Disclaimer: I do not own The Wrath and the Dawn. It belongs to Reneé Ahdieh. The quotes used in this chapter are from the book.

Chapter 2: Wedding Night
(Corresponds with Chapter: The Veil Between, pages 21-25 of The Wrath and the Dawn)

It was driving him mad.

Why would the girl ever want to be his bride?

There had to be a reason. After the ceremony, he attempted to go about his usual duties as caliph and meeting with his viziers, but his mind always drifted back to her. He couldn't focus on anything else. He even assigned one of his advisors to find out everything he could about Shahrzad and her family as soon as possible.

When the advisor came to him later that afternoon to reveal what little he had discovered about her, there was hardly any information that seemed to explain her behavior. The only bit of information that could potentially be related to why she was here was a previous connection that existed between their families. Her father apparently served as a vizier for his father before his current position of a custodian. But how could that explain why she would volunteer for this?

Late in the evening, when he went to retire to his chamber, he tried to convince himself that he just had to accept the fact that he would never know her reason for volunteering. After tomorrow morning, she would be gone and he would be forced to move on to his next bride. He needed to move on and stop caring.

It was as he was pulling out his nightclothes he realized that he could not move on. Not yet. He had to know why. And it seemed the only possible way he would be able to find out was if he asked her himself.

He made his way to Shahrzad's chamber and stood at the threshold for a little while, debating whether he should be doing this. He already cared to know about why she was here. What if talking to her made him care even more about her? It would be a major risk…

And what if she got the wrong idea about him visiting her at night? He never visited any of his brides on their wedding night. It wasn't right to use them as sexual objects. He was already using them to break a curse he brought upon himself, and that was enough. They didn't deserve to be used or be made any more uncomfortable.

He would have to immediately make it clear to Shahrzad why he was there, find out the reason why she volunteered, and leave. No lingering.

After taking a deep breath, he entered her room and closed the doors behind him.

In the pale candlelight, he saw her sitting in the middle of her bed.

He approached her and got straight to the point, while looking at anything but her. He couldn't let her become human to him. "I'm told your father served under mine as one of his viziers."

"Yes, sayyidi. He was an advisor to your father," she replied softly.

"And he works as a custodian now."

"Yes, sayyidi. Of ancient texts."

He then looked at her. Perhaps looking her in the eyes would give him answers. "Quite a change in position."

"Perhaps. He wasn't a very high-ranking vizier."

"I see," he said. Her answers didn't help reveal anything new. He had no choice but to ask her the question that had been on his mind all day.

"Why did you volunteer, Shahrzad al-Khayzuran?" He asked calmly.

She didn't say anything in response.

"What compelled you to do something so foolish?"

"Excuse me?" she said.

"Perhaps it was the lure of marrying a king," he said nonchalantly. "Or a vain hope you might be the one to stay the course and win the heart of a monster."

He continued to watch her, and saw that boldness and fury he saw earlier in the day was returning to her eyes.

"I don't suffer those delusions, sayyidi."

"Then why did you volunteer? Why are you willing to throw away your life at seventeen?"

"I'm sixteen," she corrected him a bit harshly. "And I don't see why it matters."

Anger almost began to swell inside of him, but he had to remain calm with her. If he lost his temper, she would most likely not reveal anything.

"Answer me," he said coolly.

"No."

He didn't realize it would be this hard to get answers out of her.

"You realize you could die for that."

"I'm not surprised to hear that, sayyidi. But, if you truly want answers, killing me won't help in the endeavor."

He almost let his frustration over the lack of answers show, but he was quick to conceal it.

"I suppose not," he replied. Clearly, she wasn't going to answer his questions, and he no longer had any reason to stay.

He started to retreat from her bed, but he heard her shuffling around. He turned and saw she had gotten out of the bed and was moving towards him.

"I told you. Do not think you will be the one to break the cycle." With her boldness, he had to keep reiterating that to her.

She didn't seem very pleased with his response. "And I told you. I don't suffer delusions. On any account."

She continued to move closer to him, and he got a better look at her face. Somehow, during the ceremony, he failed to notice how beautiful she was. He had been too preoccupied with analyzing her demeanor.

Right now, he wasn't sure what she was trying to do. He had to make it clear that he wasn't looking for anything else besides answers with this visit. "Your life is already forfeit. I do not expect...more than that."

She then began to unhook the necklace she was wearing. What was she doing? Did she not hear what he just said? He grabbed her hand to prevent her from removing it. "No. Leave it."

He reluctantly slid his fingers to the nape of her neck to ensure the necklace was still in place. The touch of her skin was almost electrifying. Her body tensed at his touch.

He gazed into her eyes, searching for answers. "Why are you here?"

A mocking look came across her face, but she didn't answer him. Instead, she covered her hand over his. Then she removed her mantle and let it fall to the floor.

This was not what was supposed to happen tonight. He was supposed to receive answers. But now...what was she doing to him? He found his resolve weakening. Seeing her standing in front of him in the candlelight...he was losing control at the sight and touch of her.

She pulled his arm to bring him towards the bed, and he did not resist. She started removing more of her clothing.

He should not be doing this. But if this is what she really wanted...he found he did not have the willpower to refuse this mysterious girl.