Lost to the Desert Warrior

‘We’re here.’

They arrived at the caves and Layla slid off the horse, landing with an uncomfortable thud on the uneven ground. Zahra slid into her arms and the dogs stayed close. ‘We need to get inside.’

‘No. We have to tie Raja up or he could wander off and Daddy will be angry.’

‘We’ll take him with us deeper into the caves. We need to be out of sight.’

She shone her torch once and saw several tunnels leading off the main cavern. ‘Over there—that’s a good place to hide.’

‘Why are you so good at finding hiding places?’

‘Because I used to play this game with my little sister when she was your age.’

But she’d made a cardinal mistake. The horse had provided a quick escape vehicle, but by bringing the animal there was no way they could disguise their presence. ‘We have to let Raja loose, Zahra. We have to.’

With luck the people tracking them would follow the horse, thinking they were still together.

‘No! We can’t do that. Daddy will be angry.’

‘I’ll take the blame. I’ll tell him it’s all my fault. But we have to let him go.’

‘No! I won’t let you—’

But Layla had already removed the reins and given the enormous stallion a slap on the rump. Delighted to be free of his reins, Raja launched himself into the darkness while Zahra gave a sob.

‘He will hurt himself. He’ll—’

‘He’s going to be fine.’ Layla grabbed the child in her arms and sprinted across the cave. Zahra was squirming so badly she almost dropped her.

‘But, Layla, he doesn’t—’

‘Hush.’ Layla slammed her hand over the child’s mouth and pulled her behind the rocks. ‘I can hear someone coming. Don’t be frightened, but do not make a sound. Not a sound. Isis—Horus—down.’ The dogs slunk behind the rock obediently and lay down with them just seconds before lights shone into the cave.

‘Don’t be scared,’ Layla whispered, holding Zahra tightly in her arms. ‘I’ve got you.’

‘They cannot both have vanished.’

It was Hassan’s voice, speaking the same words he’d spoken the night she’d last seen him. Layla closed her eyes, back in her father’s bedroom on the night of his death, only this time the person she was protecting was Raz al Zahki’s child.

She hugged Zahra against her, keeping her hand over her mouth as she had done so many times with her sister, and all the time she was wondering how Hassan could possibly have known they were here. How had he even found out about Zahra’s existence?

‘They have to be here. There is nowhere else they could have hidden.’

Recognising Nadia’s voice, Layla felt shock punch through her.

So now she had her answer.

She felt Zahra wriggle and held her tighter, but the sudden movement had dislodged something and sent stones tumbling, the sound magnified by the cavernous walls of their hiding place.

Layla realised she had nothing with which to defend them both. No knife. No weapon of any sort with which to protect Raz’s child.

‘Stay there, and whatever happens don’t move.’ Whispering the words, she stood up and moved out from behind the rock just as torchlight swept across the cave and dazzled her eyes.

‘It’s her.’ Nadia’s voice was thickened with contempt. ‘If she’s here then the child will be with her.’

‘Zahra is asleep in her bed. I left her there when I ran. I assumed it was me you wanted. Well, here I am.’ Layla walked forward and saw the glint of Nadia’s eyes.

‘She’s lying. She’s never far from the girl because she thinks that’s the way to get Raz to love her.’

Before Layla could respond Hassan stepped into the beam of light. She felt a shiver run down her body from neck to toes as she remembered all the occasions he’d stood over her trembling body when she’d run from him as a child.

Determined that Zahra wasn’t going to know that same fear, she stood as tall as she could. But he simply smiled.

‘The best way to look for something is to hunt it and I know just how to do that.’

He snapped his fingers and before Layla could work out what he was doing she heard the sound of panting and four Saluki shot into the cave towards her.

Her knees liquid, she stumbled back towards Zahra, determined to protect her, the terror so acute she could hardly walk.

She should have anticipated that he’d use Saluki.