Siren's Song

by Trish Albright

  Alex finally did as she was told. Joshua bent to pick up the sword. “Now then, who does this belong to?”

  With lightning speed, he spun and dispatched the two guards on his right and plunged through a third while Raja silenced the fourth with a knife in the throat. Raja’s two guards helped them dump the four bodies into the darkness of an adjoining garden.

  Alex sucked in air, barely absorbing the quick action.

  “Quickly!” Raja led them to a nearby room. Joshua had Alex firmly by the wrist, and the second they were safe inside the chamber, began pulling her clothes off. It was extremely disconcerting. Then she noticed Raja’s servant already had his outer robe removed, and he wore an identical one underneath. Joshua threw her caftan at the boy and started on her veils.

  “I’ve got it. I’ve got it.” Alex didn’t like people pulling at her hair, and Joshua’s lack of appreciation for the fine art of hair attire was noticeably missing. She smiled, loving him as she was stripped down to the filmy costume underneath meant to entice the sultan. A hand touched her waist and caressed lightly against her rib cage. She tilted her head upward, catching Joshua’s admiration, his eyes intense and hot as he shook his head at her regretfully. As if wanting to admire some more.

  His expression became a glare as he turned it on the other two standing by. Embarrassed, the boy looked away. Raja merely bit back a smile as he helped them get her into the folds of the black robe.

  Alex followed the Arab man’s directions and wrapped her hair while Raja aided with a black clothlike turban. She sensed his sudden stillness when she scooped it above her neck. Her hand instantly went to cover the tattoo and she turned around, defensive.

  “What is it?” Joshua asked.

  “Nothing,” she said, pulling the hood of the robe over her head. She caught Raja’s strange look, but he only nodded respectfully. Before she knew it, the boy was dressed to resemble her and ushered out by the two guards and led away. She heard Raja whisper a warning and worried for the child facing the sultan alone.

  Raja recognized her expression.

  “Fear not, my lady. He is small but fierce.” To Joshua, “I will return in a moment.”

  The door closed and when Alex would have jumped into Joshua’s arms, he held her still, quickly running his hands over her, checking for injuries.

  “You are okay?” It was more command than question.

  She nodded.

  Joshua couldn’t see any surface marks but that didn’t mean anything. She was thinner. “Paxton and his men? They didn’t hurt you?”

  “No. I was worth more untouched. And he’s greedy, but …”

  “What?”

  She turned and lowered the hood to reveal the tattoo. “This.” Alex heard his intake of breath. She didn’t move, waiting silently. Joshua slowly turned her back around.

  He smiled gently. “So. A souvenir of your adventure?”

  She breathed easily for the first time since the beginning of the ordeal and he pulled her against his chest in gratitude and relief—until she pulled away, desperate for something else.

  His lips crushed hers, claiming. Desperation and urgency fought for control. She closed her eyes and allowed him his need, still trying to comprehend that he was here while her hips and body curved into him. He had come after her. He had found her. He really did love her. Then she tore her lips free, realizing something else.

  “What were you thinking?” she demanded.

  His desire must have befuddled his brain. “That I’m grateful you’re alive.”

  “No, I mean coming into the palace. The sultan might have recognized you. You could have been killed.”

  He grinned, “Darling, you barely recognized me.”

  “And how much have you really had to drink?”

  “Not enough to make me numb to your beauty.”

  “Hmmph. What’s the plan?”

  “The plan is we get out of here before a revolution breaks out.”

  “That’s the plan?” her voice raised. “Who organized this rescue?”

  “The man who’s rescuing you.” He pulled her to him again and ravished her mouth. “Just follow me. That is, two steps behind and your head bent humbly, as befits your station.” He pulled her hood back up and bit back a grin. Humility really was a tough one for her.

  Alex grunted, but smiled. She had complete confidence now that he was here. It didn’t matter that they were still trapped in a heavily guarded palace in a foreign city about to be besieged by war. They were together, and the rest didn’t matter for the moment. Just like old times.

  Raja signaled to them, and they entered the hallway again.

  The men resumed their drunken behavior so quickly that Alex rushed to catch Joshua before he fell over. He hung a heavy arm around her shoulders with a grateful hiccup, and the three staggered unsteadily through the palace. Alex observed her surroundings carefully, noting they were getting close to an exit. The guards in turn were increasing in numbers.

  “I’m not feeling so well, Prince.” Joshua grabbed his stomach, making some palace soldiers step back in alarm.

  “Just another moment. Some fresh air will help. We are nearly there.” The prince grinned to the guards. They needed no explanation for what was going on. The prince led them deep into the gardens before anyone else disturbed them.

  There was shouting inside the castle, and Raja quickly pulled them aside onto another path of the mazelike gardens. He reached into his robe and pulled out two guns.

  “I can shoot,” Alex volunteered.

  Raja handed her the guns and pulled two more. Alex thought he must have an arsenal underneath the folds of the dark material. She suspected Joshua had the same. She thought she saw the glint of silver beneath his robe.

  “I’m good with knives, too, and they are much quieter.”

  Raja looked down at the small woman in surprise. Joshua nodded. Raja grinned in approval. She traded him the second gun for two knives, approving their weight and balance.

  There was a shout for guards, followed by a rush of footsteps nearby. The three companions stepped silently into the bushes. Alex was about to move out again when Joshua pulled her back and slid a hand over her mouth. A single guard came by, casually swinging his finely sharpened cutlass back and forth into the plants on either side of the path.

  When he passed, Raja stepped quickly from the hiding place, sliced the guard’s throat from behind, and dragged him into the bushes. Then he hurried them into a small pavilion. They crouched below the ledge and pressed against the wall. Alex peeked out and saw lanterns lighting throughout the palace. Soon the gardens would be crawling with guards.

  “You must try to get out.” Raja pointed to two guards standing by the wall farthest north from the pavilion. “Those men work for me. There is a hidden door in the wall below them. When you exit, turn right and keep walking. Do not run or do anything suspicious.”

  “What about you?” Alex asked, feeling guilty for the trouble she put him in.

  “By now Sirac has killed the sultan, and left evidence that it was the red-haired slave.”

  Alex gulped.

  “They will search the palace and the other side of the palace gardens near his chamber. If they catch you they will kill you instantly. Please go.” He motioned to the short wall behind her. They needed only to hop over.

  Alex looked at Joshua and shook her head negatively. “There are guards coming,” she whispered. “We will help you first.”

  “You cannot help.” Footsteps walked up the path. Alex leapt into the center of the pavilion and grabbed their attention. There were two men.

  “Hello,” she said, surprising them with her feminine voice.

  Joshua killed one guard before his eyes could adjust. A knife from Alex found its mark in the heart of the other. She looked at Raja, very tempted to instruct him on women.

  “Let’s go,” Raja said. They followed him, slowly making their way toward the outer wall. Freedom was a mere hundred yards away. />
  “You have less than a minute to reach the wall. I must return to the palace and conduct a search for the killer.”

  Joshua gripped Raja’s hand in both of his, expressing without words his gratitude. “Until next time.”

  The prince nodded agreement, then turned to Alex. He bent to kiss her hand. Instead, Alex grabbed both of his hands and kissed each one gratefully. “Thank you. You always have a home with us. Good luck, and Godspeed.” Then she turned to dash off before he could respond. Joshua was a breath behind her.

  “Allah be with you too, Kelile. May you one day fulfill your destiny.” He blessed them with a lifted hand until they were safely outside the wall. He hoped they would meet again. A noise nearby distracted him. He turned quickly and smiled at Sirac. The two returned to the palace. They still had a long battle ahead.

  Alex kept her head down and tried to breathe calmly; the drunken routine seemed to be working for them. They walked outside, the palace wall on Alex’s right, a small settlement on her left. There were evening fires and some tents set up for trading. A few buildings scattered the street up ahead. She was afraid to look up yet.

  Joshua spotted the carriage not far away. “Almost there.”

  Alex looked, her steps quickening. A guard called out to them from the wall above. “He wants us to stop,” Alex translated.

  “Keep walking.”

  Alex didn’t think it would be that easy. She felt for the gun with her free hand. The guard was determined and called to another on the ground.

  “That was Arabic for ‘stop them,’ ” Alex informed.

  “Keep walking.”

  “Halt, or be killed,” a man behind her said in Arabic.

  They halted. Joshua bent over, grabbing his stomach as if ill. “I say, what’s the—” And then he swung. The man fell instantly.

  Joshua swore, recognizing the pattern—chaos was at hand, yet again. Shaking his head, he grabbed Alex and ran.

  They had barely taken a few strides when a different guard on the wall fell in front of Alex, a knife in his chest.

  Matthew was steps away. “Run, Alex! Run!”

  She needed no urging. She leapt over the fallen guard and dashed forward while Joshua dragged her even faster. She had an instant of terror when the quiet fireside campers drew weapons and began to attack. Then she realized they were heading for the palace, running through the door from which she and Joshua had just exited, and throwing ladders up against the walls.

  Alex saw her brother Samuel on top of the carriage aiming a long shotgun. Matthew caught up to her, grabbed her other arm and pulled her even faster to the carriage. She caught Samuel’s eyes and smiled before Joshua tossed her onto the floor of the carriage and jumped in behind her. Marcus had the horses ready and they took off as Matthew leapt onto the back.

  Alex didn’t care what was going on around them as joy and relief poured out. She dropped the gun and knife and reached for Joshua.

  “Oh, Joshua!” she nearly sobbed. “I was so afraid I would never see you again.” She pressed kisses into his neck unable to hold him close enough. “I love you so much. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’m so sorry.” Tears temporarily won out. “I can’t believe you found me. I prayed you would, but …”

  Joshua held her gratefully until her weeping subsided. “I know, I know, my love. I’m sorry I didn’t reach you sooner.” He stroked her hair gently down her back to calm both of them and relieve some of the shock. “I was wrong too. I should have been helping you.”

  “I know,” she said against his chest.

  He shook with humor.

  “But you’re helping me now.” She looked up at him with a watery smile.

  Joshua stroked her cheek. “You know you’re all I want, right? The thought of losing you made me half mad.” Joshua pulled her to him and pressed a savage kiss to her lips, letting her feel the hunger and fear he had suffered. She responded uninhibitedly, pressing into him and wrapping her arms around his neck, loving him as best she could while twined in robes, and bouncing uncomfortably on the floor of a moving carriage.

  Outside, Matthew stood on the back and waved to the crewmen following behind on horses. His rare cheek-splitting grin spoke volumes. Samuel was also grinning as he slid into the driving seat next to Marcus.

  Marcus knew they weren’t exactly home free yet, but they had Alex, and now that they were away from the fighting he noticed it was rather quiet inside the carriage. Samuel’s smile was infectious. He gave into the one tempting his own lips and shook his head with the appearance of disgust, “Damn lucky Americans.”

  Samuel slapped him heartily on the back. “Damn straight.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  “Do you mind?” Paxton drawled with mild irritation. He was lounging unclothed on a large bed with two dark, accommodating women when Falco burst in.

  “Captain! We’ve got to get out of here!”

  “Now?” Paxton couldn’t possibly imagine what could be so important that he needed to get out of bed at this moment. He eyed the women as if to make the point.

  “The city is being attacked. The sultan’s nephew has garnered an entire army. Word is every palace in the country is being besieged.”

  “So?” Paxton didn’t care who killed whom, or who was in power. He was pleasantly numb from women and alcohol.

  “I heard a rumor the sultan is dead.” Paxton’s eyes narrowed. “They are saying the new slave killed him and it’s a sign of the prophecy coming true. She is taking revenge. Death and destruction will follow. She’s started a religious war! And you brought her here!”

  Paxton was awake now, scrambling and cursing.

  “They are killing all foreigners on sight.” Falco threw clothes at him. “And I have no doubt they are looking for us.”

  “Get the men up.” Paxton checked his gold treasure then locked it. “Bloody …” A stream of curses spewed out his mouth. Not even a day to enjoy himself. He cursed again, and hoped the Stafford woman was dead and in hell.

  She was in hell. Smoke and cannon fire permeated the air. The rancid smell of burning flesh reached her nostrils. It was still dark and no one knew who was friend or foe. Their only focus was reaching their remaining ships alive. Alex’s hand tightened on one of Samuel’s muskets she had grabbed from the carriage. Joshua motioned for her to come to him. She shook her head negatively. She almost had a shot.

  Alex’s elbows scraped bare along the gravelly road as she painfully repositioned herself, aimed the long American rifle and waited. If you were good, the gun was accurate up to a hundred yards. She calculated her target to be about half that. The man was hiding on top of a low building. She saw him peek twice. He too was patient, and he had a direct shot at Samuel. The smoke wafting toward her was oppressive, and she swallowed back the temptation to choke. She prayed the clouds would uncover the moon and give her some light.

  Her patience was rewarded. As soon as she saw the shoulder lean over the side, she took the shot. At fifty yards, Alex was deadly. The enemy’s gun fell at Samuel’s feet.

  Samuel jumped, his heart pounding unnaturally as he looked at the man hanging over the edge. He looked around and saw Alex roll into the safety of Joshua’s arms. He thanked his sister silently, then cursed her, remembering she was why they were in this damned mess. The eldest Stafford motioned to some crew behind him and cursed again. In all fairness, and he did count himself a fair man, this mess was due to the lecher, Paxton. He hoped he’d get a shot at that bastard someday.

  Joshua’s arm snaked out for Alex as she rolled into him. “I’m glad you’re on my side,” he whispered against her lips, squeezing her closely to him between the stacked barrels that served as protection.

  Raja’s brother, Prince Khalid, had timed his troops well. They were all galvanized and enthusiastically killing everyone in sight. Mostly their targets were armed soldiers, as civilians remained hidden in their homes or running for the countryside in a panic. The armies of Sultan Al-Aziz app
eared to be shooting all foreigners on sight. It was heavy on her spirit to think she was the cause of this, though according to Joshua, Raja had claimed the timing was very serendipitous. The confusion caused by the sultan’s death would give Prince Khalid an upper hand in usurping the current powers that be.

  Alex breathed in Joshua’s breath, fought back a shiver, and gave him a cocky smile to let him know he shouldn’t worry about her.

  Joshua brushed some hair off her face. “There’s no one else I would rather have with me right now.”

  “Thanks, old man.” Marcus popped up on an elbow behind Joshua, and cocked his weapon. “I’m going to make a run for the ship. Send Alex, then we’ll cover you.”

  Joshua nodded and released Alex, rolling to Marcus’s former position. He took a knee. Alex had already reloaded a musket ball and was looking around. There were enemy gunshots coming from three directions south on the road. Matthew had gone forward to the ship, while Samuel stayed back. Her oldest brother still needed to catch up. She knew three crewmen were waiting directly across from him. Two others were already dead, and one had made it to Joshua’s ship. Her own ship was in view, sitting in the harbor waiting. She saw Marcus give the signal and prepared to cover him.

  Stonewood darted stealthily toward some crates and jumped for cover. Matthew and another man moved to give him room. Marcus motioned north. There was new gunfire coming from the other direction. Joshua held Alex back. She wanted to go immediately, but wondered who else was shooting at them.

  They both saw a little flicker in the harbor. Alex was the first to realize what it was. The Sea Fire had moved and was positioned to attack. She swore and prayed at the same time before jumping on Joshua to cover him. The cannonball hit about a hundred feet north. There were shouts of panic. Alex took the opportunity to make a dash. She was halfway across the wide road when she tripped on a body and fell, landing near yet another body. She scrambled only to stumble again in her black robe, trying blindly to reach Matthew and Marcus through thick smoke.