Liyah's breath hitched in her throat. The sandy desert stretched for miles and miles, without end. She looked at the two in front of her with an exasperated expression etched on her face, "Tell me this gets easier."
Rayan smirked, "Careful, habibti...
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chapter 6 | a key within the palace when the rays hits the crown, a glimmer of hope is revealed
ZAKIR BARAKAT WAS AN odd, well-dressed man. He was tall, with long bony fingers and the crimson talisman, resting on his chest, made Liyah inwardly cringe as she thought of her night at the souq.
"Nice necklace," she stated upon seeing him.
"Nazar is everywhere when you're a renowned, royal architect." The man smirked as he progressed towards her. The midnight, velvety blue kaftan that he wore swept on the rich, blood-red Persian carpets with each step towards the girl. His kohl-smudged eyelids accentuated the vibrant colors swirling around in his eyes. Zakir, much like the woman she had encountered at the souq, had striking green irises that blended into a honey-golden streaks. His copperish skin sparkled under the light of the chandelier as he positioned his hands on his lower back.
"Zakir Barakat," He bowed slightly as a sign of his respect to the younger girl, "General Shakil has informed me that you are the niece of notable Sheikh Samir al-Jawfi. I have always heard such remarkable tales of the al-Jawfi family. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, aanesa Samira."
Liyah, unsure of how to respond to her sudden title of a noblewoman in the Almasahri society, bit the insides of her cheeks and hesitantly lowered her head, "Uh, thank you Zakir."
"Yallah, we have quite an eventful day planned ahead," He motioned for her to follow him. It had only been a day before General Shakil had organized for the renowned Zakir Barakat and Liyah to meet within the walls of the palace. She had risen two hours before the sun could burst its rays through the clouds. The bubbling sensation of joy in her chest was too much too contain and the girl yearned for the moment. Before Soraya could even place a single fig on the table, she was already there, walking alongside the man who Shakil promised would gladly take her under his wing.
"I find it intriguing that a girl around your age shows interest in my work." He chuckled as he stood with his back against the entrance door of the palace hallway. He politely allowed the girl to walk through the entrance, soon following after her as curiosity danced around his amber irises. "I thought you'd be more interested in Royal Guards' Junior Regiment."
Liyah stifled a laugh. It was quite ludicrous that he pictured the bright-eyed, witty girl to wander into the labyrinth-like hearts of the soldiers. Besides, if they were anything like their second-in-command, she would rather opt to keep her distance,"I've always been in love with architecture; ever since I was a little girl."
"I suppose the niece of a Sheikh might have been exposed to the fine architecture in Malikatar," Zakir smiled in satisfaction as they passed two soldiers. He bid the morbid-looking men with the nod of his head but soon dropped his voice when he turned to Liyah, "But between the two of us, I find that the Malikatari palace garden has exceeded that of Almasahra's."
