"You're counting wrong," he said. "You're counting his beats. The dead king's beats. The court's beats. What does your heart sound like?"
From the darkness, a voice answered: "Four… five… six…" Albela Sajan
"Only if you dance for me ," he said. "Not for God. Not for gold. For a fool with a broken instrument." "You're counting wrong," he said
And for the first time, she didn't plan. She didn't count. She just… moved. The court's beats
"One… two… three…" she whispered.
He looked up at her, his eyes full of mischief and honey, and winked. "O Albela Sajan ," he crooned, changing the lyrics on the spot. "Why do you dance like the world is watching? Dance like no one is."
But before the guards could move, Ayaan began to sing.
