Girl, Serpent, Thorn - Melissa Bashardoust Page 0,85

He’s also been sending divs out into the city to patrol the streets. Many of the buildings are damaged, but the people are safe for now. I think they’re trying to go about their days without attracting any attention.” She paused, and glancing at the hyacinth in Soraya’s hands, she said, “I checked to make sure your family was safe too. They’re locked in a wing of the palace, but they seemed unharmed from what I could see. And then I couldn’t resist bringing something back for you.”

Soraya looked at her in surprise, forgetting Azad’s revelation and her feelings of betrayal. Parvaneh had risked returning to the place of her captivity, risked doing so when Azad was still there, even risked changing forms, to bring Soraya some peace of mind—and a reminder of home. She stared down at the hyacinth in her hands, unable to look at Parvaneh. “You endangered yourself, your freedom, for—” For me.

Parvaneh brushed some of Soraya’s hair away, her fingertips lingering on Soraya’s neck. “You have faith in me,” she said softly. “It’s been a long time since anyone has. I wish I could give you more.”

Soraya lifted her head and froze as she found Parvaneh closer to her than she had expected, their faces mere breaths apart. Parvaneh’s eyes were on Soraya’s lips, and Soraya couldn’t bring herself to move away as Parvaneh leaned closer—as their lips met.

Her kiss with Azad had been devouring, almost violent, but this was different, delicate—as delicate as a moth’s wing. Soraya felt like a cat stretched out in a patch of sunlight, luxuriating in the softness of Parvaneh’s mouth, in the slow drag of Parvaneh’s fingertips along the length of her neck. Parvaneh seemed to be trying to memorize the feel of Soraya’s skin, and Soraya, remembering the sight of her tattered wings, wondered when Parvaneh had last experienced any kind of touch that was not in violence.

But that thought only made her remember the violence that Parvaneh herself had done.

Soraya broke off abruptly, standing and practically bolting to the other side of the fire, away from Parvaneh.

“Is something wrong?” Parvaneh asked with a tilt of her head. Her voice went cold as she asked, “Do you wish I were him instead?”

Soraya shot her an incredulous glare. “Of course not,” she said. “I only wish you were who I thought you were.”

“And who is that?”

“Someone without blood on her hands.”

Parvaneh hesitated before replying, “What is this about?”

Soraya shook her head. “You’re only asking me that because you don’t want to give away your secret unless you have to. But maybe if you had told me, if you hadn’t let me hear it from him—”

“Hear what, Soraya? The Shahmar is a liar, in case you haven’t noticed. He might have told you any number of terrible things about me. He and I have known each other a long time, and we’ve seen the worst in each other. I didn’t know you expected me to give you a full account of so many years.”

“Not a full account,” Soraya said. “Only the beginning. You were the div who convinced him to murder his family. You were the div who turned him into a monster in every way. All of this is your fault!”

“I know it’s my fault!” Parvaneh snapped, rising to her feet. “Why do you think I’m trying so hard to fix my mistake? I’m the reason my sisters have had to go into hiding. They won’t even take me back until I’ve repaired the damage I’ve done. And this is the first time I’ve even come close to stopping him, because I’ve been his prisoner for over a century!” Her anger dissipated, her face contorting in pain as her wings drooped behind her. When she was composed again, she said, “At first, I didn’t tell you because you were my only chance at freedom, and at stopping the Shahmar. Then you defended me to Parisa and the others…” She looked away, avoiding Soraya’s gaze. “I didn’t want you to regret that decision, or to look at me the way they do. I wanted you to keep looking at me the way you did last night.”

Soraya wrapped her arms around her waist and looked down at the ground. She didn’t know what Parvaneh would see on her face right now, and so she didn’t want to look at her at all, not until she sorted through her feelings. “What made you do it?” she said to the ground, an echo of