Lost to the Desert Warrior

For the first time he noticed a mark on her upper arm—an old scar, a silvery twist of damaged flesh that ran from shoulder to elbow. Lifting his hand, he touched it with his fingertips and felt her flinch. ‘They did this?’

‘I used to lie on top of her...’ Her voice whispered over the pain. ‘And the dogs used to try and pull me off. And she was screaming and screaming and it drove the animals crazy and I kept telling her not to move, to try and keep still, because it made it worse. But it was impossible to lie still when you could feel the heat of their breath on your neck and hear that horrible, rumbling growl—’

It explained her behaviour whenever Isis and Horus were around. She was always still. She never moved. It explained her behaviour on that first night in the tent when she’d been frozen to the spot and he hadn’t understood why.

Now he understood, and his anger was black and lethal as he pulled her into the circle of his arms, holding her as she shivered and shook. ‘I will find him,’ he vowed in a thickened voice. ‘I swear to you I will find him and he will pay for what he did to you both.’

‘He is already paying. What he wanted was power and he’s lost that. Between us we’ve taken that from him and it feels good.’

‘I will not allow Isis and Horus near you again.’

‘I don’t want that. I want to get used to them.’ Her voice was fiercely determined. ‘I need to get used to them. They’re good dogs. I know they are. Nothing like the others.’

Her lips were bloodless, her eyes dark and bruised in the soft light. She was so pale he felt guilt rip through him

‘I shouldn’t have made you talk about it, habibti.’

‘You were right to make me talk about it. Why should I expect you to share things with me if I share nothing with you? On that first night you asked why a woman would cross a desert on a horse she couldn’t ride to find a man she didn’t know. Now you know the answer.’

‘Your father knew what Hassan did?’

‘My father had no interest in us beyond our use to him in his political games.’

‘I am starting to understand the reason for your sister’s night terrors.’

‘That was just part of it.’ She eased away from him, her eyes wide with anxiety. ‘You don’t think Salem would use dogs to track her?’

‘No. You can rest assured that Salem utilises far more sophisticated methods than dogs. By now he will have tapped his many contacts in various shadowy government organisations and be using the most up-to-date technology that exists.’

‘I let her down. I was the one who made the decision to leave the palace, and because of me she is lost and alone.’

‘You made the right decision. By leaving you took control away from Hassan.’ He smoothed her hair with his fingers and lay down in the bed again, taking her with him. Keeping his arm round her, he pulled the covers over them. ‘You’re safe. I’ll never let him touch you again. This is your life now. This is your home.’

‘But when everything settles in Tazkhan you will have to move there. The people will expect it.’

Her voice was muffled against his chest and Raz stared up at the ceiling, the scent of her hair winding itself around his senses.

‘It’s what we do that matters, not where we live. We will sort something out that works for everyone. And in the meantime I’m going to make you forget that life. This is your life now and, yes, there is responsibility—but there should also be fun.’

‘Fun?’

She sounded unsure, doubtful, as if she had no idea what he meant, and he realised how little thought he’d given to her life and just how wrong he’d been in the few thoughts he’d had.

‘Dancing? Talking to new people? Wearing nice clothes?’

‘I’ve never danced. I’m not sure I’d be very good at it if my experiences on a horse are anything to go by.’

‘You’ve never danced?’ His arms tightened around her. ‘Then that’s something else I need to teach you. Now, go to sleep. You’re safe now, I promise.’

CHAPTER NINE

SHE WOKE ALONE and the level of disappointment that followed that discovery was shocking. And then she heard the sound of the shower and realised he was using the bathroom.

He hadn’t left.

For once he hadn’t walked away once the sun had risen.