King Solomon's Wives: Hunted

Chapter 7: Secrets and Sins

Sumarra

Our sisters gathered around Bahar, Mina, and me until Dilara pushed through to speak to us, confidently, as if she hadn’t broken down a few minutes earlier. “Where have you been?” She put one hand on her hip and studied me with her usual suspicious look. Our mothers had never fully trusted each other, and even in this life, I’d always felt Dilara was waiting for me to betray her.

“Making our way to you. We took our time to make sure we weren’t followed.”

“You’re the last to arrive, and I admit we’ve all been wondering how you knew about the attack and what you experienced. We have questions, but before we go into that, you should know what’s going on,” she said. “Other clans were hit, two that I know of so far, but we’re still collecting information.”

My stomach twisted. More clans? I couldn’t bear the thought of my sisters suffering. Bahar gasped, and Mina cried again...and I stepped forward. This was what needed to be done. I was ready. “Dilara, I want to confess something. I want you all to hear it from me now. I played a part in how the Hunters found us.”

My sisters whispered and stared. A few straightened, while others seemed to wilt.

I continued. “I’m going to tell you everything, but you have to know Bahar and Mina had no involvement. You must take them in now, and protect them, and I will stand trial.”

Dilara narrowed her eyes. “You’re just going to confess? Why?”

“Because I want us to think about what went wrong and why.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Sumarra? Did you tell the Hunters our location or not?”

“I’d like to explain what happened and have my sisters vote on whether I should be punished. I’d like to bring to light the way we treat each other. I’d like everyone to make a personal decision about whether they like your rules.”

“My rules?” Dilara huffed. “They aren’t mine. They’re ours.” She stared like I might have a response. She had regained all her confidence, and having someone to blame agreed with her.

“I’ve said everything I have to say for now. I’ll speak again at the trial.”

Dilara shook her head. “I should have known you’d pull something like this. I’ve been waiting for it.” She circled me, perhaps trying to intimidate. “If I find out you did something on purpose, that you endangered lives to make a point...”

“I didn’t do anything to make a point, but the point nevertheless must now be made.”

She shrugged. “Fine. For now, you can stay with the other prisoner. We’re still collecting information. When we try you, it should be for every crime, not just the ones we know about so far.”

***

I was led to an office and shoved inside. I smelled urine and sweat and knew I was not alone. My eyes almost adjusted to the darkness before I found a light switch. Someone had stripped the room of everything but an old office chair and two blankets on the floor. The other prisoner sat on one in the corner with her head down. Her hair hadn’t been cut in years. It was everywhere, over her shoulders, puddled in her lap. Blood had dried on her dress.

I walked over and knelt before her. “Are you all right?”

The girl said nothing. Her name came to me from childhood, spoken in gossipy whispers when Yasemin—the prior Yasemin—leader at that time, wasn’t around to shush us. “Are you...Esma?” I hadn’t thought of her once since I’d moved out. Why not? Because it was best. Necessary. Because thinking of her had always made me feel sick.