The tailor, Mina, was a petite woman with brown hair pulled into an intricate coiffure and striking green eyes that looked like glinting gems.
Her modest-looking shop was on a deserted street. She didn’t have many customers; in fact, Daliya and Haitham were the only ones inside.
She blinked at them, disbelieving, widening her eyes as Haitham explained the reason for their visit. She covered her open mouth with her hands, a glint of excitement and something else filling her eyes.
“Oh, my! Didn’t think I would ever be graced by your company!”
Her eyes kept shifting from Daliya to Haitham. So Daliya wasn’t quite sure who she was talking to.
“I know we’re a bit late, and the ball is only a handful of days away. But if there’s someone who can pull this off, it’s you.”
She nodded heartily, the smile widening on her face. “But of course! It would be my honor to serve!”
Haiutham sighed. “Thank you. I shall remember this.”
Daliya narrowed her eyes at the exchange. No matter how she looked at it. It seemed she wasn’t included in whatever the two were talking about. But before she could utter a word, the tailor turned to her. She ushered her to take her measurement, all the while chatting cheerfully about Daliya’s preferences.
Daliya didn’t know what to say. But one thing for sure was the dress’ colors.
“Midnight blue and silver? Are you sure I can’t interest you in other colors?”
Daliya shook her head. “No. make the dress as you see fit, but keep the colors.”
“Oh, okay.” Mina seemed dejected, as if Daliya had taken all the fun from her work. But soon, her cheerfulness returned. She beamed at her as she gabbled on about this and that. The bodice, the collar, the armlet. Daliya listened to the words flying over her head.
Loose sleeves? Short sleeves? Sleeveless? How about a low back?
Some accents around the waist? Some accessories?
She rattled on and on, asking about the different designs that could fit Daliya. She didn’t seem to mind that the person standing before her was the princess. Or maybe she didn’t know? Doubtful. Anyway, it was such a breath of fresh air that Daliya couldn’t find it in herself to complain.
It wasn’t long before all the necessary measurements were taken.
“Do you have the required materials?” Haitham asked Mina.
She tilted her head to the side, her finger tapping her chin in thought. “While I have some Whitewidow silk to make the dress, I would still need some Moonshine threats for the accents.”
Haitham nodded. “I’ll send someone to get you what you need.”
Mina clapped her hands. “Perfect! I’ll be done before the ball.” She clasped Daliya’s hands between her own. “It will be glorious! Everyone will envy you!” She walked away, gathering the pile of papers and hugging them to her chest. “Oh, I can’t wait to get started!” She didn’t even say another word to them before disappearing behind a side door.
Daliya turned to Haitham. “A bit too excitable, isn’t she?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, she does that sometimes.”
“Should we… inform her of our departure?”
“No. It’s fine. She won’t even recognize our presence now that she’s so focused on her work. It’s best if we leave her alone.”
“What about the payment?”
Haitham grinned at her. “It’s on me. A return gift of sorts.”
Daliya watched him with a skeptical look. A return gift? Was he talking about the flower? She was merely teasing him. Why was he making a big deal out of it? It wasn’t like it had cost her anything. Just a couple of hours of hellish training.
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“Is she one of your spies?” she asked instead.
Haitham paused before answering. “Something like that.”
Just how many spies did he have inside the empire?
The emperor’s invite had still not been sent, so Daliya spent the two consecutive days learning etiquette.
“When you enter, you should bow deeply and only stand when given permission.”
“Isn’t he my ‘supposed’ father?”
“He and the princess don’t get along. Some even say that the princess is immensely afraid of him.”
She raised an eyebrow. “How so? Isn’t she powerful?”
He looked at her. “She is. But the emperor has a weapon that even she can’t counter.”
Ah, she had already heard of it before.
“The soul Devourer?”
He nodded. “A simple cut can cut the threads connecting the soul to the body, thus ending someone’s life. It doesn’t need to be a life-threatening injury. A shallow cut is plenty enough. It only needs access to any part of the soul.”
“Isn’t it a bit similar to the silver steel?”
“In a way. But the silver steel only cuts the energy course in the body. And its effect is temporary. But the soul death steel’s effect is deadly.”
“Is it what you sent the others to get their hands on?” she mused. “You think you can find a countermeasure if studied?”
“Ideally. However, we’re running out of time. We’ve heard word that the emperor has found a way to mass-produce the steel. You can see why that would be a problem. Even if we find a way to counter it, it would be too late. It would have already reaped countless souls by then and even after.” His eyes sharpened. “I intend to destroy it and get rid of the research. It’s the only way, I’m afraid.”
She nodded. It would be a disaster. Steel that can cut a soul’s threads? The empire would be unstoppable, undefeatable. There would be no coming back for the devastation he could inflict upon the world.
“Don’t worry. Arham might seem a bit clumsy, but he’s one of the best at his work. If they haven’t found its location by now, they soon will.”
“They’re already in the castle?”
It had been mere days since their meeting with Haitham, and they’d already infiltrated the castle. Impressive. As expected of highly professional assassins.
She glanced at Haitham. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was capable of. He was their leader, wasn’t he? Then certainly he should be even more capable than his underlings.
“Now to the next lesson. Never talk to him without being addressed first. And always finish your sentence with Your Majesty. And most importantly, never, under any circumstances do you talk back to him. The emperor is always right, even when he’s not. He’s never to be questioned, no matter his decision.”
“Isn’t it a tad bit exaggerating? He’s but a human, and humans make mistakes.”
He shrugged. “That, my dear princess, is the fastest way to get your head cut off. He’s the sun of the empire—the savior of humanity and the blessing from the eternal one himself,” he said in a flourish, tone mocking.
“I can see that,” Daliya said dryly. “But shouldn’t the princess call her father, I don’t know, father?’
“Everyone calls you Your Highness, don’t they?”
Yes. Everyone but him.
“On that note.” He blinked and tilted his head toward her, looking at her as if he remembered something important. “You do know the princess’s real name, don’t you?”
Daliya hesitated. Of course, she did. She wasn’t an idiot. But also, it wasn’t her fault that no one called her by that name.
She chewed on her lower lip, her brows furrowed. If she remembered correctly, it was…
“Aliyana,” she said, cursing silently when her voice lifted at the end, making it sound more like a question.
Haitham hummed. “Indeed.”
“See? I told you I remember.”
“Barely.”
She huffed. “I still got it right.”
He rolled his eyes. “Just make sure to answer if someone calls you by that name.”
“Of course, I would. What do you take me for?”
“Also, you might want to drop any politeness you might have when addressing the nobility. They’re nothing but vultures waiting for the slightest chance to pounce at the first sign of weakness. And politeness is a weakness in high society. They’re like hungry predators hunting for prey.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll curse at them first chance I get.” She laughed.
He smiled. “That could work. The princess wasn’t known for her abundant patience. She had quite a temper.”
“Anything else I need to know before meeting the big old baddie?”
His smile turned rueful. “Don’t die. I’ll quite miss you and your loud mouth.”
She gasped, putting her hand over her chest, looking offended at his audacity. “I’m not loud!”
“Of course, that’s what she got out of it.” he sighed, but the smile never left his mouth.
It wasn’t till the third day that she got the official summon from the palace. She was to head to the grand hall, where she would meet the emperor’s entourage. Alone. Not even her knights were allowed entrance into the palace grounds.
She huffed. Paranoid much?
