“Meet my husband,” Galila invited Amira, stepping back to Karim’s side as she made the introductions.
The resemblance between Karim and Adir wasn’t obvious, but she was looking for it and saw the way Karim noted their similar height and scanned a brow and a jaw that matched his own. Seeing their profiles reflected like that, the similarity was undeniable to her. Strange and endearing, especially because she saw a hint of her brothers in Adir as well.
“What business do you have with me?” Adir asked Karim.
“My wife wanted to see her friend, to assure herself she was well.” He nodded at Amira.
“Very,” Adir said flatly. “As you can see.”
Amira patted her baby bump. “All three of us are very happy.”
“I’m glad,” Galila said. “But we also wanted to speak with you, Adir. About...” She looked to Karim. This was such a delicate matter. “It’s a private matter. We have something for you. But I think...” She looked between Adir and Amira, able to see the obvious connection between husband and wife. “Amira, you should come, too.”
They entered the tent that Galila and Karim occupied. Amira accompanied them, a confused look on her face. Galila gave her hand a small squeeze and offered a smile of reassurance as she lowered to the cushions with her.
Adir waited while Karim brought the parcel they’d carried into the desert with them, then sat as Karim did.
The bookends were both wrapped carefully in linen. Galila helped Karim unravel them until the lion and lioness were both revealed.
Karim set the lion on the mat before Adir. Then he took the heavy lioness from Galila and braced the two upright walls back to back.
Now it looked as though the male lion gazed on his mate with a casual check-in. Stay close, sweetheart. She peered over at him. I’m right here, darling.
“A wedding gift?” Adir said, voice somewhere between dry sarcasm and suspicion. But it was clear he saw the value in the pieces and found it odd they were offering such a treasure to him.
Galila licked her lips. “This one belonged to my mother.”
Karim’s cheeks went hollow before he nodded at the lion. “The other was my father’s. We think you should have them.”
Adir’s brows slammed together.
Amira gasped. “Are you saying...?”
Karim nodded once, curt. He was wary, she could tell, because she knew her husband well these days. She wanted to take his hand, but there were still times where he needed his walls. This was one of them.
Adir looked between them, astonished. He picked up both pieces and turned them over.
“There’s nothing to prove it,” Karim said. “Except that I know it to be true.”
“That your father is—”
“Was. He passed away when I was six. A few months before you were born.”
Adir drew a harsh breath. “You’re saying we’re brothers?” He was clearly astounded, but studied Karim with more interest.
Karim was doing the same to him. “I didn’t know there was a child. Not until the night of Zufar’s wedding, when Galila told me.”
“These are so beautiful,” Amira murmured, taking up the lioness.
“Are you sure you want to give them up?” Adir looked between them.
“It’s best if questions aren’t asked in my palace about how we found the mate,” Karim said. “And it seems right that you should have something of them.”
Adir nodded and set aside the lion, thoughtful. “Volatile information, indeed. Thank you for entrusting me with it.” He shot a look at Galila and the corner of his mouth quirked. “Good thing I never intend to talk about this, since I would have to tell people that my brother and sister are married.”
She gave his knee a nudge. “Exactly the sort of misplaced remark I expect from a brother.”
His mouth quirked and he looked to Karim again. “I’ve always wondered who my father might be. What was he like?”
* * *
“That was a wonderful trip, but it’s good to be home,” Galila said as they entered their apartment. The doors between their rooms were rarely closed these days.
“What are you most excited for? A proper bath? Or Wi-Fi?”
“Privacy with my husband,” she said, pinching at his stomach as she walked past him toward the bathroom. “Join me in the bath?”
“Love to. I’ll be in as soon as I check—” He cut himself off with a sharp curse.
Galila swung back, instantly concerned. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know if it’s wrong, but your brother has abdicated.”
“Zufar? Why?”
“To rule Rumadah, Niesha’s home country.”
“What?” Her ears rang under the news. “Then who is king of Khalia?”
His head came up. “Your brother Malak.”
She blinked in shock. “God help us all.”