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      "Perhaps not," Zara said, popping a few of the creamy seeds into her mouth. "But Khalil is working on him. The Falcon and the Spider are good friends. Ziyad listens to him. He will come around."

      Amani shook her head. "Ziyad loves Karis. He always will."

      "I have no doubt of that. She was his first love. But there is no law written that states he cannot love another."

      With a forlorn grin, Amani shook her head. "Ziyad does not love me. We have our…fun. He has told me he wishes for a big family. But that is all he wants from me."

      "Amani," Zara said, walking her beyond the kitchen a few paces. "I was once blind long ago. But I could see beyond what people say to what they actually mean. I know you love that husband of yours. And if you could stand back and see the way he looks at you, then you would know much he cares, perhaps almost as much as you do."

      "He has set me apart from him, yet he expects me to act like his princess."

      "The man is confused," Zara explained. "He loves Karis, it's true. But he's coming to care for you as well and he doesn't know how to deal with his feelings. Perhaps all he needs is time."

      Amani gazed down at her ring and twisted it on her finger. Zara followed her gaze. "I made that ring for you."

      She glanced at the princess in shock. "You did?"

      Zara nodded. "He didn't have anything to give you. I

assume you know what he did with his armband?"

      "Yes, I know." Amani couldn't keep the hurt from her voice.

      "This ring has magic. Every piece I make has some form of magic within it."

      Amani's eyes widened. "What does it do?"

      "It enhances your husband's magic. He has placed you under his protection, I'm assuming?"

      "Yes."

      "His magic doesn't extend any farther than his caravan. If either of you were to leave it, his magic would fade away. But your ring ensures that Ziyad's magic can protect you wherever you go." Zara paused. "I wanted to give the Spider something special, since he blames himself for Karis's death. She hadn't been under his protection when she died. They were traveling the dunes, so how could she come under harm? But he hadn't foreseen an attack by raiders, and thus, Karis lost her life. But while you wear your ring, Ziyad's protection will always cover you, no matter how far apart you are."

      Amani stared at the onyx spider in awe. "A piece of him will always be with me."

      Zara smiled. "Yes."

      "Thank you, Your Highness. May I touch you?"

      "Of course!" Zara said, as if shocked she would even ask.

      Amani stepped forward and gave her a hug. She'd never known the properties of her ring. Now, she would cherish it all the more.

      "I must continue choosing food for the feast," she said. "Can you help me? I have no idea what I'm doing."

      Zara's smile widened. "I would be delighted."

~ * ~

      Ziyad spent the rest of the day making sure his barrels were full of water, and helped the Falcon with his water supply as well. Since Khalil had once allowed him to fill up at his oasis, it was only fair to repay the favor.

      Thankfully, the work got his mind off his wife for a time. He knew his anger at Khalil's words had lashed out at Amani. He felt like an ass. She'd been taken aback and hadn't deserved his wrath, but Ziyad was holding on to sanity by a thread. He didn't know what to do with her.

      Now that the sun was setting, it was time to take his seat of honor next to Amani. As he walked to where the feast was being set up, he couldn't help but be struck by his wife's gentle ways.

      She glanced at him, tucked her hair behind her ear, then looked away. Pain entered his heart. In the brief moment their eyes connected, he saw the hurt buried there.

      Ziyad damned himself to Kaldaeron.

      "She is lovely," Zara said behind him, patting him on the shoulder. "She cares for you, Spider. Do right by her."

      He swallowed hard and wished his friends would mind their own business. His relationship with Amani was no one's concern but his own.

      "Your seat is ready, Highness." Patik held out her hand and ushered Ziyad to a smooth stone. Amani still bustled about like a servant. He knew he'd told her to deal with the feast, but he wanted her to sit. It irritated him that she flitted about, taking care of things his people had been doing for years.

      "Tell my wife to come here."

      Patik bowed with a grin. She trotted over to Amani and whispered in her ear. Amani looked up and sighed with annoyance. She marched up to him with her arms crossed.

      "What?"

      Ziyad's brows shot up. She'd never spoken to him like that before.

      "I wish for you to sit with me." He patted the rock next to him.

      Amani shook her head. "No, that seat is reserved for the Falcon."

      "Then…sit here." He pulled another rock closer on his other side.

      "That is for Hyram."

      "Hyram does not sit next to me."

      "He is your cousin, Highness."

      "You are my wife."

      Amani licked her lips. "I have last minute preparations to do."

      She would have turned and walked away, but Ziyad stood and grabbed her elbow. "Let the servants do it. Sit

with me."

      "No," she said, twisting out of his grasp. "My seat is over there, next to Patik and Brand."

      "That is where the servants sit!" He was aghast. Surely she was jesting. But the look on her face wasn't playful in the least.

      "I cannot sit with the royalty, Spider!"

      Fingers of ice clawed at his heart. By the gods, she was right. "You are my wife, Amani. I want you to sit with me."

      "What you wanted," she said, stepping away from him, "was for me to deal with this feast, and that is what I have done. I am not your princess, Spider, so stop treating me like I am!"

      Her voice echoed across the oasis. Surely every eye in the caravan was on them now. But Ziyad hadn't been prepared for just how deeply her words would sting him.

      "The Falcon and his princess want me to say their names. But I cannot! I do not have the right. I only say your name because you are my husband." Tears shimmered in her eyes, but he knew her anger fueled her now, not her sorrow. "And I only say it because you insisted."

      He was at a loss for words while she publically railed at him. But his own resentment rose to the fore.

      "Why did you marry me, Spider?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders. "Why me? Why did you pick me?"

      "I didn't want to marry you!" he finally spat. "But I needed an heir, and you were convenient. I don't want anyone!"

      Amani gasped then held her breath. Her tears brimmed over just as the Falcon yelled behind him.

      "Ziyad Bihar, by all that is holy, you have just divorced her!"

      The Spider glanced around the clearing, feeling dread swallow him whole. By the law, if a prince publically denounced his wife, she was no longer his. And his entire caravan had witnessed his mistake.

      He watched in panic as Amani turned and ran. He tried to go after her but the Falcon stopped him.

      "Don't you dare. I will pummel you into the sand if you take off after that girl."

      "Unhand me, Falcon," Ziyad growled, feeling his own eyes burn. "She is my wife!"

      "She is no longer. But you and I both know, Spider, that she never was."

      Ziyad was in shock. All he could do was look into the faces of his people, who were now gazing at him with various looks of distrust and loathing.

      "God of Spiders, what have I done?"

      He ripped free of Khalil's grip and charged into the foliage near the edge of his oasis, feeling the need to scream at the top of his lungs.

      Ziyad didn't stop until he reached Karis's grave on the far side of his oasis. Dropping to the dirt, he yanked on his hair, trying desperately to calm his thundering heart. His eyes were on fire. Every inch of his skin seemed charged, like the desert air during a thunderstorm.

      Gods above, he'd just divorced Amani.

      What had he been thinking? Her words incited his wrath. He'd wanted to lash out, if only to release his pent-up emotions. The Falcon's appearance had flustered him and made him feel guilty for giving his wife less than she deserved. But his fury had been directed at the wrong person, and now Amani was paying the price.

      They both were.

      The only way to make things right was to swallow his pride and ask the Falcon to perform the marriage ceremony once more. But his old friend would never agree to that. Not after what Ziyad had done. Khalil cared for Amani. He'd always thought of her well-being, more than Ziyad ever had.

      Amani had given him everything. She admitted caring for him. She wanted to be a good wife, and a better mother. But now, she was most likely back in her carav, crying to the depths of her soul.

      He'd yelled to Amani that he didn't want anyone, but he hadn't meant it. He knew damn well Karis was lost to him. But the solitude of loneliness had gotten the better of him. He did want someone to share his life with, but he also didn't want to defile the memory of Karis. His pain and uncertainty had turned into anger and he'd spoken to Amani without thinking.

      Ziyad was going to be sick. He hated himself. Glancing at Karis's grave, his countenance hardened. "You are dead, Karis," he growled. "Why can't you leave me alone?"

      Staring at the moons, he saw that it wouldn't be too much longer before Pamos caught Thiadra. He glared at them. How dare they hang there, shining their serene light down upon Jikkar while his very soul shuddered within him?

      What was so glorious about love, anyway? In the end, there was nothing but heart-wrenching pain.

      Ziyad didn't know how long he sat there, but he knew one thing for sure. He needed to make things right with Amani. He needed to beg for her forgiveness. He needed to grovel and ask her to marry him once more. Perhaps she could convince the Falcon to perform the ceremony.

      But gods, he'd need to claim her as his princess if Khalil was to go through with it. Was he ready? Could he do it?

      He cast his gaze once more to his first wife's grave. He'd buried Karis with the Spider armband. But Khalil was right, it was a symbol, nothing more. Perhaps he could convince Zara to make him another, that is, if she didn't hate him as much as he hated himself.

      Ziyad had loved Karis more than he ever thought possible. He hadn't known his heart could care for another. But he did care. He cared for Amani, he was just too proud— or too scared—to admit it.

      But was it love?

      Ziyad stood and wiped the sand and grass from his robes. He rubbed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. To Kaldaeron with love. He had to stop being a coward and claim Amani once and for all.

      As he walked back to his caravan, he noticed the feast had fizzled. No one milled about, and the silence was deafening. But that wasn't what troubled him the most.

      The Falcon's caravan was gone.

      The princes didn't travel at night, not because they couldn't, but because they stopped in order to give rest to the families and servants who traveled with them. But the fact that Khalil had left Ziyad's oasis with the moons high in the sky struck him like a blow to the head.

      His old friend had severed their friendship.

      Ziyad ran down the caravan line until he came to Amani's carav. The door was shut and nothing but darkness greeted him. He flew up the steps and ripped open the door.

      "Amani!" he cried, his heart in his throat.

      Snapping his fingers, he lit her lamps, but her carav was empty. Nothing, not even her robes, had been disturbed.

      The Spider Prince just stood there slack-jawed as understanding dawned on him. The Falcon had left his oasis—and Amani had left with him.

~ * ~

      Over the next few days, Amani stayed in the carav the Falcon had given her. On such short notice, he didn't have anything to offer her other than a storage carav to sleep in. Crates and chests were strewn about, carpets were rolled in the corners and even a child's cradle was among the clutter.

      But it was vastly better than sharing a carav with the Falcon's head cook, or anyone else who'd offered. Amani needed to be alone and face her raging emotions.

      She hadn't run back to the Spider's caravan after he'd divorced her. She'd sprinted to the Falcon's, hoping and praying to the god of Spiders the Falcon would be willing to take her back to Suridesh, back to her father.