Palace of Wishes (2020 Reissue)

by Helena Rookwood

  “Princess Zadie.” Prince Cao appeared in front of us with a bow. His piercing turquoise eyes flashed behind his fox mask. “What a fierce tigress you make.”

  “Why, thank you.” I flashed an immature look at Kassim.

  “And Sultan Kassim,” the prince continued, “you make a very regal-looking cat.”

  Kassim’s full lips pressed into a thin line as I suppressed laughter. He didn’t bother to correct Cao.

  The prince didn’t seem to notice his irritation, though, as he turned back to me with another small bow. “Seeing as my dance with Princess Safiyya is over, I was hoping I might take Princess Zadie for a turn.”

  I opened my mouth to accept, but Kassim wrapped a strong hand around my arm, pulling me a step closer to him.

  “Unfortunately, Prince Cao, I was just about to take my bride-to-be around the dance floor myself.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “Were you now?” I asked skeptically.

  Cao bowed once more. “Of course. Who am I to keep a sultan from his beautiful betrothed? Perhaps later then, princess.”

  “Yes, perhaps,” Kassim replied icily, sweeping me into the middle of the dance floor and taking my hand in his.

  I didn’t say anything as I let Kassim lead me. He kept the pace slow, perhaps remembering my request the first night I’d arrived at the palace. I appreciated it. I wasn’t a natural dancer, not like Safiyya, who floated across the marble in her white slippers, practically leading the stork-prince, who could just about keep up with her pace, if not her gracefulness.

  Not to mention how slow and clumsy my legs felt after spending all afternoon sitting cross-legged on a table being ogled by a pirate.

  “Why the sudden desire to dance?” I asked after a few moments of silence.

  “We’re the sultan and sultanah-to-be. It would look odd if we didn’t dance.”

  “It seems to me you might just be a little jealous.” I said mildly, studying the shimmering gold stripes across Kassim’s chest.

  “Not possible.” Kassim shrugged without breaking his stride. “Tigers don’t get jealous.”

  I looked up just in time to catch a smile flickering across his face. “But they do get territorial.”

  Kassim twirled me around so my hair fanned out behind me. “They don’t like to share.”

  “Are we still talking about tigers?”

  Kassim didn’t reply, instead spinning me around so quickly, I had to grab both his arms to steady myself.

  “Have you got any further with the talisman?” I asked, trying not to sound as giddy as I felt as he spun me around.

  He surprised me by answering my question. “No. We’ve exhausted all of the biggest and best shops in the Magic Quarter. We’ll have to start looking for experts further afield.”

  I was tempted to tell him that I already had a lead who could tell us everything we needed to know. But I couldn’t explain how I knew about Mustafa in the first place, and I’d have to admit to neglecting my duties overseeing the princes. And I had to admit, I still wanted to find out the answers myself.

  “How’s the tournament going so far?” Kassim asked.

  “Fine, fine,” I replied vaguely. “No problems.”

  “Thank you for taking it seriously.” The sultan gazed over my shoulder, no doubt watching his sister. “I know you weren’t exactly thrilled about overseeing the tournament, but at least I know this alliance is in safe hands. Who’s Safiyya’s frontrunner currently, do you know?”

  “Hard to say,” I replied. It was hard to say, because I didn’t know. I’d spent more time with pirates and thieves today than I had with Safiyya and the princes. “Probably Prince Cao,” I guessed. “But I did tell her Prince Rishi is the best choice politically.” I frowned, looking around the room. Speaking of Rishi… isn’t it his turn to dance? Safiyya was still dancing with Prince Diyan and both glanced around, starting to look uncomfortable.

  “What’s wrong?” Kassim asked, noticing my stare.

  I didn’t get a chance to answer before Namir appeared next to us. “Sultan. Princess.” The spymaster pulled his falcon mask on the top of his head, pushing back his mop of curly hair. “We have a problem.”

  “Don’t tell me. It’s Prince Rishi.” I reluctantly dropped Kassim’s hand.

  Namir nodded. “He’s not here, and he can’t be found.” He led us to the side of the dance floor, where Elian already waited. The captain watched Safiyya through his bear mask.

  “Perhaps he’s sick?” Kassim glanced around the room. “When was the last time you saw him, Zadie?”

  Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Uh–”

  Luckily Namir answered. “His attendants said they haven’t seen him all evening.”

  “Either way,” Elian cut in, “there’s one more partner to go for Safiyya’s traditional dance, and the stork-prince over there looks like he’s on his last legs.”

  “You should go check the prince’s room, Namir,” I suggested.

  “What’s going on?” The vizier joined our small circle in a rustle of black feathers. As usual, she managed to act as though I wasn’t there without being openly rude, looking between Kassim, Elian, and Namir.

  Kassim sighed. “Prince Rishi hasn’t made it to the ball tonight. It’s nothing to worry about, I’m sure. Namir is about to visit his rooms to check he hasn’t fallen ill.”

  Namir nodded and stepped away from the circle.

  “Is that so?” The vizier’s brow furrowed, her eyes full of concern. “I’ll come with you, Namir.” She swept after the spymaster.

  “What about Safiyya?” I asked, watching them weave through the crowd toward the door. “The song won’t stop for another dance. If she’s left alone up there, she’ll be mortified.” I knew I would be with all those eyes on me.

  “I’ll dance with her,” Elian said quickly, and Kassim and I both looked at him.

  Kassim clapped his captain on the shoulder. “Thank you, Elian. I owe you.”

  We watched as he strode across the dance floor and cut in politely. Prince Diyan’s face flooded with relief before he moved to the edge of the room and sank onto the nearest divan, his cheeks flushed on either side of his beaked mask.

  Elian took Safiyya’s arms gently, dwarfing the princess with his frame.

  He moved her around the dance floor with surprising elegance for a man of his stature, and Safiyya laughed loudly when he leaned down to whisper something into her ear.

  “Elian is a good man. He goes above and beyond his position as captain,” Kassim commented. “He’s like a brother to me and Safiyya.”

  From the way Elian stared so tenderly at Safiyya’s face, I doubted the affection I saw there was brotherly, but if Kassim had no idea about his captain’s feelings, not to mention his sister’s, I wasn’t going to tell him. I’d already intervened with one princess who wanted to marry outside her position, and it was what had gotten me sent to Astaran in the first place.

  We watched Safiyya and Elian dance for a while, before Namir reappeared at our side in a blur of brown feathers. He looked worried, and a horrible anxious feeling began burrowing away in the pit of my stomach.

  I’d been hoping it was nothing, but if something bad had happened to Rishi on my watch…

  “What’s wrong? Where’s Hepzibah?” Kassim dropped his hand from my back.

  Namir pulled us farther to one side. “She’s coming. Prince Rishi’s room has been ravaged.” He lowered his voice. “And there are huge scrape marks on the floor that almost look like they were made by…claws.”

  What?

  “A wild animal?” Kassim pushed his mask back from his face, his brow creased.

  Namir splayed his hands in a gesture that suggested he had no idea.

  “And the prince?” I asked, my heart tapping an uneven rhythm in my chest.

  “His costume was shredded on the bed, but there’s no body. It’s like he just vanished.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Kassim! It’s just as we feared.” The vizier�
��s voice was shrill as she elbowed her way through the crowd toward us. “His chambers were–”

  The vizier stopped speaking when she realized the whole ballroom had stilled to listen to her. The dancers stopped twirling as the musicians ceased their playing.

  “What’s wrong?” Prince Cao asked, wandering over to join the discussion. The other princes gathered around, the dignitaries and attendants whispering in hushed voices. All eyes were trained on the sultan.

  “There’s nothing to worry about.” Kassim raised his voice to address the room. “Prince Rishi has just been taken ill. Something he ate. Please, carry on.” The room remained silent. Kassim turned his gaze to the musicians. “I said, carry on!” His voice thundered through the room.

  The musicians began playing again, the melody a little faster than before.

  After a few moments, the other princes dispersed, either reassured or bored.

  “Namir, I need you on this.” Kassim scrubbed a hand over his chin. “We need to find that missing prince. If anything happens to these suitors under my roof, not only will it jeopardize a future alliance, it might make us a new enemy. With the threats to our northern borders from the Phoenites…” He paused. “We can’t afford that now.”

  The Phoenite threat again? It wasn’t the first time I’d heard the kingdom above the mountains mentioned. Ambar had mentioned their raids in his letter, and Kassim had told me Namir was looking into rumors of Phoenitian soldiers near our borders.

  “I think it’s obvious what’s happened here, sultan.” The vizier stepped forward. “I saw the claw marks myself. There’s only one beast that roams the palace halls freely. A certain tiger that we all know to be protective of its princess…”

  “Lotus would never hurt anyone!” Safiyya elbowed her way into the circle, Elian just behind her. Pink tinged her cheeks, her voice still breathless after dancing. “Zadie, tell her!”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Apart from the claw marks, what other evidence do you have that those marks were made by Lotus?” I challenged the vizier.

  “What more do you want? A pawprint in blood?” the vizier snipped back. She turned back to the sultan with a grave expression. “I know it’s important to the princess to pretend nothing is wrong in light of the deal you made with her, Kassim, but we can’t allow personal feelings to interfere with our investigations into what has happened.”

  I scrunched my face, irritation swelling in my chest. “What do you mean, personal feelings?”

  The vizier flashed me a concerned smile. I didn’t believe it for one minute. “I’m sure the sultan doesn’t hold you responsible for this, princess, just because you were supposed to be overseeing this vital event for us...”

  Something clenched tightly in my chest. I might have left the palace, temporarily...but I’d made it back in time for the ball, hadn’t I? “I-I didn’t–”

  “It’s just very concerning.” The vizier shook her head. “The prince should be here enjoying the ball and getting to know Safiyya better, and instead there’s no sign of him at all…”

  “You don’t even know that anything’s happened.” I tried to quash the fluttering in my chest. “Prince Rishi might have taken off with one of the handmaids. He could be anywhere. I can’t be expected to track his every movement.”

  “Zadie’s not to blame for this,” Safiyya said in a tight voice. “And neither is Lotus.”

  “Didn’t I just say that sultan shouldn’t hold the princess responsible?” The vizier clasped her hands together. “But with regard to the tiger… There were claw marks in Rishi’s chamber.” She glanced back at the sultan. “It’s enough to throw suspicion on the pet. It should at least be caged while we investigate the disappearance.”

  “No!” Safiyya said hotly. “It’s not his fault!”

  Elian shifted slightly closer to her, his strong arm pressing against hers.

  “Look, Safi. I won’t cage Lotus, but we do need to lock him away. Okay?” Kassim’s deep voice was uncharacteristically gentle. “If only to prove he’s innocent when Prince Rishi turns up unharmed.”

  Safiyya looked up at her brother and sniffed. “Okay.”

  I tried to give her a reassuring smile, but couldn’t quite manage to keep the panic from rising up in my chest. I wasn’t really at risk of being left behind when they went to find the talisman, was I? Because Rishi had gone missing?

  Kassim drew back, his voice turning authoritative. “Namir, find Lotus and ensure he’s locked in Safiyya’s private chambers. The rest of you, back to the ball. We can’t afford to have these rumors spreading fear through the rest of our guests, or sabotaging the alliances we’ve worked so hard toward for this event.” His gaze slid sideways, his eyes meeting mine. “We’ve all got a lot at stake here.”

  I swallowed at the implication.

  Our small group dispersed as everyone headed off in different directions. I slipped away from the sultan, blending into the crowd as I headed for the door after Namir. There was only one way to convince Kassim that I was capable of coming with them on the search for the Night Diamond talisman. Not to mention that I was a worthy sultanah who could manage a simple tournament for a few princes.

  I need to see these claw marks for myself.

  The music had only just faded from hearing when I arrived at the double doors to Prince Rishi’s chambers, which were splayed wide open with long gashes splintering the wood.

  I pursed my lips and stepped inside. The room was grand, with marble steps leading up to the yellow-curtained bed at the top of a raised platform. Twin hangings lined the walls, and vast floor-to-ceiling windows led out to a balcony beyond. Not a single pane of glass remained intact.

  My heart thudded heavily in my chest. Had I been wrong, to be so dismissive of the vizier’s concerns? I felt for the rough gouges in the doorframe. They were almost as deep as my forefinger.

  What if something really had happened to Prince Rishi while I’d snuck out to see Mustafa?

  I stepped farther into the room, and a curved beak poked up from behind the bed, followed by Namir’s head.

  I startled. “What’re you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same question.”

  “Are you following me again?” I tried to sound like I was joking but couldn’t disguise the sudden tremble in my voice. “Aren’t you supposed to be finding Lotus?”

  “I will. I just wanted to look at these claw marks again.” The spymaster stood from the marble floor, replacing the shredded rug he’d carefully moved to one side. “I’ve already ordered for the palace to be locked down. No one comes in or out until this is solved.”

  My heart sank. If the palace was put into lockdown, I couldn’t get back to see Mustafa in the morning to demand he keep his end of the bargain. And just when I was so close to discovering what I needed to know about the talisman…

  The spymaster stilled, head tilted to one side as he took in my troubled expression. “Did you have somewhere to be?"

  “Of course not.” I climbed up the few steps at the side of the bed, removing my mask and tossing it to one side in an effort to avoid Namir’s prying gaze. I hastily brought the conversation back to safer ground. “So you don’t think Lotus is a danger then?” The hangings and cushions on the bed had been shredded, claw marks gouged into the wooden frame.

  I exhaled slowly. Spirits, it does look like the work of a tiger.

  The spymaster padded back down the steps on nearly silent feet. He turned back, one hand resting on the splintered doorframe. “I think that if our missing prince was mauled by a tiger, like Hepzibah suggests, there’s a surprising lack of blood.”

  I glanced down at the floor, then the bed. Namir was right. No blood.

  He gave a low cough. “Nevertheless, I’m going to find Lotus, as Hepzibah insisted.”

  When I looked back at the door, the spymaster had disappeared. I listened for his footsteps to fade before rubbing the ring.

  Tarak appeared in his handmaid form in a perfumed burst of sm
oke, his long hair falling to his waist in a gleaming, silky sheet.

  “Quite the mystery, princess.” He planted his hands on his hips, mirroring my posture and tossing his hair back over his shoulder.

  I frowned, not liking that the djinni wasn’t taking this seriously. “We need to figure this out, Tarak. While Rishi’s missing, we can’t get back to Mustafa. And without the talisman, we can’t solve the mystery of the ring either, remember? Besides, Kassim made the princes my responsibility.”

  “I know.” He ran his purple gaze over my outfit. “Nice work turning the bells into a beast, by the way. You look terrifying.”

  Unsure whether he was mocking me or complimenting me, I dropped down to the floor, moving the same narrow rug Namir had lifted earlier. Deep claw marks were gouged into the marble beneath.

  My breath caught in my throat.

  “You’ve got your riddle-solving face on, princess. Why so calculating?” Tarak crouched in front of me in a very unladylike squat. He pressed his thumb between my brows. “It’ll give you wrinkles.”

  “Look.” I jerked my head back and ran a finger along the grooves. “What kind of tiger could possibly gouge these marks into marble?”

  The djinni walked his slender fingers along the claw marks, then sat back on his haunches with a feral smile on his painted lips. “Not you, even in such a ferocious costume, and not Lotus.” He paused. “I probably could, though, in one of my big cat forms.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So what do you think did it? Some sort of spirit?”

  I chewed on my lip. “I don’t know. But like you said, Lotus couldn’t have done it. We need to figure out what did. Especially if it’s still roaming the halls of the palace.” And especially if me going in search of the talisman depends on it.

  Tarak stood and threw himself back onto the bed with a dramatic sigh. A cloud of downy feathers flew up around him from the torn cushions and bedding. “And you don’t trust the curly-haired spy to investigate alone?” The djinni sneezed with a high squeal. He rubbed his nose.