The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) - S. A. Chakraborty Page 0,193

drew up with as much indignation as he could from his soaking sheets. “You think I let a marid . . . what, possess me? That’s impossible!”

“Zaydi . . .” Muntadhir stepped closer, his face apologetic. “I saw you climb back on the boat. You had all those things clinging to you, your eyes were black, you were whispering in some bizarre language. And when you used the seal, my God, you completely overpowered Darayavahoush. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The seal? He had used Suleiman’s seal? No, this is madness. Utter madness. Ali was an educated man. He’d never read anything indicating that marid could possess pureblooded djinn. That anything could possess djinn. How would something like that have been kept a secret? And did that mean all the gossip—all the cruel rumors about his mother’s people—was rooted in truth?

Ali shook his head. “No. We have scholars; they know the truth about the war. Besides, djinn can’t be possessed by a marid. If they could, surely—surely someone would have studied it. It would be in a book—”

“Oh, my child . . .” His father’s eyes were filled with sorrow. “Not everything is in a book.”

Ali dropped his gaze, fighting back tears, unable to bear the pity in Ghassan’s face. They’re wrong, he tried to insist to himself. They’re wrong.

But how else to explain the gaps in his memory? The horrific visions? The very fact that he was alive? He’d been shot in the throat and lungs, had fallen into water cursed to shred any djinn who touched it. And here he was.

A marid. He stared at his dripping hands as nausea swept over him. I gave my name and let some water demon use my body like a shiny new blade to murder the Afshin. His stomach churned.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the ceramic pitcher start to shake on the table behind his brother. God, he could sense it; he could feel the water aching to burst free. The realization shook him to the core.

His father squeezed his hand. “Look at me, Alizayd. The Afshin is dead. It is over. No one need ever know.”

But it wasn’t over. It never would be: sweat was pouring from Ali’s brow even now. He was changed.

“Ali, child.” He could hear the worry in his father’s voice. “Talk to me, please . . .”

Ali sucked in his breath, and the water pitcher behind Muntadhir exploded, sending clay fragments skittering across the floor. The water gushed out, and Muntadhir jumped, his hand going for the khanjar at his waist.

Ali met his eyes. Muntadhir dropped his hand, looking slightly ashamed.

“Abba . . . he can’t be seen like this,” he said quietly. “We need to get him out of Daevabad. Ta Ntry. Surely the Ayaanle will know better . . .”

“I’m not giving him to Hatset’s people,” Ghassan said stubbornly. “He belongs with us.”

“He’s making water pitchers explode and drowning in his own sweat!” Muntadhir threw up his hands. “He’s second in line for the throne. Two heartbeats away from controlling Suleiman’s seal and ruling the realm. For all we know, the marid is still in there, waiting to seize him again.” Muntadhir met Ali’s frightened eyes. “Zaydi, I’m sorry, I truly am . . . but it is the height of irresponsibility to let you remain in Daevabad. The questions your condition will provoke . . .” He shook his head and looked back to their father. “You were the one who gave me the lecture when you made me emir. Who told me what would happen if the Daevas ever suspected how we won the war.”

“No one is going to find out anything,” the king snapped. “No one on the ship was close enough to see what happened.”

Muntadhir crossed his arms. “No one? Then I take it you’ve already taken care of our supposed Banu Nahida.”

Ali reeled. “What do you mean? Where’s Nahri?”

“She’s fine,” the king assured him. “I haven’t decided her fate yet. I’ll need your testimony if I decide to execute her.”

“Execute her?” Ali gasped. “Why in God’s name would you execute her? That lunatic gave her no choice.”

His father looked baffled. “Muntadhir said she ordered the Afshin to attack. That they were trying to escape when you killed him.”

They were? Ali flinched. That hurt, he couldn’t lie. But he shook his head. “That’s not how it started. I came upon him trying to kidnap her in the infirmary. He told her that he’d kill me if she