The Sultan's Daughter (Princesses Uncovered #5)

Chapter 50: Announcements

Chapter 50: Announcements

Gafar stood in front of the crowd, his arm around Yaz’s waist for the sake of the crowd. He smiled and waved, but his heart wasn’t in it anymore.

His heart hadn’t been in anything since he discovered the truth about Yaz’s agreement to marry him. That had broken him more than the realization months ago that if Cemal wasn’t disposed of, Yaz would never marry him.

But for her sake and the crowd’s, he had to keep playing it cool. She needed their baby. He could tell. And if a revolt started, he knew Hashim wouldn’t let the baby live.

Because Hashim would need to punish Yaz for starting the rebellion. Even though he could crush a rebellion with ease.

***

Yaz rubbed her stomach absently as she stood beside Gafar, pretending to be happy despite the anger she felt towards Hashim and Gafar. Her stomach rumbled quietly, but she ignored it.

She’d been having strange cramping pains lately, but she’d attributed it to the sickness she’d been having. She’d heard from a couple of the older women in court that cramping sometimes occurred during the middle stages of pregnancy anyway. So she assumed it was nothing to worry about.

Gafar had slipped his strong arm around her waist, showing the people a unified front – a fake, unified front, but unified in a way, nonetheless. She attempted to avoid flinching away, knowing that wouldn’t be interpreted in any good way.

The crowd watched in rapt silence as Hashim stepped up to the edge of the dais to announce her pregnancy. “Ladies and gentlemen! Today is a grand occasion: for me, for my son, for my daughter-in-law, and most of all, for all of you. You have been called here today because the Princess is expecting her first child. The throne’s heir has an heir on the way.” Hashim bowed to the crowd, accepting the applause and smiles as though it were his child that had been announced.

Then he stepped back, allowing Yaz and Gafar to step up to the edge of the dais and speak.

Gafar was the one doing the speaking as Yaz had declined to say anything.

She felt the nervous flutters in her stomach as she considered what she was about to do. She tuned Gafar’s words out and focused her gaze only on Channan, who stood near the dais, but next to the wall.

He gave a slight nod.

She nodded back, smiling, almost as though she were nodding her appreciation to the applauding crowd. But she wasn’t. She was nodding to Channan to begin the revolt. And she was smiling because she was finally to have her revenge.

This was the end for Hashim and Gafar. Things would be returned to the way they were supposed to be.

She rubbed her stomach again, and just as she did, a shout broke out across the room, waving down as the soldiers who were on her side turned on the traitors.

Hashim gazed across the crowd, searching for the source of the noise, face ashen, eyes wide.

Channan met his gaze, and as Yaz watched, Channan gave Hashim a knowing smirk, a wild light in his eyes. Channan nodded, giving Hashim a look that said You know who I am, and I’m not going to stop until your evil is blotted from this land.

She knew the look wasn’t directed at her, but she shivered, unnerved by the hard stare of the man she’d entrusted her life to.

His gaze switched to her, and it softened. He gave her a small nod and a smile before melting into the chaos, sword flashing as he took part in the mêlée.