The Wrath & the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn, #1)

by Renée Ahdieh

And now a young servant girl accompanied every tray of food brought to Shahrzad’s room. A girl whose sole purpose in life was to taste the queen’s food and drink one last time before it entered her mouth. A young girl who must mean something to someone. It disgusted Shahrzad. As did the knowledge that her time feeling safe—those fleeting moments without the weight of her impending doom hovering about her like a dark specter—had been taken away from her before she’d had a true chance to enjoy it. But the worst part was that she knew now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she could not trust her handmaiden. After all, Despina was the last person who had handled her tray of food. The one who had prepared that fatal cup of tea. For some reason, this fact disheartened Shahrzad more than anything else. She had not trusted Despina before, but some part of her had wanted to. Had hoped that, one day, she could be a real friend, despite everything. That hope was shattered. And it made Shahrzad angry. Three nights of mostly uninterrupted sleep had not dulled the anger.