He seemed so offended by the idea of her even suggesting what he do, that he appeared unable to come up with a snappy comeback. She slipped into the second cell alone. This prisoner had a broken finger that needed splinting.
Apparently shed achieved a hostile but silent truce with her escort guard, for he merely opened doors for her nowstill glaring at her, of course, lest she think shed won. By the fifth prisoner or so, her nerves calmed down and she fell into a groove of treating minor injuries while the men babbled out their fears, mostly over dying at the hands of their Baraqi Army captors. She couldnt blame them for the sentiment.
And then she stood in front of the sixth cell. Her escort unlocked the door and stepped aside while she entered. The padlock clicked shut behind her.
The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she squinted into the semidarkness. The small cell was just like all the others, a ten-foot-by-ten-foot cube carved out of stone. The single tiny window high on the back wall must open onto some sort of air shaft, for indirect light filtered through it. A bucket of drinking water stood in one corner, and another bucket in the opposite corner served as a restroom facility, from the smell of it. She made out the shape of a man lying on the hip-high stone ledge that passed for a bed. He looked asleep.
The torch in her hand guttered as a cool finger of air whisked down her spine. Premonition roared through her, nearly knocking her off her feet. This prisoner is different.
Chapter 2
He looked much the same as the others, dirty and exhausted, wearing the beige uniform of a soldier from the royal guard. As her eyes adjusted fully to the gloom, she saw his face was badly battered and swollen. Black eyes, a gashed and broken nose, a split lip and a bad cut on the jaw were all in need of attention. Honestly his face looked like hamburger. A swollen, painful hamburger.
She spoke softly in French so she wouldnt startle him out of his sleep. Bonjour, je suis avec InterAid. Je suis ici pour vous aider. Hello, Im with InterAid. Im here to help you.
The mans eyes flew openas much as two puffy slits could openstaring at her, alert and wary. No panic hovered close to the surface in this guys steady gaze. If anything, fury swirled in them. Great. Another chauvinist who felt her breathing the same air as him was an affront to his manhood.
Still, the instinctive sense of pull in her gut toward this man was unmistakable.
Shock rendered Nick speechless. Merciful God. She was gaping at him as if she recognized him. She couldnt. She mustnt!
He was supposed to pass himself off as a common soldier. Nobody was supposed to find out who he was. Kareem had broken Nicks nose and blackened his eyes himself and had assured him when he came to that he didnt look one bit like a king.
Êtes vous Américaine? Are you American, he asked. Although, how could those big, round cornflower-blue eyes in a tiny patch of lightly tanned skin revealed by her veil be anything but American?
She nodded. Oui.
He switched into English, a language his guards were much less likely to know than French, and asked low and urgently, How did InterAid get into Baraq?
The woman shrugged. Thats way above my pay grade to know. As far as I know, we were invited.
What are you doing here? he demanded. Sharaf was up to no good letting these people in so soon after the coup. What was the bastard planning now?
Were here to render humanitarian aid and monitor the treatment of prisoners.
Sharaf must be making a run at legitimizing his control of Baraq. Dammit. The country mustnt fall into the generals bloodthirsty hands. Chagrin at his helplessness to protect his people from the madman burned in his gut.
Would you mind if I had a look at your nose? It could use some attention.
Nick flinched as the aid worker reached for him. She still wore a strange expression as though she half recognized him. Frantic to get her to stop looking at him like that, he stilled himself and answered smoothly, Be my guest.
She stepped closer. The first thing he noticed was that she smelled like lavender. The scent reminded him of cottage gardens in the English countrysideenchanting and gentle. The second thing he noticed was the expression in her incredibly blue eyes. Complete disbelief about summed it up.
Either he looked a whole lot worse than he realized or she had a darn good idea of precisely who he was. Damn! He had to distract her. But how? His mind went completely blank. You smell like lavender, he announced for lack of anything else intelligent to say.
She laughed as she reached for his nose. I dont see how. I think the Army got this robe off some goat herders wife whos never heard of bathing.
Her fingers lightly probed the swelling, and his grin turned into a grimace as shards of glass-sharp pain shot through his face. He shifted carefully and made room for her on the ledge beside him. The woman sat, her black robe billowing against his hip in a seductive slide of smooth fabric. An urge to put his hands on her, to feel the curves beneath her flowing robes, made his palms itch. He fisted his hands at his sides. So not the time for that. Must be some sort of primitive survival reaction kicking in because, damn, she was attractiveand all he could see of her was her eyes.
Her touch was gentle on his skin. The peroxide she used to clean his cuts stung like crazy, but he managed not to wince too much. However, when she carefully probed his broken nose again, he couldnt help but suck in a sharp breath.
She said cheerfully, Underneath the swelling, your bones are actually aligned fairly well. You shouldnt come out of this with a crooked nose.
As if he had a prayer of living long enough for his nose to actually heal? Not bloody likely.
She asked, Is all that blood on your shirt yours or someone elses?
I dont know.
If youll take off your shirt, Ill find out for you, she suggested.
He shrugged out of the filthy Army blouse, amused when she stared at his muscular chest. At least Kareems hasty beating to his face hadnt cost him all his charms with the ladies.
Youre covered in blood. Ill have to wash it off to see if there are any wounds beneath it, she mumbled. There was a noticeable hitch in her voice. As if she was nervous about touching him. The idea amused him. Women he barely knew draped themselves all over him constantly as though he were their personal play toy.
He scrutinized the young woman before him, for surely she was young to react the way she did to him. She groped in her medical bag and eventually emerged with a package of antiseptic towelettes she fumbled clumsily at opening.
He leaned back against the cold stone wall and raised his arms, resting his hands on the back of his neck. His posture, suggestive of reclining in bed, seemed to fluster her even more. For some perverse reason, he was enjoying discomfiting this poor girl.
Slowly she leaned toward him. Her chest rose and fell faster under her dark robe, and her pupils dilated to black, limpid pools.
Blast him if she wasnt having the same effect on him. On full alert, he watched as she drew close. Close enough for him to see that her eyelashes were light brown. A blonde, maybe? His nostrils flared. There were only a few tiny laugh wrinkles by her eyes. Definitely young, then. Those eyes of hers were extraordinary, as clear and bright as the sky on a summer day.
Her hands settled lightly on his rib cage. They felt like an angels kiss against his skin; featherlight, exquisitely sweet. So incongruous in this cold, hard prison.
Her gaze jerked up to meet his, surprised. For an instant, they looked directly into each others souls. A connection leaped between them. An almost psychic knowing that went far beyond sexual awareness. Synchronicity.
Her gaze faltered, while he blinked in surprise. Who was this girl?
Slowly she washed him, the intimacy of the act curling around them like strands of silk, drawing them into a web that bound them inexorably to one another. Almost painfully sharp electricity shot through him at the seduction of her hands soothing his bare flesh. She petted him as she might a magnificent lion. Her touch lacked the finesse of an experienced lover, but that didnt stop it from arousing him to a stupidly feverish pitch. What the hell was wrong with him?
He supposed it had to do with her offering him solace. She didnt exactly know how to do it, but her naive sincerity made the gesture all the more appealing. He caught another tantalizing whiff of lavender and glimpsed a few strands of golden hair escaping her head scarf. An intense desire to see the face beneath the veil surged through him.
Her compassion made him want to put his arms around her and hug her in gratitude. She was a priceless reminder of the sane, normal world that existed somewhere beyond the walls of his prison. He closed his eyes in sudden pain. He hadnt realized just how isolated he felt until she had arrived.
Her fingers lightly probed his ribs, looking for broken bones. If youll lean forward, she murmured, Ill check the ribs in your back.
He bent toward her, his arms coming up to surround her lightly. She jumped like a frightened doe in his arms.
Uh, not exactly what I had in mind, but I suppose it works, she mumbled in consternation.
It felt as if hed captured a rainbow, all light and air and fragile color. He held her delicately while a powerful protective impulse slammed into him. He couldnt recall the last time hed reacted to a woman like this. It must have something to do with that whole business of being about to die.
He didnt go for fragile females. The women he generally ran with could take perfectly fine care of themselves, thank you very much. But then, given that this young woman was here in the middle of an ongoing war, she probably could, too.
He smiled into the folds of her veil as her hands traced the ribs in his back, checking for broken bones. Her fingers trembled against his skin. And something inside him trembled in response.
Surprise coursed through him. He didnt know which one of them was more flustered at the moment.
Poking you like this hurts, doesnt it? Im sorry, she breathed.
He opened his eyes and gazed down at her intently. Her eyes had tiny flecks of silver within the palette of vivid blue. Dont be sorry, he murmured. Its a nice change from guards pounding the hell out of me.
She met his gaze for several candid seconds. Their faces would be in kissing range were it not for the black silk covering her mouth and nose. She meant him no harm. Wanted to help him. He saw it in her eyes. The weird electricity surged anew between them.
Was it possible? Was there a chance that help might reach him from the outside? If someone like this were to be sympathetic to him, maybe pass a message to a few supporters of his in the city
It could work.
Maybe his death wasnt so inevitable after all!
But first he would have to convince her to help him.
Alarmed at her totally inappropriate reaction to this anonymous Baraqi man, Katy slipped out of the loose circle of his arms to reach into her medical bag, relieved to be out of such proximity to the strangely attractive prisoner.
She fumbled for her clipboard and placed it squarely between them, lest he get any frisky ideas in the meantime.
Whats your full name? she asked in as businesslike a fashion as she could muster.
He didnt answer right away. She looked up, her pen poised over the right box on Larrys spreadsheet.
He was frowning at her. Intently.
She commented lightly, Its not that hard a question. I just need to write your name down for our records. Its required by the Geneva Convention for you to give your captors your name anyway.
Still no answer.
Are you having trouble remembering your name?
He sighed. Im trying to decide whether or not I should trust you.
She slid her pen into the top of the clipboard and set the whole thing down. She said pleasantly, Well, Ive been sent here to help you. If not me, who are you going to trust?
Another heavy sigh. Therein lies my dilemma. Youre all Ive got.
Maybe it was the constant browbeating she took over her unfortunate family connections that made his comment rub her the wrong way. But she said a little less pleasantly, I am a fully trained humanitarian relief worker and Im generally considered to be a reasonably intelligent human being who doesnt lie, keeps her word and is classed as trustworthy.
And, unaccountably, he smiled. Aah, there it is. A spine. Perhaps you are the person I need after all.
Huh?
Answer me this, he continued. Whos going to see that spreadsheet of yours?
My team will. General Sharafs people will. And I expect well forward the list to the Red Cross.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a vinyl-covered passport. Then, in that case, my name is Akbar a pause while he read the document Mulwami.
She frowned. And didnt bother to write it down. That so wasnt his name.
He glanced up at her. Do you need me to spell that?
She snorted. No. I need you to quit BSing me.
He laughed, back to his utterly charming self. Aah, you and I are going to get along famously. I promise you that is my name as the Baraqi Army knows it to be.
And what does your mother know it to be? she retorted.
He leaned back against the rock wall behind him. Ill answer that question if you wish. But first you must promise me something.
Man, his dimples were lethal. Whats that?
You must solemnly swear not to do or say anything that will get me killed.
Her eyebrows shot up. Killed? Of course not. Im here to save lives.
His voice vibrated with intensity. Do you swear?
Katy replied without hesitating, Of course I do. Its my job to protect your life to the best of my ability.
He nodded slowly and murmured so quietly she had to lean close to hear him. My friends call me Nick. But my mother calls me Nikolas. A long pause. Ramsey.
Chapter 3
In a ravaged corner of Akuba, in a windowless room lit only by the flickering light of a pair of lanterns, a group convened in secret; a dozen dark-robed women, their faces hidden according to the edicts issued by General Sharafleader of the couponly hours ago. Any woman who did not follow the strict religious dress code hed declared would be whipped.
In a whisper the self-appointed leader of the group asked, Has anyone received word whether the king is alive or dead?
A shrug from a castle insider. Nobody knows. He was seen sitting on his throne moments before the Army burst into the great hall. But that is the last report anyone has of him.