Well, she wasn’t just a professor of archeology. She was a Lycan and the daughter of a dragon. If only her father’s shifter side had manifested in her, she could sprout wings and fly away. But alas, it didn’t. Sebastian Creed wasn’t a born shifter, unlike the Lycans, so he didn’t pass that on to his children. Something about his DNA remaining unchanged despite whatever accident had turned him. He didn’t talk about it much, so she wasn’t exactly sure how he came to sharing his body with a dragon.
But that didn’t mean she couldn’t escape. Her Lycan side would protect her from most harm, but she wasn’t invincible. She couldn’t jump out the window; the fall would kill her instantly. Even if it didn’t, her injuries would slow her down and then she’d also have the sandstorms to contend with.
Somehow, she made it through the sandstorms and into the palace, which means there was a way out.
There was a tentative knock on the door, and she knew it could only be Ramin. Probably with her breakfast.
Ramin!
An idea struck her and she got up from the bed. “Come in,” she said.
The door swung open, and as she thought, it was Ramin. The teen was carrying a silver tray with several plates, his gaze averted from hers. She knew he would set the tray down on the table by the door, but before he could, she grabbed the other end. “Thank you, Ramin.” She cocked her head to try to catch his eyes. When he looked at her, his brown eyes grew wide with surprise. “Can you understand me?”
She saw a flare of recognition, an expression she knew from experience living abroad the past months when someone could understand English, but didn’t have the confidence or practice to speak it. The trick was to speak slowly and use simple words. “I want to say … thank you for saving me.”
He gulped loudly.
“You … you got … saved me from the bad man.”
There was something else in his face now. The briefest flash of anger before a dark expression took over. “Man … hurt … you?”
She shook her head. “No. Thanks to you.” She smiled at him, which he returned. “How did you bring me here? Was it through that tunnel?”
The puzzled look on his face told her he didn’t understand a word she said, and she cursed herself that she didn’t even bother learning a few bits of the languages in the area. When Prince Karim spoke last night, she could pick up a few words of what sounded like Pashto, but that was it. The Zhobghadians probably had their own dialect or language.
“Ramin, you need to help me again.”
No answer. Instead, he yanked the tray away from her and set it on the table. He gestured to the tray and to her, then quickly dashed toward the door.
Darn.
Ignoring the food, she crept toward the door and opened it a crack. Ramin was there, a silent sentry as he stood stiffly, his head facing forward.
Double darn.
The only people who would be seeing her were Ramin and Prince Karim. The former didn’t speak any English and the latter was determined to keep her here.
“Well, now.” She straightened her shoulders. There was no way she was going to sit on her behind and do nothing.
Walking over to the tray of food, she grabbed a piece of flatbread. It was hard to think on an empty stomach, and to be honest, the food they’d been serving her had been phenomenal, better than any Michelin-star meal she’d had.
She paced the carpet, munching on the bread as she brainstormed. Maybe she could scream her lungs out, but as far as she could tell, Prince Karim’s bedroom windows did not face any other buildings, and she didn’t know what was outside the doors.
Thought Ramin was well-built, she could probably outrun him with her Lycan speed. But then he might sound the alarms and then she’d not only get caught, but found out. While she might not know who would pay for her presence here, she knew they would be innocent, and she couldn’t have that on her conscience.
Really, she could wait it out. Her team would have realized she was missing by now, and were probably trying to find her. And her family would surely know as well. Maybe she’d get lucky, and they’d send Uncle Daric to find her. Or Cross.
Dream on, Deedee.
Cross hadn’t even cared to contact her after that disastrous night months ago. Clearly, he was not going to make the first move to patch up whatever had been destroyed between them when she confessed her feelings to him.
But oh, wouldn’t that be romantic? Like a fairy tale. Here she was, trapped by a beast in his castle and then Cross would rescue her and realize she was the love of his life all along.
I was wrong, Dee, he would say. And I’m madly in love with you. Please forgive me. Then he could carry her off into the sunset. It would be like the story her mom used to read to her about the beautiful girl who was trapped in the castle of that beast.
Wait a minute. Beauty wasn’t rescued by the prince. The beast was the prince and they fell in love—
Oh, good Lord, the isolation was getting to her. She slapped herself on the forehead. This was not a movie or a fairy tale. And, she reminded herself, she didn’t believe in fairy tales.
“There has to be a way.” She sighed. A way to leave the palace and get to the border, then to her dig site. Surely the sandstorms didn’t go on all the time? Even she knew that they eventually abated, if not shift around to other areas.
But how to get out of here without getting Ramin in trouble?
As she reached for more of her breakfast, the glinting silver tray caught her eyes.
Oh.
A plan began to form in her mind. The first part of a plan at least. But she could work with that.
Much like yesterday, Prince Karim didn’t return to his bedroom at all during the day. If that was a pattern, then that means he might not come back until tomorrow morning at dawn. He had said there was some kind of festival, so maybe he was off doing his royal duties and attending parties and such.
Or maybe he spent his days with another woman.
“What the heck?” That thought came out of nowhere, as did the growl that rose from her chest. Focus on the plan, Dee.
She had all day to think and plan and get ready. First, she raided Prince Karim’s closet and found the things she could use if she got caught in the sandstorm—swimming goggles, a ski mask, and a thin scarf. Then she dressed in her now-dry shorts and shirt. Somehow, she had lost her work boots, but if it was sandy outside then she wouldn’t need them. Instead, she put on three pairs of the thickest socks she could find.
As a Lycan, she could keep walking for hours without food or water for a day or two and not get tired or dehydrated. Hopefully it shouldn’t come to that. Ramin had managed to carry her all the way here through a sandstorm. That told her that her site was not too far away. But speaking of Ramin …
Her stomach clenched, thinking of what she had to do.
“You’re doing it for his own good, too,” she told herself.
If she did get caught, then it would have to be obvious he had nothing to do with her being present here. Plus, she already had a convincing story—she had gotten lost in the sandstorms and wound up inside Zhobghadi. Besides, if Prince Karim wanted to alert everyone to her presence and send his guards after her, then that was on him. He was royalty, so surely, they wouldn’t punish him if she was caught.
Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. “You’re not going to get caught.”
Ugh, this talking to herself thing was getting old. But soon she’d be back at her dig site, and she could put this whole episode behind her.
With a determined shrug of her shoulders, she grabbed the silver tray from the table. She ate every scrap and drank every bit of liquid she could to prepare herself, in case she really did get lost for a while. There was also the flatbread she had kept from lunch, which she wrapped in some napkins and stuffed into the leather messenger bag she took from the prince’s closet.
“You can do this.” Okay, pep talk over.
The door was inches away, and she opened it, taking a d
eep breath. “Ramin? Ramin, come in here, please!”
The seconds crawled by as her heart beat a thundering rhythm in her chest. As soon as Ramin stepped inside, she swung the silver tray against his head, sending him to the floor.
“Sorry!”
She had spent the afternoon inside Prince Karim’s closet, swinging the tray to try and get the right amount of strength. Too weak and he wouldn’t be knocked out, but if she used too much of her Lycan strength, she could kill the boy. Bending down, she touched his pulse and breathed out a sigh of relief. He was fine. The headache he would have the next day would hurt like the dickens, but he would live. And she was almost home free.
There was no time to waste. She slipped through the door, and much to her surprise, she was in another room—a living room it seemed. Of course. His bedroom was part of a larger suite probably. Spying the ornate gold doors on the opposite side, she knew that had to be the exit. She tiptoed over and tried to filter out the sounds outside. Her Lycan hearing didn’t detect anyone close by, so she grabbed the round crystal handles, turned them, and pushed.
A sigh of relief escaped her mouth. Thank goodness it was a hallway, and not another set of rooms. Of course, the corridor was just as ornate as the rooms, with beautiful blue, gold, and white tile work on the floor, latticework arches overhead, and ornate mosaics decorating the wall. You’re not here to admire the decor, she reminded herself. But where to go?
Using the scientific method of eenie, meenie, miney, moe, she chose left and crept carefully down the hallway, following the path as it turned right and then left. Her enhanced senses were on full alert, as she tried to hear as far forward as she could, listening for any noise, avoiding areas where she could hear footsteps or murmuring, while her speed made her nearly invisible and silent as she darted through the hallways and down numerous sets of stairways.
So far, so good. But this palace must be huge, because it felt like she was never going to run out of hallways and doors. And the stairs. So many stairs. Didn’t this place have any elevators? Perhaps this was intentional, to make it difficult to reach the royal family.
This was getting ridiculous though, she huffed as she stepped off the last set of staircases. She slowed down and then stopped completely, glancing around her. It looked like the hallway before it, decorated in the same pattern. Was she going around in circles? No, definitely not. The air here was different.
Lifting her nose in the air, she took a whiff. “Oh, wow.” A delicious aroma hung in the air, like the grilled lamb and potatoes she had for dinner. But it was faint, like a trail. Which meant someone had carried food through here from the kitchen. There would be people there, but it also could lead to an exit somewhere for workers and supplies and trash to go in and out.
She followed the scent of cooking food straight ahead, then turning right at the end through an arched doorway. The hallway inside became noticeably less ornate and more utilitarian, and she could hear the bustle of activity at the end where a wooden door separated it from the next room.
That had to be the kitchen. The scent of food was so strong, and the sounds of spoons clanking against pots, voices in a strange language, and the quick shuffle of feet came louder in her ears. She pressed her hands against the door and peeked ever so slightly inside as her heart hammered against her ribcage.
The room was definitely a kitchen, and she seemed to be in the rear part, as most of the stoves, tables, and workers were in the opposite end of the room. But where—ah, there!
On the wall perpendicular to where she was, a door swung wide open. A man came inside, dragging something heavy inside a sack. But that wasn’t what caught her eye. No, it was the glimpse of dark blue sky and palm trees on the other side of the door. The outside.
Now or never.
Everyone seemed busy enough in the front of the kitchens. Even the man with the sack had gone to a far corner and began to argue with another of the staff members. After taking three deep breaths, she used her Lycan speed to quietly, but swiftly, dart toward the exit before it completely closed.
Cool, fresh air rushed into her lungs. The smell of the outside nearly overwhelmed her, but luck must be on her side today because the courtyard she was standing in was empty. Another rush of adrenaline made her run toward the gated archway. The metal barrier opened when she pushed on it, and she ran into the darkness, not caring where she was going as long as it was far away from the palace.
Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the light of the nearly-full moon making it an easy transition. She didn’t dare look back, but kept walking and walking.
She was free! Oh, my Lord, I really did it! Who said archeology was boring? This was a real-life adventure and now—
“Holy …”
Whatever word she wanted to use didn’t come out of her mouth. In fact, she couldn’t even remember what she meant to say. The sight ahead of her put her into a state of shock.
The sand swirled in the air, creating a wall that was over a hundred stories high. She could see the night sky, stars, and the moon above, but nothing in front.
Minutes ticked by, but the wall of sand never moved forward or backward. No, it stayed static, as if it were encased in an invisible shell. Whatever it was keeping it there, she knew it was not normal. Something like static electricity prickled over her skin, and she knew that feeling.
Magic.
Chapter Five
Soft lips. Smooth sun-kissed skin. Bountiful breasts that overflowed in his hands. Karim had had his share of women, but nothing quite like her. Her sweet scent and lush body called to him like no other.
He tried to stay away from her, even thought to sleep on the couch in his living room. But when he came back after his evening flight over Zhobghadi to take a shower, he could practically taste her sweet scent the moment he walked into the room. The sight of her dressed in his clothes and wrapped around a pillow nearly shredded his control. It was a good thing he was tired, and the only thing he could do was dress himself and collapse into bed.
Desiree. Her name was apt, as she ignited desire in him like no other. Did he reach out for her again? Or maybe she came to him. It didn’t matter, because he just wanted to touch and taste her skin. But once he was fully awake, he had gotten his senses back. Leaving her in bed was the most difficult task he’d had to face, but he needed to clear his head. Not that it worked, because even until now, his mind was still fogged with lust.
And he wasn’t the only one fascinated with the alluring woman. The beast inside him roared at him in fury the moment he moved away from her.
Ours. Mine. Claim.
What did The Great One mean?
“Your Highness? Did you hear what I said?”
Karim swung his head over to the right. The Minister of Energy’s dark brows reminded him of two caterpillars butting heads, and his lips tightened so much, they were a thin line. “Yes, Minister Jamir?”
“So, don’t you agree that we need to increase our output by thirty-five percent?”
Karim would rather be doing so many more things than being at this meeting. Well, just one thing. But he had duties to perform, after all. “Thirty-five percent. Of course.” His disinterested tone made Arvin glare at him with warning, so Karim straightened his chair and cleared his throat. “You are most knowledgeable when it comes to Zhobghadi’s needs, which is why you were appointed Minister of Energy. I trust that if you think thirty-five percent is what we require, then we shall have thirty-five percent.” He glanced back at the rest of the council of ministers who were seated at the long table across from him. “If there is nothing else, then we should reconvene, and you can go home and spend time with your families on this blessed evening. I still have a long night ahead of me.” He was about to stand up when someone spoke up.
“Er, Highness?”
Lakme, the only female minister on the council raised her hand. “Highness, one last thing.”
“Yes?”
“About the coronation ceremony.” There was a
murmur among the other ministers. “When can we expect you to announce the date?”
All eyes turned to him. “I think that in these most sacred of days, such talk is inappropriate,” Karim answered in his most diplomatic tone. “It is the time for reflection on the past, and how lucky we are that the gods have saved us.”
Lakme didn’t budge. “And so, you will announce it after the Easifat?”
“You can expect it.” As soon as he stood up, everyone in the room followed suit. “Good evening to you all.”
No one protested or said another word as he made his way out of the council room. He was eager to leave. Eager to go back to his rooms. To Desiree. That meeting ran way too long, all the way until after suppertime. He hardly ate the dinner served to them, but he was hungry. However, he knew Arvin was right behind him, fast at his heels as he stepped up to keep in stride.
“So, you are finally going to have the coronation?” Arvin inquired as they briskly strode away from the council room. “It sounds like you made a promise.”
“I told Minister Lakme she could expect it.” And she was expecting it, but it didn’t mean he would do it. “So, technically, I did not lie.”
“Ay, Karim.” Arvin gently grabbed his arm, and they stopped. Karim didn’t admonish him at the disrespectful way he was conducting himself, but didn’t say anything else either. “Your Highness. Please, you must announce the coronation, and soon.”
“I do not answer to anyone.” His made his tone as chilly and authoritative as possible.
“Except the people,” Arvin pointed out.
And Karim found he couldn’t find a comeback to that, so he remained silent.
“They want a king. Their king. They want you,” Arvin pleaded.
His jaw hardened. “My father has not even been in the ground a year.”
Daughter of the Dragon Page 4
