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HELL WAS A PARTY

At least, Radu was fairly certain that whatever hell there ould certainly resemble this party

Music drifted like perfuh to sweeten but not overwhelm Groups of lireen that had survived the winter h the h the croith food-laden trays shaped like lily pads On either side of the island, the Tunca River flowed leisurely by

Whatever else he had been, Murad—Mehmed’s dead father and Radu’s onetime benefactor—had not been one to skimp on luxury The harem complex he built on the island had been out of use since his death, but it had not faded in glory The tiles gleamed The carved stones of the walls promised luxury and peace The fountains tinkled in cheery co river

Radu wandered between buildings painted like geo as surely as the course of the river He kneas useless, knew that it would not make him feel better But still he looked

And there—next to the bathhouse Radu was drawn to him like a leaf spun on the river current Meholden turban A jeweled chain fastened a cloak around his broad shoulders Radu tried to re in a s infinally finished growing, were the saht But lately Radu felt small when Mehmed looked at him

He would have taken even that today But Mehmed did not look in his direction, immune to the connection Radu could not escape

“Truly glorious,” Halil Vizier said to Mehmed, his hands on his hips as he looked up at the new bathhouse co those of mosques, had been added in the past fewMeh his father had ever built—anything anyone had ever built To celebrate this investment in the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed had invited everyone who mattered

Aled freely with the Ottoman elite Meh pro with his usual attendants, he was joined by Ishak Pasha, one of his most powerful spahi; Kumal Pasha, Radu’s brother-in-law; and, as always, like a bitter taste that could not be sed, Halil Vizier

Radu hated thinking of his old enemy Halil Pasha as Halil Vizier He hated even more that it had been his own plan to put Halil in a place of trust and power to keep a closer eye on hiht Maybe they should have killed his would be easier, or at least they would be more pleasant That should be Radu’s place at Mehmed’s side

As though sensing Radu’s poisonous envy, Halil Vizier looked at hi smile “Radu the Handsome,” he said Radu frowned He had not heard that title since the end of fighting in Albania, when Skanderberg, their foe, had coined it Mehlanced over, then away as soon as their eyesit lacking

“Tell me,” Halil said, that nasty smile still on his bearded face “Is your pretty wife aware this is not a functioning hare it”

The men around Halil snickered Kumal frowned, then opened his mouth Radu shook his head, a minute e the insult—the implication that Radu’s ould enter Meh to refute it, either

“My wife is not—”

A gentle hand came down on Radu’s arm He turned to find Nazira Nazira, as not supposed to be here “His wife is not pleased with anyone elsehis attention” Beneath her translucent veil, her shter than the winter sun She wore the colors of springti?

Nazira turned Radu away from the men and led him down a path draped in more silk than ant, excessive, absurd, like everything