to face him, his touch gentle but implacable. "Tell me everything, the whole truth, and then I'll decide what I'll do."

His gaze was hard, his face lined, and his whole body alight with tension. Eliska looked right back at Tariq and knew that his stubbornness wouldn't budge. That if she didn't explain things to him, he'd move against her and likely do something that would cause Lizina to order his death. And Eliska knew she'd be the one ordered to do it.

She didn't think she could, not anymore, which left her with only one real option. Her free hand clenching slowly into her fist, Eliska met Tariq's eyes with her own furious gaze. "Fine, but remember, I tried to keep you safe."