Nina doesn't quite smile, but there's gratefulness to her eyes, as well as something more shrewd — as if she's already thought of how exactly Andronika and Tayyib are helping her, perhaps even without them knowing.

To the question, she exhales slowly. "Yes. Of that, I have no doubt. I've not seen two people more devoted to one another. She will always be my daughter-in-law, even if the Sisters never formally blessed the union."

And then she raises her voice, so it carries to Tayyib:

"My younger son would make some select complaints for singing his songs like that," she says, wryly. "Degar was always particular about his compositions."