Semua Bab CRESCENT OF DESTINY: Bab 1 - Bab 10

"She's what?" I demanded, staring at Lady Amara. My knees ached from kneeling on the stone courtyard. "What does this mark mean?"Lady Amara looked at Prince Louis like she was asking permission to speak."Tell her," he said.She turned back to me. "The Mark of the Warrior Moon. It hasn't been seen in this kingdom for over a hundred years. It marks the women of the old royal bloodline. The House of Rashad."My stomach dropped. "That's impossible. I'm not royal. My mother was just a seamstress.""Your mother was Princess Amira of the House of Rashad," Lady Amara said quietly. "She went into hiding after the civil war ended. She took a new identity as a simple seamstress. But she was born a princess of the old dynasty."I shook my head. "No. You're wrong. My mother would have told me.""Would she?" Prince Louis asked. "When telling you could get you killed?"I thought about my mother's careful words. The way she'd touched my birthmark and called it a promise. The way she'd made me swear

We ran. The market erupted into chaos. People screamed and scattered. Assassins pushed through the crowd, chasing us. We turned down a side street. Then another. The palace walls rose ahead, tall and white and impossibly far away."The north gate!" Louis shouted. "Make for the north gate!"An arrow whistled past my ear. Lady Amara grabbed my hand and pulled me around a corner. "Don't stop! Don't look back!" But I did look back. The man with the red stone ring walked calmly through the chaos. Not running. Not worried. Like he knew exactly where we were going. Like he knew we couldn't escape.We burst onto the main road. The palace north gate was directly ahead, guarded by royal soldiers."Open the gate!" Louis shouted. "I am Prince Louis! Open the gate now!"The guards saw him. Recognized him. Started to open the heavy gates. We were going to make it. Then someone stepped out of the shadows beside the gate. A man in royal armor. Expensive armor. With a cruel smile and cold eyes. Prince

"There has to be another way out," I said, pacing the healing chamber.The High Priest shook his head. "Only three exits. The main gates, the eastern door, and the crypt entrance. Prince Nasir's men watch all of them.""The crypt," Lady Amara said. "Where does it lead?""To burial grounds beneath the city. A maze of tunnels.""Then we use it," Louis said firmly. "High Priest, send a priest to Commander Hafiz at the western garrison. Tell him to bring every loyal soldier."I looked out the window. Nasir's assassins surrounded the temple. At least thirty of them now."They're bringing supplies," Lady Amara said, joining me. "Stacking them near the walls."My stomach dropped. "Oil barrels.""He lied about the three hours," Louis said grimly. "He's going to burn us now."A young priestess burst in, face white. "The eastern door! They've poured oil along the base!""The gates too," another priest added.The High Priest stared in horror. "They're going to burn the Temple of the Moon?"A cra

Nobody spoke. The silence stretched so long I could hear the temple still burning in the distance, wood cracking and stone collapsing.The king's eyes moved from me to Louis. "Well? I'm waiting."Nasir spoke first, voice smooth and practiced. "Father, thank the gods you're here. Louis has gone mad. He attacked the garrison, burned the temple, and he's working with this girl to overthrow you.""Is that so?" The king didn't look at Nasir. He was still staring at me. "And who is this girl?""She's nobody, Father. A pretender. She claims to be of House Rashad but clearly she's just some street rat Louis found to use against us.""Let her speak for herself." The king dismounted, walked closer. "What's your name, child?"My mouth went dry. This was the king. The man whose grandfather had destroyed my family. The man who could have me executed with a single word."Khalifa," I managed. "My name is Khalifa.""Khalifa." He said it slowly, like he was tasting the word. "And that mark on your for

The palace was enormous. Like, obscenely huge. White marble everywhere, gold trim, paintings that probably cost more than my entire neighborhood. Servants lined the hallways, all bowing as we passed.I wanted to throw up."Your chambers are this way," Louis said, leading me down a corridor that seemed to go on forever. "They belonged to my aunt before she married and moved to the southern provinces. They've been empty for years.""Your father just has spare princess apartments lying around?""We're a royal family. We have spare everything." He stopped at a set of double doors carved with more of those crescent moons. "I had them prepare these for you specifically. Thought the symbolism might help you feel less like a prisoner.""I am a prisoner though. A really well-dressed one.""You're under protection. There's a difference.""Is there?"He pushed open the doors.I stopped breathing.The room was gorgeous. Huge windows overlooking the city. A bed that could fit five people. Tapestri