The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1)

by S.A. Chakraborty

“It’s not haunted,” Wajed countered. “It simply . . . misses its founding family.” “The stairs vanished under me the last time I was there, uncle,” Ali pointed out. “The water in the fountains turns to blood so often that people don’t drink it.” “So it misses them a lot.”

Like many high-born djinn, the king was illiterate, believing reading was useless if you had scribes who could do it for you.

“When Suleiman freed us, he scattered us across the world he knew, changing our tongues and appearances to mirror the humans in our new lands.”

Zaynab’s gray-gold eyes sparkled with the malicious delight only a sibling’s could hold.

Khanzada took his disdain the wrong way. “I have other girls if this one doesn’t suit your interest. Boys, as well,” she added with a wicked grin. “Perhaps such an adventurous taste runs in the—” “Enough, Khanzada,” Muntadhir cut in, a note of warning in his voice.

“You’re in good company then.” Jamshid took another drag from the pipe. “Khanzada hates me.” “Really?” Ali couldn’t imagine what the courtesan would have against the mild-mannered guard.

it was stupid. This was how lovesick idiots ruined their lives, and Nahri had delivered enough bastards and nursed enough broken wives through the last stages of syphilis to know. But she’d just spent a month with this arrogant, infuriating man, every night and day at his side, a month of his smoldering eyes and his scalding hands that lingered both a little too long and yet never long enough.

Kaveh was a deeply annoying man, but his position was one which usually guaranteed access to the king, especially if the matter was urgent. “Perhaps you’ve fallen from favor,” he suggested hopefully.

A steaming cup of green coffee sat by his bejeweled hand,

Believe it or not, Geziri hospitality does not involve stabbing our guests.

“The slave curse returns djinn to their natural state, the way we were before the Prophet Suleiman—peace be upon him—blessed us. But the catch is that you can use your abilities only in the service of a human master. You’re entirely bound to them, to their every whim.”