City of a Thousand Dolls

by Miriam Forster

  “I don’t see how that’s relevant,” Akash said, a scowl creasing his handsome face, a face that reminded her too much of Devan’s.

  “So Zann gave you the seeds,” Nisha said, each word costing her. “And Tanaya gave her the asar. And then … what? You thought you’d just use me to make sure no one suspected? But it didn’t work, did it? Because Tanaya killed Lashar. I know that for sure.”

  Akash’s scowl deepened. “She’s not as … manageable as we thought. I never would have told Tanaya about Lashar had I known she was so determined. But once you take a life, it becomes that much easier to take another. Even if it’s the life of a friend.” He cast a meaningful look at Nisha’s cast.

  “Really, Nisha, why would I bother to bargain with you? I had the Council convinced, I had a buyer, I could have gotten rid of you as easily as that.” He snapped his fingers. “But covering up death is such a messy business. The chance that you could bring me someone else to accuse was too irrestible.”

  Nisha felt like she was suffocating. The whole conversation was taking on the quality of a nightmare. Any moment now, she’d wake up in her own bed with the cats curled up next to her. Let me wake up. Please let me wake up.

  Matron was staring at Akash in disbelief, visible, dark-red anger rising in her face. “You never told me any of this, Akash.”

  Akash snorted. “Of course I didn’t. For all your talk about sacrificing to save the City, none of us really believed you would hand us an innocent girl. You are far too sentimental for that.” He enunciated as if each word were a cold iron bar.

  “You can’t tell me you didn’t suspect anything. You knew that the necklace Atiy was wearing was missing, that it was twin to Tanaya’s. Who else would have taken it? And Lashar’s death should have confirmed it! We were considering transferring her to High Prince Sudev as a replacement mistress. We were just about to inform Rajni. Who else benefited by her death but Tanaya?”

  “I didn’t want to believe it,” Matron stuttered. “I thought after the snake attack that I must have been wrong—”

  “A masterful stroke,” Akash crowed. “I was most impressed when she told me she wanted the krait to throw suspicion off herself. I may not like you, Matron, but you do train your girls well. Tanaya is every bit the intelligent and cunning wife who Prince Sudev needs. It’s a pity that she had to show her talents in such a way, but still, she’s a credit to you.”

  Matron winced, and Akash’s mouth widened in a cruel smile. “Though if it had been up to me, I would not have pinned our hopes on one girl. My predecessor should have made sure at least three girls had the proper training. Then we could have simply replaced Tanaya instead of trying to clean up her mess.”

  He shrugged. “No matter. We have a girl in custody for the killings, and Tanaya is more than ready to become a princess. Once the ceremony starts, she’s the Imperial family’s problem.”

  Akash tar’Vey had coldly covered up Atiy’s murder, plotted Jina’s death, and left Tanaya free to kill again, had even given her the name of her next victim—Lashar. And now he was going to destroy Sashi, all to protect himself and his own power. Nisha knew that she had never hated another human being as she hated Akash tar’Vey.

  She tried to force herself out of Tac’s arms and put her face as close to Akash’s as she could stand. Staring him right in the eye, she willed him to believe her words. “I won’t let you do this. I’ll tell everyone. I’ll tell the High Prince if I have to.”

  Akash smiled broadly, showing his teeth. “Oh, I doubt that very much, Nisha.”

  Akash snapped his fingers again, and two heavyset men in black tunics appeared and took hold of Tac’s arms.

  “You are no longer my concern either. Where you’re going, you won’t be able to tell anyone much of anything. As I told you, we have had an offer for your bond. The buyer raised her offering price and I accepted. She is most anxious to claim you.”

  And Kalia tar’Vey, glowing in spotless white and her eyes alight with triumph, stepped out of the crowd. Dangling from her hand was a mask painted with the face of a laughing girl.

  “Hello, Nisha.”

  33

  FEAR CONGEALED IN Nisha’s chest. She couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. All she could do was stare at Kalia’s satisfied smile.

  Tac tried to pull out of the guards’ grip, but he couldn’t, not without dropping Nisha.

  As if from far away, Nisha heard Matron arguing in a low, urgent voice, heard the distant chatter and laughter of the oblivious crowd.

  Kalia came closer and ran a cold finger down Nisha’s cheek. Nisha jerked her head away, and Kalia laughed.

  “I told you I was becoming more powerful than Matron. And you’ve been very, very bad to cause our family so much trouble.”

  Nisha did the only thing she could think of. She spit.

  Kalia touched the spit on the shoulder of her asar and wrinkled her nose. “Nisha, don’t be disgusting.”

  She grabbed Nisha’s hair, sending pain shooting through her head. She put one smooth hand on Nisha’s exposed neck and tightened.

  Matron moved forward, but Akash grabbed her and jerked her back.

  Kalia spoke to Nisha, but her eyes rested on Matron. “You belong to me now.”

  Nisha tried to speak, but all that came out was a choking noise. Her scalp and neck throbbed. Her vision blurred around the edges. After what seemed like an eternity, Kalia released her hair and patted Nisha’s cheek.

  “I’m glad we understand each other. But I think you’ll have to do with restricted food and water for a while. If your mouth is dry, you can’t spit.”

  Nisha was too busy taking in great gulps of air to answer. Kalia turned to Akash, who was still holding Matron’s arm and shoulder tightly.

  “Akash, may I ask you to please see that Nisha is delivered to my rooms?” She looked Tac up and down. “And do see if you can separate her from her guard. I have a feeling he would prove troublesome.”

  “Of course, cousin,” Akash said, nodding to her. “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”

  Kalia disappeared into the crowd. As soon as she was gone, Akash waved his hand at the black-clothed guards. “Take her away.”

  “No!” The shouted word came from Matron and Nisha at once. Nisha kicked wildly, and Tac pulled hard against the men holding him.

  The tiger mask slid from Nisha’s head, shattering on the floor.

  “Nisha?” There was a sudden silence, and Nisha looked up to see Devan standing on the edge of the crowd, staring at their small circle.

  Devan’s eyes jumped from Nisha to Akash, and confusion creased his forehead. “Uncle? What is this?”

  Akash straightened his tunic and cleared his throat. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Devan. Just some City business.”

  “City business,” Devan repeated. “What kind of City business involves hauling away injured girls as if they were criminals? What has she done?”

  He came close to Nisha, his wonderful dark eyes creased with worry. “Are you all right, Nisha?”

  Akash looked from Nisha to Devan. “How do you two … Of course.” Grim amusement and recognition filled his words. “She’s the girl your father was worried about. The mystery girl you kept hinting at. He thought she might live in the City and that was why you wouldn’t give up the courier job.” He laughed. “You really thought your family would accept this girl as your bride? Oh, nephew, you’re a fool.”

  Devan flinched. He opened his mouth to respond, but just then the deep sound of a brass horn filled the room. All eyes turned to the staircase, where one of the prince’s advisers stood.

  “The Imperial Redeeming Ceremony will now begin!”

  As if the words were a magic spell, the crowd turned and started to push into the throne room as one.

  The press of people shoved against the men holding Tac, pushing the guards off balance. Taking advantage of the distraction, Tac pulled out of their hands and pushed as far away as he could. But the crow
d made escape impossible. Tac and Nisha were swept into the throne room. Behind them, several people deep—just as stuck—were Akash, Devan, and Matron.

  “Can we get away?” Nisha asked Tac. He shook his head, hopeless frustration written all over his face. Nisha followed his stare and saw that the men who had tried to drag her away were guarding the doors. Even if she and Tac could push against the tide of people, they wouldn’t make it outside without being caught.

  A cold calm came over her. Like the rising of the White Mist, it filled her, blocking out the noise and jostle of the excited crowd. Nisha felt disconnected from her body, from the fear that still twisted her stomach. Two words ran like sparks through her blood.

  Save Sashi.

  And with those words came an idea, a mad idea. It could get her killed. But it would be worth it if Nisha could undo her mistakes, if she could rescue the one truly innocent person in this whole mess. At least she would have tried.

  “Get me closer,” Nisha whispered to Tac. “I want to be in the front.” Please, she added in her mind. Let me do this.

  For a moment, she thought her friend would refuse, but instead he nodded, and started to move with the crowd toward the throne. Servants were already clearing a path to the small side room, where Tanaya was waiting.

  “Nisha.” Devan shoved his way through the tightly packed people in Tac’s wake. “Nisha, what in the name of the Ancestors is happening? Why was my uncle trying to take you?”

  “Because he can,” Nisha said with bitterness. “That’s what I was trying to tell you earlier, Devan. I’m a nobody, and this is what happens to nobodies. We get taken away and sold.”

  Devan looked stunned, as if she’d struck him. “I—I didn’t know.”

  “You didn’t want to know.” Nisha was tired and no longer angry. Devan couldn’t save her, but that was all right. She no longer wanted to be saved.

  “It’s all right, Devan,” she said, allowing a thread of tenderness to creep into her voice. “You can’t help me now, and I don’t want you involved.”

  Nisha nodded to Tac, who started moving away.

  “Wait, what are you going to do?” Devan whispered. “Nisha! Nisha, come back here.”

  Nisha didn’t turn around. Her entire attention was focused on the slowly opening side doors. The musicians, who had squeezed into the throne room ahead of everyone else, began playing a sprightly tune.

  The crowd cleared a path, revealing two tiny, wide-eyed girls from the House of Flowers. The girls’ hair had been brushed until it shone, and they wore blue-and-silver-embroidered asars. They looked so young as they walked, dropping petals of white star jasmine. When the girls reached the base of the throne, the music changed.

  The drums and other instruments died away, leaving only a lone bamboo flute playing. And when Tanaya stepped out from behind the doors, Nisha couldn’t stop a gasp.

  Tanaya was flawless. Not a hair was out of place, not a wrinkle marred her shimmering scarlet asar. Thin bands of gold spiraled around her upper arms, and rubies shone from her hair and neck. She carried a golden fan painted with red flowers, and her slippers were encrusted with gems.

  Approving murmurs followed Tanaya as she walked toward the throne. Every movement was perfect, every step graceful. She seemed to float past the crowd like a vision.

  Nisha swallowed. It seemed incredible, insane, that the beautiful, once-kind girl in front of her could also be so ruthless. But Tanaya’s mocking words echoed in her ears. She had dared Nisha to try to stop her.

  Fine, then. She would. She could feel the daggers in her wrist sheaths, but she didn’t want to kill Tanaya. She didn’t think she could kill Tanaya. And if Tanaya died unaccused, it wouldn’t help Sashi.

  The solution was obvious. Now she just had to wait for the right moment.

  It came shortly after Tanaya knelt before the high prince. Tanaya’s head bent just enough to show the arch of her neck, and her fan fluttered to touch the prince’s feet in an expression of freely given submission. She brought the fan back with a snap, pressed her hands together, and went still.

  Prince Sudev stood and stepped closer to the motionless girl before him. He walked around her several times, his eyes taking her in. The tension in the room pressed against Nisha’s skin. She—and everyone else—watched and waited.

  The prince returned to his throne and sat for several moments, his fingers drumming on the wooden arm of the chair. “She is suitable,” he announced into the silence. “I will accept her.”

  A sigh blew through the crowd, a breath of relief, of satisfaction.

  Nisha spoke loudly. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  Tanaya’s head jerked up, and a gasp ripped through the room. Prince Sudev’s eyes narrowed. “Who said that?” he demanded.

  Nisha nudged Tac, who reluctantly stepped forward.

  “I did, High Prince Sudev,” Nisha said. Fear thrummed through her, but she’d gone too far to stop. “I have an accusation to make against this girl.”

  “An accusation?” Prince Sudev leaned back. “Really. And I was afraid this ceremony would be boring.”

  Nisha opened her mouth, but another voice overrode her.

  “Forgive us, Your Highness,” Akash said, pushing his way through the crowd until he stood just near Nisha and Tac. His smooth voice was high and cracked around the edges, his smile brittle. “Pay no attention to this poor disturbed girl. She is no one, a charity case. We will take her back to her room.”

  “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?” the prince asked. “If this ‘disturbed’ girl is brave enough to interrupt a royal ceremony, perhaps we should hear what she has to say.”

  “I would like to speak,” Nisha said clearly.

  “Shut up!” Akash said in a strangled whisper. “You don’t know what you’re doing!” He looked back at the prince. “She’s a charity case,” he repeated. “No one important.”

  Sudev raised one eyebrow. “Now that is interesting, Akash, since you’ve never struck me as a particularly charitable person. The law is clear. Any person who comes to the Lotus Throne with petition or accusation will be heard. This may not be the Lotus Throne,” he said, looking down at the carved chair, “but I think I will hear her anyway.”

  He gave Nisha a stare that reminded her of a hunting cat right before it pounced. “You may proceed with your accusation.”

  Tanaya was standing now, hands on her hips. “Nisha, do you know what you’ve done? You’ll be killed for this.”

  “It’s likely,” Nisha said. But I’m not doing this for me. She took a deep breath.

  “I believe you should know, Highness, that this girl you are taking as wife confessed to me not an hour ago that she caused the death of a girl named Atiy.”

  Interest sparked in the prince’s eyes. “I know of Atiy. And you say Tanaya is responsible for her fall?”

  Nisha nodded and continued in a high, clear voice. “Tanaya claims it was an accident, but she was struggling with Atiy at the time. Soon after, two other girls in the City died under mysterious circumstances. One, Jina, was the lone witness to Atiy’s fall. The other was a girl named Lashar.”

  Another spark of recognition flickered in the prince’s face, but he only nodded.

  Nisha’s throat was dry, but she managed to finish. “I heard her confess to causing Atiy’s death with my own ears.”

  She let the words settle in the silent room. Maybe the prince would believe her, but perhaps not. She had spoken the truth before everyone in the City and done all she could think of to clear Sashi’s name.

  Prince Sudev considered her for a moment, his palms pressed together and his fingers on his lips. Then he looked at Tanaya. “Do you have an answer to this remarkable accusation?”

  “She’s lying,” Tanaya said, her back straight. “She’s jealous of me and doesn’t know any better.”

  The prince raised one eyebrow. “It is certainly possible.” His eyes shifted lazily between the two girls, as if weighing them against eac
h other. Tanaya lowered her gaze, but Nisha met the prince’s eyes steadily, without flinching. They stared at each other for a long moment.

  “Interesting,” Prince Sudev said. “No one has looked me in the eye like that for many, many years.” He looked back at Tanaya, who was still standing with her eyes appropriately cast down. “Most … interesting.

  “This is a case,” he continued, “of one girl’s word against another. Can you give me any reason to believe you over my promised wife? Do you have any witnesses to this alleged confession?”

  Nisha slowly shook her head. “N—”

  Then a deep voice spoke close to her ear. “I heard it,” Tac said. “I was standing right behind her when Tanaya admitted to causing Atiy’s death.”

  Nisha stared at Tac. “I thought you couldn’t talk,” she whispered.

  Tac shrugged.

  Tanaya’s hands clutched at her asar, wrinkling the smooth silk. “Lies,” she said. “They’re in it together. And the law states that three citizens are needed to make a formal accusation.”

  “Lovely and clever,” the prince said, running his gaze down Tanaya’s body. “Very well. Is there a third person present who is willing to stand and accuse this woman?”

  There was a moment of silence before a slim figure in a brown-and-gray tunic stepped forward out of the mass of people.

  “I will be the third witness.”

  Nisha turned to see the Shadow Mistress standing next to her. The Mistress pointed at Nisha.

  “I have been following this girl since she returned to the City. She has no knowledge of this, as I can remain unseen when I choose. I was standing in the shadow of the staircase when Tanaya confessed. I also believe, from my own investigations, that Tanaya murdered Lashar.”

  “This is becoming very interesting indeed,” the prince said. “And who are you?”