‘Kadir.’ The Sultan spoke across me, low enough that the rest of the court couldn’t hear. ‘Do you not have enough of your own women to keep you entertained?’

‘I would have, Father.’ Something silent passed between Kadir and the Sultan that I didn’t understand. ‘But I seem to have misplaced one of them.’ He must mean Mouhna. I remembered what Leyla had said about women disappearing from the harem all the time. Like her mother had. ‘I needed one more to complete my Mirajin set.’ Kadir reached out and ran a hand lazily along one of the scars on my back. My body shuddered angrily in response.

The way the Sultan smiled would’ve fooled the rest of the court into thinking he was having the most genial conversation with his son. ‘Lay that hand on her again and you will lose it.’ I felt an unexpected surge of gratitude towards the Sultan for coming to my defence. I quashed it. It was his fault I was here, unable to defend myself.

The Sultan straightened. ‘Bring in the first petitioner.’ He raised his voice, coming to stand at the gate that led into the court.

‘Commander Abbas Al-Abbas,’ a servant announced. ‘Of the Eleventh Command.’

The soldier who came in bowed low before speaking. ‘Your Exalted Honour. I have come to plead for a release from my command.’

‘This is a serious request, in a time of war.’ The Sultan considered him. ‘It’s clearly not for lack of bravery that you wish to be relieved, or else you wouldn’t be here facing me.’ The soldier seemed to swell with pride for a moment at being called brave.

‘News has come from my father’s home. My brother, his heir, has been called by God to the Holy Order. My father has no other sons. If I don’t return, my sisters’ husbands will squabble for his land. I wish to go home to take my place as his heir.’

The Sultan considered him. ‘What do you think, Rahim?’ He was talking to the young soldier, the one who’d seemed familiar. Rahim. I knew his name. Leyla’s brother, I realised. The only one among the army of the Sultan’s sons that she truly considered her family. Sure enough, he had Leyla’s same clever, watchful eyes. Though Leyla’s years in the harem meant that I could see some of the paleness of their Gamanix mother in her. Years spent outside the palace walls had made Rahim look Mirajin through and through. It looked like he even shared some of his father’s stronger features with Ahmed.

‘I very much doubt my opinion could add anything you don’t already know, exalted Father.’ Rahim’s words were respectful, but there was something else there. I got the feeling the two were playing a game I didn’t quite understand.

‘Modesty has never suited you, Rahim.’ The Sultan went on, waving his hand. ‘I’m sure you have insights, having been a soldier for so long now. Share them.’

‘I think the eastern border is exposed and that the Eleventh Command needs a soldier leading them who wishes to lead,’ Rahim said. The Sultan didn’t speak again straight away. He was waiting for something else. A silent battle of wills crossed the court.

‘And’ – Rahim broke first – ‘the Holy Books teach us a man’s first duty is to his father.’

The Sultan smiled, like he’d won some victory. ‘Commander Abbas Al-Abbas. Your request is granted.’ The soldier’s shoulders sagged in relief. ‘You will be relieved of your command. Name your replacement and we will raise him up in your place.’

I forgot the next petitioner’s endless name and title almost before the man was done announcing it. Just like I forgot what he was asking for as soon as he started talking. One after another, the petitioners followed each other in front of the Sultan.

One man wanted money. The next wanted land. The next wanted more guards in his quarter of the city. Rebels, he reported, were multiplying among the dockworkers. The next wanted the Blue-Eyed Bandit brought to justice. He’d stolen his wife’s jewels and seduced his daughter, he reported.

Well, if Sam was still alive to be muddying my name, I supposed that meant at least Shazad hadn’t skewered him on sight. Or he hadn’t bothered to deliver my message yet.

The Sultan listened patiently before asking the man what more he thought the throne could do about the Blue-Eyed Bandit. I watched him carefully as he spread his hands in sympathy. There was already a price on the Bandit’s head for his collaboration with the Rebel Prince, he explained, but no one had been able to find him. The man might as well be a spirit in the desert. Or a fiction.

I resented being called a fiction. But then, I’d resent being found out and tortured out of my mind like Sayyida a whole lot more. I was suddenly stupidly grateful to Sam, even if he did decide it wasn’t worth his time getting my message to Shazad.

My foot was falling asleep and I had to shift positions restlessly over and over to keep it from going dead altogether as one boring request followed the other.

I finally gave up all pretence and pulled my knees up to my chin, wrapping my arms around them to keep myself steady.

I was half-asleep by the time the man in chains appeared. Everybody who’d been wilting in the afternoon sun came alive again. ‘Aziz Al-Asif.’ The man in fine clothes who was leading the chained man took a bow as the servant announced him. ‘And his brother, Lord Huda Al-Asif.’

‘Your Exalted Highness.’ Aziz Al-Asif stooped low. ‘It is my deepest regret that I have come to ask that you condemn my brother to death. He has been conspiring to rebellion.’