by Fuad Baloch
The sand didn't respond. Palvar exhaled. It was quiet, all too quiet, this wilderness away from civilization. For all their talk of toughness, men of Nikhtun weren't meant to live like ascetics, cast away from the comforts of the world and her bounties.
“Time to return already?” he asked himself.
The water was cool as he stepped into it. “Ah…” Not bothering to take off his breeches, Palvar sat down in the water, relishing the water lapping against his sides and belly.
Thoughts drifted through his mind, rattling like loose grains of sand being blown about by the evening breeze. A week had passed since the ball at the ambassador’s grand hall. A week that nevertheless felt like yesterday, each minor detail etched into his memory.
The world was a far more complex beast than he had ever imagined. Back in the day, his teachers had declared it impossible for any one man to understand the intricate balances between systems that kept the world working. There was that example of the ancient fishing town of Forbosa trading fishing nets for spears and how that village’s collapse had upended the mighty ancient empire of Fojoro. He’d known all that and never cared much for it. But somehow he’d become a part of these very systems without ever realizing it.
“Ah,” Palvar exhaled, forcing his muscles to unclench.
Grand Vizier Qad Ghiani had not said a word regarding the fate of his son to the best of his knowledge. Palvar had been half-expecting to be apprehended at the city gates by orders of the grand vizier and skinned alive, but from what Captain Tamat had told him before he’d left town, the grand vizier was occupied with putting down rebellions in the far east. It made sense in a way. Qad Ghiani and Lud Ghiani stood at the opposite ends of the spectrum, no matter their relationship.
Again, not something that involved Palvar.
“Rogue inquisitors…” he muttered, shaking his head. “Blood and onions, who would have thought that?”
Tired of all these incessant thoughts, he began humming a jolly tune he remembered from his days as a child, even if he’d forgotten the words.
When he returned to Algaria, Kunita would be waiting for him. He sighed. So was Roha, who had finally come to her senses, it seemed like.
Then there was the wedding of the Reratish ambassador and the local Husalmin girl. Palvar gritted his teeth. No matter who commanded him, he was not going to another party in his lifetime. Especially not a wedding. Especially not with either Kunita or Roha.
His heart ached at that thought, recalling Kunita’s heart-shaped face turned up towards him, her eyes flashing indignantly.
The realization surprised him. He’d never thought of them as anything more than friends—well, a Nikhtuni man who had a lady friend he wouldn’t have minded slipping out in the night with occasionally.
“I’ll be back soon,” Palvar said. “And then… then, we’ll see what happens.”
A bulbil bird sang to his left, perched high up on the swaying palm tree. Palvar cracked open an eyelid, nodding happily to the bird.
He couldn’t shirk away the fear that a storm was building. What Lud had started had emboldened those with existing grudges against the sultanate and given birth to a thousand more factions. What would his role be in all this once he was back in the capital city?
Palvar leaned back, resting his elbows in the refreshing water. He didn’t have to worry just yet.
Those were problems for another day.
Afterword
Hope you enjoyed this book.
Palvar’s story continues…
In the meantime, you can explore the world of Istan in the epic fantasy series ‘Divided Sultanate’.
A lowly guard. A powerful Sultan's daughter. In a vast magical empire, will accepting destiny save their home or destroy it?
Shoki Malook has never really found his place in Istan. And investigating bizarre supernatural events in a remote town with an irritating magic inquisitor certainly doesn't inspire his excitement. But when the Sultan dies and a brutal battle for the throne ensues, Shoki's meandering days turn into a fight for his life.
Nuraya Istan deeply mourns her beloved father. But when she sees her twisted half-brothers vying for the Sultanate, she puts her emotions on hold to keep her homeland intact. Intrigued by a lowly city guard on her rise to power, a dark secret could throw everything she's ever believed into question.
When Nuraya challenges her family to protect Istan, she's shocked at her dramatic change in standing. As Shoki falls for the powerful Sultan's daughter, an enigmatic djinn helps him discover who he's truly meant to be.
With the new magical hierarchy tearing their home apart, will the new status quo force Shoki and Nuraya to duel for control of the empire?
Lions of Istan is the first book in an empire-spanning epic fantasy series. If you like complex characters, multi-layered plots, and richly exotic worlds, then you’ll love Fuad Baloch’s beautifully intricate tale.
Read Lions of Istan to transport yourself to a land of magic today!
Visit Amazon to grab your copy of “Lions of Istan” (ebook, paperback, large print paperback), or click the link below:
https://www.amazon.com/DP/B07NSZ11X8
About the Author
Fuad Baloch is an emerging author of mystery, epic fantasy, and science fiction novels.
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Other books by the author:
Divine Space
The Hard Choice
The Lost Prophet
The Faithless Prophet
Lady of the Sands
Shifting Sands
Divided Sultanate
Blood of a Sultan
Lions of Istan
War of the Sultans
The Broken Winds
Glass Sultanate
The Red Throne