by Kay Thorpe
Remembering the precipice that had crept up on her earlier, she kept her speed as slow as possible. She had managed to turn the vehicle around, but she could not find the same track she had taken to come down into the valley. The city lights were gone, and the wind was growing stronger every minute. The Range Rover rocked alarmingly every time it was caught by one of the savage blasts, and sand covered the windscreen because the wipers had given up. And now she noticed there was very little fuel left in the tank. But at least they were on the move—they would surely encounter some form of civilisation soon…
As the steering wheel bucked in her hand Lucy let out a short scream, and when they juddered to a halt she realised they had a flat tyre. There was no way she could risk trying to change it on shifting sand, with the wind threatening to turn the vehicle over at any minute. Swinging round, she checked on Edward, and saw with relief that he was still sleeping. But they had no lights, no fuel, and her phone was dead too, she realised, flinging it aside with frustration. Now all she could do was switch off the engine and wait for the storm to subside.
Kahlil swore when the satellite screen went blank. ‘Let’s press on.’
‘But where, Majesty? Which way?’
‘We’ve chosen a trail; we’ll stay on it. The road forked after its descent into the valley—she may not have noticed if she tried to turn around. We’ll keep to the left, take our chances.’ And just hope I’ve got it right, he thought grimly.
The wind was screaming as it whipped the sand into heavy curtains of dust and grit, and Kahlil knew that even he, with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the desert, might get it wrong.
‘Did you get through to the border patrols before we lost the signal?’
When the man confirmed that he had, Kahlil acknowledged the information with a curt dip of his chin. But he didn’t relax at all. Even using a pincer movement, this only gave them two slim chances to find one precious grain of sand in the desert.
It was like being in a riverbed in full flood, Lucy thought. She had never noticed how like water sand could be. The sand she knew was harmless, and inactive, but this sand, blowing before the wind, was deadly. It ran in gullies, filling every nook and cranny, and rose in waves to flood the larger indentations in the land.
She risked opening the window to lean out, and got a mouthful as well as her eyes full of sand for her trouble. And now it was already well over the wheel hubs, creeping rapidly up the sides of the vehicle. Even if she could have changed the flat tyre there was no way they were going anywhere now. But there were still rock formations, standing proud of the sand, and if the worst came to the worst, she would take Edward and escape through the back window. She would climb up as high as she could, and wait there for the wind to die down.
Slamming back in her seat, Lucy shut her eyes tight and forced back tears of sheer terror. How could she take a baby outside the vehicle in this? But what would happen to them both if she stayed where she was?
After a few minutes of bitter reflection, during which she blamed herself for everything, something around her changed. Holding her breath, she listened. It hardly seemed possible. She opened her eyes, and then opened the window and leaned out. As fast as it had blown up, the sandstorm was dying down again.
The moon was like a giant spotlight, pooling light around the vehicle as the clouds of dust subsided. But there was still no sign of a road. Even the rocks she had hoped to climb up to escape the river of sand had completely disappeared in the few minutes she had looked away from them. The land outside the vehicle was a moonscape, a featureless blank, Lucy saw, her relief swiftly turning to despair. How could anyone hope to find them now?
She started shivering with terror, and with cold too. But there were travel rugs in the back, as well as a bottle of water she had picked up in the shopping mall, along with some of Edward’s favourite food. At least she had enough for a picnic when he woke up.
She hadn’t known silence could be so absolute, Lucy realised as she tucked a rug around Edward. Backing out of the door, she stood very still, staring around in wonder. The sky was quite clear, and looked like a piece of black velvet studded with diamonds. But there were no city lights to offer any comfort, and no roads to help her get her bearings. There was no sign of habitation at all. And her phone still refused to work.
At least Edward was warm, and they had some provisions and water to keep them going. They would be found. She had to believe that.
Kahlil exclaimed viciously beneath his breath. The border patrols had reported picking up a weak signal from Lucy’s vehicle, but it had died again. Slamming his fists down on the steering wheel with frustration, he threw the gears into reverse.
‘She’s obviously in a dip,’ he said. ‘We’ll retrace our steps—this time down at the lowest point.’
‘But Majesty,’ the bodyguard protested, knowing his primary task was to protect the heir to the throne, and only after that his son, ‘the surface will be treacherous.’
‘All the more reason to hurry, then,’ Kahlil told him curtly, swinging the wheel around. ‘You concentrate on trying to restore the satellite link.’
‘Yes, sire,’ the man agreed reluctantly.
Lucy was wishing a different set of circumstances had brought her to the desert. It was so beautiful. She might have been alone on the planet with Edward. Stars like so many friendly eyes seemed to be keeping watch over them until rescue came.
Now she was going crazy, Lucy thought, pulling her rug a little tighter around her shoulders as she climbed into the back seat next to Edward. There was nothing at all romantic about their situation. The valley through which she had been driving had disappeared, and they had very nearly been buried alive. Clinging to Edward for comfort, she rested her face next to his and tried not to wake him with her shaking…
She had been dozing, Lucy realised, jerking awake. How long until dawn? She leaned over to peer out of the window. There was a faint lilac shadow above the horizon that filled her with hope. And then she noticed something else. At first she thought she was hallucinating, or maybe it was just wishful thinking. She checked to see that it wasn’t moonlight refracting off the sand coating the glass. But the pinpricks of light didn’t stay still. As she narrowed her eyes to try and make them out, they seemed to be dancing up and down. It was headlights! Coming their way! Vehicles being driven at such speed they were bouncing over the sand dunes. Any minute now they would be found!
Rescued! Lucy gave a sharp cry of relief, then as quickly as it had come, her elation died. It could be anyone—bandits or thieves—and she had no way of protecting Edward. She stared out again. The vehicles were closing in fast.
Quickly releasing the buckles on the baby seat, she hauled the half-sleeping child onto her knee. Wrapping him completely in the travel rug, she pushed open the door with her foot and went to climb out. But the trucks had already drawn up in formation around her. There was no escape, Lucy realised, shrinking back inside the Range Rover. And now she saw they were army vehicles. But whose army?
Her fear communicated itself silently to the warm little bundle on her knee. Edward might be small, but he was strong, and it took all her strength to stop him staring out of the window.
‘Please—please don’t,’ she begged, drawing him down below the sill. In trying to protect him she had brought him into worse danger than ever, Lucy realised, covering his head with her arm as she cautiously looked out. Their doors were locked. She’d already checked that. But men were starting to exit the army trucks—men in uniform, with guns at their sides. They could easily shoot out the locks—or worse. And the moon was brighter than ever, acting like a searchlight for the soldiers.
There was not a chance that she could get out with Edward, and even if there was where would she go? Beyond the circle of moonlight the desert was completely black. She couldn’t risk it, Lucy realised, clutching Edward to her as the soldiers formed a tight ring around them.
Their appearance was terrifying. Dressed all in black,
with baggy trousers and tunics secured by broad leather belts holding a sheath for curving scimitars, just their glittering eyes showed beneath the black howlis they wore wound around their heads—and each pair of eyes was trained on her!
She heard one of the men issue instructions, in Arabic, and then he pointed away from the Range Rover. She turned to look through the back window to see what he was showing the other men. Racing up from the rear, another vehicle, headlights flashing, was approaching at speed.
And then everything seemed to happen at once. The leader of the men approached the side of the car where Lucy was crouching with Edward, hammered on the window and with imperative gestures demanded she get out.
Stricken with panic, and only aware of the gun at his side, she fumbled with the door handle, finally managing to free the catch. But as the door swung open, she shrank back, clutching Edward tight—too tight. With a yowl of protest he broke away, and before Lucy knew what was happening the man had leaned in and snatched him from her.
With a cry she launched herself after them. But, stumbling on the treacherous sandy ground, she made achingly slow progress as she chased after them in shoes meant for town. The wind was still gusting in spiteful little eddies, and she had sand everywhere—in her eyes, her mouth, and her ears. Finally the man stopped, and Edward was within her reach! But as she lunged forward to take him back someone stepped in her way.
‘Kahlil!’ Lucy sobbed.
‘Allah be praised—you are safe!’ he cried hoarsely, seizing Edward.
But Edward was fully awake now and did not recognise the man in front of him—the fearsome figure with a black howlis wrapped around his head and only his glittering eyes on show. ‘Mumma!’ he screamed in panic, reaching for Lucy.
For a moment Lucy hung back, certain that prison or worse was to be her fate. Kahlil had not even acknowledged her presence.
He turned and looked down at her, his eyes black and hard. ‘You had better hold your son,’ he said coldly, ‘and then follow me.’
CHAPTER NINE
LUCY had never seen such contained fury. It was all the more alarming because Kahlil didn’t need to raise his voice to have the most hardened desert soldiers back away as he strode through them. He opened the door of his vehicle and helped her to climb in. Lucy seized some comfort where she could, in the warmth of Edward’s chubby arms pinned around her neck, and the texture and touch of his soft face pressed hard against her own.
She sat in silence, holding Edward, waiting for Kahlil, who was issuing orders to his men. One by one the trucks turned away, heading towards the silvery light threading across the horizon. Then, whirling on his heels, Kahlil strode back, swung in to the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut.
‘There is no baby seat,’ he said, without sparing her a glance. ‘I have never had need for one. I take it you can keep my son safe on your knee during the journey?’
‘I see no reason why not,’ Lucy said quietly. ‘I have kept him safe this far—without your assistance or anyone else’s.’
They drove in tense silence for quite a while. Lucy had no idea where they were heading, and didn’t much care, as long as when they arrived she could keep Edward with her. Glancing across at Kahlil, she saw that his anger had not lessened at all.
‘Do you know what you’ve done?’ he said, taking his cue from her glance. ‘You could have been killed—and Edward too! What were you thinking of?’
‘I had to get away. I couldn’t stay locked up with my son like a prisoner in the Golden Palace.’
‘He’s my son too—’
‘Yes, he’s our son,’ Lucy said. ‘But, more than that, Edward is his own person. We should both respect that.’
‘Don’t you dare talk to me about respect,’ Kahlil warned tensely, ‘when you’ve shown me none.’ Ripping off his desert headdress, he tossed it angrily behind his seat. And, seeing him properly for the first time, Edward exclaimed with pleasure and reached out.
Kahlil’s face softened immediately, and without taking his attention from the road he took Edward’s hand in a gentle grasp and brought it to his lips. ‘Quite an adventure, little man,’ he murmured. ‘Where the hell were you going with him?’ he said under his breath, shooting a glance at Lucy. ‘What on earth did you think you were doing, heading out into the desert without proper supplies, in the middle of the night?’
‘It was early evening when we set off, and I had no intention of going into the desert. A road was closed. I became disorientated—’ Lucy stopped. Why should she have to defend herself? Suddenly she felt very tired. She couldn’t summon the spirit to engage in the type of debate Kahlil was after on the rights and wrongs of the situation. All she was concerned with now was that Edward was no longer in danger. She wanted nothing more than to hold him, let go of the fear in her mind for a few hours, and sleep.
‘You might never have been found.’
Kahlil’s voice jerked her back to full attention again,
‘I should have realised you could not be trusted.’
‘That’s a terrible thing to say. Hurt me if you must, but remember that it was you who put me in a position where I felt like a prisoner—where I thought you were going to take Edward…’ It was no good, Lucy realised, seeing Kahlil’s face was unresponsive, still hardened against her.
‘If it had been left up to you I would never have known Edward existed,’ he said coldly.
‘How dare you judge me?’ Lucy exclaimed. ‘You were the one who slept with me and then left like a thief in the night. You didn’t even have the decency to reveal your true identity, let alone leave your telephone number.’
Kahlil controlled his desire to snap back. He knew what Lucy said about that night was true. And he could not remain immune to how desperately low and weary she was. It brought home to him how terrified she must have been. Yes, she had been foolish, and reckless, and had set herself against him, but it gave him no pleasure to browbeat her more when she was so clearly at her lowest ebb.
His emotions were in turmoil, Kahlil realised tensely. He was relieved she was safe, but angry that he cared. She had stolen his son from him in every way that a woman could steal a child away. If he were only in his right mind he would never be able to forgive her. Seeing the state she was in, and the even sorrier state to which his angry words had reduced her, gave him no satisfaction. But he should throw every reprimand he could at her. She had put herself as well as the child in mortal danger. She must learn to respect the desert as he did.
Glancing across, he saw Lucy was swaying in her seat. She was ashen-faced, totally spent. The most basic human instinct he possessed demanded he take care of her. ‘There’s water and food in the back—just reach across,’ he said curtly.
‘Thank you,’ she murmured. And he couldn’t help noticing how she saw to Edward’s needs before her own, or how her hands trembled as she struggled with the water container.
‘Where are you taking us?’ Lucy said, feeling a little more composed once she had nibbled the fruit and cheese Kahlil insisted she eat. The moon had slipped behind a cloud again, and without fixed points of reference she couldn’t imagine how he knew where he was going.
‘We’re going to my hunting lodge,’ he said. ‘It’s closer than the palace.’
Lucy was relieved they were speaking again, but she was still badly shaken after the ordeal, and Kahlil’s cold manner left her in no doubt as to his feelings on her flight from the palace. ‘Will it take long?’ she said, keen to keep the tenuous line of communication between them open.
‘It won’t take long now we are out of the wadi—the dried-up riverbed,’ he explained. ‘All the loose sand collects there and has been slowing our progress.’
‘I see.’
‘We will be quiet now. My son must sleep.’
His son! Kahlil made her feel like a stranger, an onlooker in Edward’s life, whereas he was the one who had stepped in to make things right. But she had no one to blame but herself. As far as Kahlil was concerned,
with her flight from the palace she had forfeited the right to care for Edward. And in Abadan Kahlil’s word was law. Like his father’s. The chance of taking Edward out of the country now, Lucy accepted grimly, was absolutely nil.
She didn’t realise that she had fallen into an exhausted slumber until she woke when the vehicle slowed to a crawl. Instantly awake, she looked around. Her first sight of Khalil’s hunting lodge came as a complete shock. She had been expecting something along the lines of the Golden Palace, something towering and vast, monumentally impressive. But in a blinding flash of understanding she knew that the Golden Palace was a show, and what she was looking at now reflected the other, and perhaps the true side of Kahlil’s family coin.
Nothing must have changed in a thousand years—two thousand years, Lucy guessed, gazing around in wonder. The sky, like an arc over their heads, was silver-grey and pink, with dashes of tangerine where the sun was just starting to creep over the horizon. But dozens of torches still burned brightly around the encampment, illuminating tented pavilions grouped around a limpid oasis. It was a magical scene, like something she might have dreamed of. But there was a feeling of impermanence about it, as if like all the other desert landmarks the camp might shift and change, and even disappear entirely within the space of a few short minutes.
When Edward murmured in his sleep Lucy turned her attention to him, dropping a kiss on his smooth brow, feeling a rush of relief that he was safe. It had been a very long night for them both, she reflected sleepily.
Kahlil brought the vehicle to a halt outside one of the grand tents. There was a guard in Arab dress waiting for them, accompanied by two women. They all bowed low as Kahlil swung out of the driver’s seat.
And then the guard was at Lucy’s side of the vehicle, reaching in and lifting Edward out before she realised what was happening. She barely had time to voice a protest, and was forced to watch as Kahlil received his sleeping child into his arms and kissed his face.
