Free The Debt of Tamar by Nicole Dweck

can I be of service?”
    “A Dutch envoy will arrive shortly in Istanbul, led by your boyhood friend, William. You are to convince him to stage a revolt against Spain and in exchange, we will provide any military support the Dutch may need. He knows you. He will trust you. Let us strike at the very heel of the Spanish Empire, so that it may fall hard like Achilles.”
    “And these princely people you speak of, I am not so sure they will accept me now, after all, we have been branded as heretics throughout Europe.”
    “Exactly my point! Your people have suffered under Spanish rule. The Dutch suffer under Spanish rule. You’re European. They’re European. You understand the way they think. That’s the kind of adviser I will need moving forward.”
    “But—”
    “José! How many languages do you speak?”
    “A few, I suppose. I’m fluent in Latin, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and well of course, now Ottoman.”
    “An educated man.” The prince slapped his knee and came to his feet. “You Jews never cease to amaze me.”
    The falcon suddenly swooped down from the sky and landed gently on Selim’s outstretched arm. “My father has been good to your people?”
    “Most definitely.”
    “Rescuing your family from certain death?”
    “Yes, Your Highness. I would not be here if it were not for his kindness.”
    The prince nodded. “Gratitude.” He seemed to be talking to the falcon as he spoke. “Gratitude breeds loyalty.” Selim snapped his fingers and a servant suddenly came forth presenting a tray of raw meat bits to the bird. He smiled as the bird devoured the juicy bits. Turning his attentions back to José, he continued. “Loyalty is why I want a Jew. It’s why I want you .”
    José nodded.
    “Now, Doctor Hamon says you are a man to be trusted. Tell me, José. Can I trust you?”
    He slid off the bench and bowed his head to the ground. “I am your servant.”
    “Yes, yes, that’s all well and fine, but what I need to know is, can I trust you?”
    “Your Highness.” José lifted the edge of Selim’s cloak and brought it to his lips. “You can trust me.”
    “Good. Now get off your knees. You’ll report to the palace tomorrow morning and the morning after that.”
    José could hardly believe what he was hearing.
    Selim clapped his hands, eliciting the prompt return of his servant, who wrestled the falcon from his possession.
    “Here comes my boy!” Selim turned towards a teetering infant wrapped in purple velvet. He was taking small, clumsy steps towards his father with hands raised high in the air. Selim bent over and scooped the child up into his embrace. “This is my son.”
    “A handsome boy,” José remarked.
    “And one day, you will be able to say that you have met three sultans of the empire.”
    “Your Highness?”
    “After my reign, he will rule. I have chosen him. See his porcelain skin? That is the skin of his mother. A Venetian noblewoman. I call her Nur-Banu. ”
    “Princess of Lightness.” José said the name aloud.
    “That’s right.”
    José examined the child prince. He had fair skin and chestnut eyes, with rosy cheeks and a crop of thick black hair. He could not have been any older than a year.
    “His name is Murat,” Selim explained. “Murat the III.”
    José was unsure of the proper protocol for being presented to a royal prince, let alone an infant at that. Certainly he should not coo or reach out to touch the child. Whatever the proper conduct, he had managed to get this far without insulting Prince Selim.
    “See how intelligent he is?” Selim went on. “You can tell, just by looking at his eyes. He’s observing us right now.”
    José nodded.
    “And you will bow to him one day,” Selim continued. “You will bow to him along with all the empire.”
    The boy began to gurgle as tiny bubbles began to foam from his lips.
    “That day is still far off.” Selim smiled and handed the boy back to his servant. “Now that we’ve settled our