“But—you didn’t have to do it this way! If you were willing to marry me, why didn’t you just tell me so?”
Ghail smiled composedly down at the cheering people in the throne room. She said fiercely under her breath:
“We’d have been engaged, and it might have been weeks before we got married! And do you think I’d trust you another night in any djinn palace with all those hussies trying to gain your favors since you’re their king? Or do you think I’d trust you with Esir and Esim either?”
Tony said feebly:
“Oh-h-h…” and then he said, “I—I’ll have to send them word I won’t be home tonight.”
Then he cheered up as the celebration began.
Chapter 20
It was late. The royal bridal party had graciously attended the djinn wedding of Nasim and Abdul in the palace outside the city walls. They had returned. Cannon still boomed. There were bonfires in the streets, and dancing, and joy was being expressed in all possible fashions, including the indecorous.
But in the royal palace of Barkut the last chamberlain bowed out, the last slave-in-waiting departed, and Tony closed the door firmly. He said:
“Er—Ghail, did I remember to send word to Esir and Esim that I wouldn’t be home tonight?”