by Lucy Monroe
Queen Durrah had gone one step farther and taken pains to spend time each day with Liyah, however. Sayed’s mother seemed intent on developing a friendship with the hotel employee her son had temporarily plucked out of obscurity.
The melecha had managed to ferret out the details of Liyah’s estrangement from her Amari relatives in the mere two days since her arrival in Zeena Sahra. A very restful person with a smile very similar to her son’s, Queen Durrah had found her way into Liyah’s affections almost as quickly as Sayed had.
His mother had unequivocally denounced the actions of Liyah’s relatives, remarking that someone needed to speak to them and bring them to awareness of the error of their ways.
The rather fervid gleam in Queen Durrah’s amber gaze had given Liyah pause, but thankfully no rapprochement with the Amaris had been attempted.
Not that a queen would bother herself with the personal affairs of someone like Liyah, but for a moment there…well, Liyah had worried.
A knock sounded on the suite’s door and she quickly pulled up the beautiful hijab that matched the pale green silk dishdasha she wore. The emerald-green embroidery around the hem and over her bodice was the exact shade as the chiffon of the hijab.
Liyah had never felt so feminine and pretty as she did since coming to Zeena Sahra. Gone were her conservative suits and boring white blouses, replaced by dishdasha gowns and kameez in vibrant colors Liyah never would have chosen for herself.
But she liked them. A lot.
She’d always dressed plainly, in clothes that did nothing to accentuate her feminine curves. While the traditional dishdashas and kameez were considered more modest than western clothing, the long dresses and long tunic-style tops with matching pants Liyah had found in her wardrobe were cut to emphasize the fact she was a woman.
The swish of silk that accompanied her every movement further increased her sense of femininity.
Not that Sayed had noticed. He hadn’t had an opportunity to because she hadn’t seen him for even the briefest glimpse in the past forty-eight hours. During the one dinner she’d shared with his parents, he hadn’t been there.
At her own request, she ate breakfast alone in her room and lunch in the harem garden. But if he had invited her to share one of those meals with him, she would have been happy to do so.
Liyah wasn’t surprised at the neglect. She’d seen Sayed’s war within himself on the day of her arrival. She thought he might be the one person of her acquaintance less willing to give in to emotions than she was.
Adjusting the hijab, she pulled the door open and found a familiar face on the other side. “Abdullah-Hasiba! Come in.”
Liyah stepped back to let the older woman into her suite, but Hasiba shook her head.
Her expression did not reflect Liyah’s delight in their renewed acquaintance. “My melecha has requested your presence.”
“Yes, of course,” Liyah replied.
Hasiba spun on her heel, walking away without another word and Liyah’s happiness deflated as quickly as it had come.
She followed the longtime family retainer in silence, saddened by the clear end to a friendship with a woman she admired.
Hasiba stopped outside a familiar set of double doors, one of many in the palace complex she’d discovered. “My melecha awaits you inside.”
Liyah nodded, unable to speak. Why she should react so strongly to this small rejection when she’d faced much worse ones, she didn’t know, but the loss of Hasiba’s regard hurt.
Hasiba huffed, like she was annoyed, which she probably was.
Liyah reached for the door handle but the older woman’s hand beat hers, covering the brass knob. “You took advantage of my emir.”
“I didn’t.” Liyah had no defense but the truth.
“He was an engaged man.”
“No. Tahira eloped.”
“You could not have known.”
Suddenly Liyah understood the root of Hasiba’s disappointment in her. “I did know. I overheard the emir talking about it with Yusuf on the elevator.”
“My emir would never show such a lack of discretion.”
“They weren’t conversing in English, but honestly? I don’t think either of them realized I was there. You must realize how blindsided he was by Tahira’s actions.”
Hasiba’s expression turned even darker. “So, you thought you’d trap yourself a sheikh now that he was single?”
Liyah opened her mouth to reply, anger overcoming her sadness, but a masculine voice beat her to it.
“I assure you, Abdullah-Hasiba, Miss Amari has in no way attempted to trap me,” Sayed said, distaste for the idea ringing in his tone. “She could certainly have taken advantage, but did not and has done everything she could to diminish the consequences of my folly.”
Liyah should have asserted claim to her part in their joint debacle, but she was too busy drinking in the sight of Sayed after a two-day drought.
“I apologize, my emir,” Hasiba said with apparent sincerity. “I made assumptions I should not have.” Then she proved her earnestness by turning to Liyah. “I am truly sorry, Liyah.”
Liyah nodded. “Your reaction is understandable.” Mostly. Liyah wouldn’t lie to herself and pretend the assumption of such things about her character didn’t hurt.
She hated the fact that because some people would take advantage of a man in Sayed’s situation, anyone would just assume Liyah would, too.
“I do not agree,” Sayed said, his tone icy.
Hasiba flinched, clearly upset she’d angered her emir.
Liyah gave the older woman a small smile. “Don’t worry about it, really.” She frowned up at Sayed. “Don’t be cranky. Hasiba’s heartfelt loyalty is a gift you should not take for granted much less criticize her for.”
“Obviously you two are friends―does she not owe you loyalty, as well?”
“Over her dedication to your family? Not even. Be reasonable, Sayed.”
Hasiba gasped at Liyah’s familiarity with her sheikh, but she did not comment on it. Thankfully.
“I am always reasonable. My emotions do not rule me.”
Liyah got the additional layer of message in his words and took it to heart, feeling inexplicably buoyed by the idea he felt something toward her, even if he did not intend to act on it. She was in the same frame of mind, wasn’t she?
“Her Highness has requested Miss Amari’s presence.” Hasiba dropped her hand from the door and stepped back. “I will leave you to escort her inside.”
Sayed frowned. “You called her Liyah just a moment ago.”
“Yes, and in private consultation with your mother, I have leave to call her ‘my lady,’ but it would not be proper to refer to her with such familiarity in the company of others.”
Looking unconvinced, Sayed nevertheless nodded and dismissed Hasiba. “Why did she call you Liyah?”
“That is what everyone calls me.”
“You never gave me leave to do so.” He made no move to enter his mother’s private reception rooms.
“I like it when you use my full name.”
“Oh, yes?” Again, he didn’t appear completely convinced.
Liyah sighed and admitted, “Only my mother ever called me Aaliyah. It was special to me.”
His handsome face filled with satisfaction. “Then I am honored to be in her company.”
*
Sayed was grateful for the looser conventions in his country than many surrounding Zeena Sahra when Liyah laid her hand on his arm at his invitation.
Just that much connection helped soothe the ever-growing need to touch her, though what he really wanted was to kiss her senseless.
He opened the door to his mother’s private reception room and led Liyah inside.
“Good, you have both arrived.” His mother’s pleased expression made him immediately nervous.
“Good afternoon, Queen Durrah.” Aaliyah smiled at his mother, but did not step away from Sayed’s side.
And with unfamiliar weakne
ss, he was glad.
“Good afternoon, dear. I thought you might enjoy a tour of the capital today.” His mother gave him a look of censure. “You have not yet left the palace.”
“I thought it was for the best.” Aaliyah’s reply told him nothing of how she felt about that.
And though she was undoubtedly right, he did not like the fact she felt constrained to remain in the palace.
“You are not our prisoner, as I have stated before.” His mother turned an expectant expression on Sayed. “Is that not right, my son?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good. You can accompany Aaliyah. Who better to share the history and points of interest of our beloved city?” she asked, unconsciously echoing his unacted-upon invitation to Aaliyah.
“But I have—”
“Nothing on your calendar for this afternoon,” his mother interrupted him with uncharacteristic lack of tact.
If his schedule was clear, this was the first he’d heard of it. Which meant his mother had arranged the break from meetings.
She was committed to this course of action.
Even knowing the futility of arguing, he still had to try. “I am the last person that should be seen with Aaliyah.”
“You brought her as a guest to our home, did you not?” his mother asked, her tone a mixture of censure and steel-hard determination.
“You know I did and that I had little choice in it.”
“Regardless, she is your guest and you have shamefully neglected her the past two days. You were not raised to display such a lack of consideration.”
“This is hardly a normal circumstance.”
“Circumstances are rarely normal in the life of a royal, Sayed, as you well know.”
“And if we are seen together?” he challenged. This was not a good idea. She had to see that.
“What if you are? I am certain it will not be in a compromising position. It would do your image some good to be seen with such a lovely companion after Tahira’s defection.”
“But the media will speculate as to her identity.”
“I would recommend taking an unmarked car on the tour,” his mother said dryly. “And offering no one Aaliyah’s name.”
“My keeping company with a hotel maid will cause a scandal and we do not need another one of those.” He’d spent the past two days working nonstop to put a lid on the one they were facing already.
“It was my understanding that she was a floor supervisor?”
“On the housekeeping staff.” How could his mother not see what a disaster waiting to happen this outing was?
“Do not be a snob, Sayed. It is unbecoming.”
He wasn’t sure which bothered him more, his mother’s words or the fact that Aaliyah had dropped her hand from his arm and taken several steps away from him.
“I am not.” He turned to Aaliyah, uncaring for the moment if his mother understood his thoughts.
Aaliyah’s feelings were uppermost in his mind right then.
She’d made an effort to school her features into an emotionless mask. However, it did not hide the hurt deep in her emerald eyes. Not from him, anyway.
He moved toward her, drawn by an irresistible need to wipe that pain from her gaze. “Aaliyah—”
“Don’t.” She put her hand up. “Whatever you think you need to say, don’t. While I appreciate Queen Durrah’s concern for my entertainment, I am not your guest.”
Aaliyah sidestepped, managing to put more space between them and move closer to the door. “I am not your friend. You have absolutely no obligation to spend time with me. There is no reason for you to give up your afternoon.”
“My son is a better host than that,” his mother inserted firmly.
Aaliyah shook her head, giving his mother a sad little smile that made him want to swear. “While I appreciate your earlier offer of a car and driver and this latest attempt to provide me with a tour guide, in three days we’ll do the blood test and discover I’m not pregnant.”
Regardless of words that sounded heartless as his own mind replayed them, Sayed wanted to protest. He was fighting what felt like a hopeless rearguard action to emotions he could not allow himself to feel.
Oblivious to his conflicted thoughts, Aaliyah continued, “Then I will move to a hotel and explore my mother’s homeland to my heart’s content. Until then, I am fine with not leaving the palace and making as little impact here as possible.”
“There is no reason for you to be sequestered in the palace, much less the harem.”
“I mean no offense, but I’m afraid I must disagree, Queen Durrah. Sayed is right. There is every reason. If you don’t mind, I’ll go back to my room now. I downloaded a new book on the reader Sayed gave me.”
“How generous of my son to provide you with books to read,” his mother said, sarcasm making her usually soft tones clipped.
Aaliyah just shrugged and left without waiting for either he or his mother to dismiss her from their presence.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“WELL DONE, SAYED,” his mother mocked.
He turned quickly to face her, angry in a way he never was with his beloved parent. “Why would you suggest something so fraught with risk? And if you were going to do so, you could have at least given us both the courtesy to approach me without Aaliyah present.”
His mother stood up, her expression filled with censure and unmuted disappointment. “Because it never occurred to me that you would lack any courtesy whatsoever and make it so obvious you did not want to spend time with that poor girl. She is here because of you, or had you forgotten that salient fact?”
“It was a one-night stand.”
“Was it?”
“Of course, what else could it be?”
“A gift of fate?”
“How can you say that?” He spun away, his emotions in turmoil he did not want even his mother to see. Especially when she was voicing thoughts he’d done his best to suppress in his own mind. “There can be nothing between Aaliyah and me.”
But the words rang hollow, even to his own ears.
“Because she doesn’t come with a breeding certificate and border treaty as Tahira would have done?”
Shocked by his mother’s attitude, he blurted, “I am an emir.”
Though that mattered less and less with each passing day. Aaliyah had connected to Sayed the man and respected the prince. What more could he want from his emira?
His practical brain had no answer.
“I thought sending you to school in the States would curb some of that elitist mentality.”
“I am no elitist.” He didn’t like the sensation of having the same argument with his mother as he’d had with Aaliyah.
“Perhaps not, though evidence would suggest otherwise. You are, however, undoubtedly an idiot.” Affection in her tone dulled some of the sting of her denouncement.
He turned back to face her, only to watch as his mother left the room, throwing both doors wide.
“She always was good at the grand exit.” His father stood near the door leading to an adjoining room.
Sayed dry-washed his face with his hand. “Yes.”
“She has also always been very intuitive. If she is pressing you to spend time with Miss Amari, perhaps that is what you should be doing.” Was it possible his father agreed with Sayed’s mother?
Maybe the melech didn’t realize how close to gone on Aaliyah his son, the emir, was. “Why? So I can get into yet another weeklong wait to discover my fate?”
“You are that attracted to her?”
“I wanted to snatch the birth control pill from her hand and throw it in the garbage rather than let her take it,” Sayed admitted.
He’d wanted to just let destiny take its course, but a prince could not deny his responsibilities. Sayed thought Yusuf might have realized it, too, but like a true friend, he’d said nothing.
“I am surprised,” his father admitted, sounding it.
“No more so than I.”
�
�Your mother and I were betrothed in the cradle.”
“I know.”
“But I was in love with her before our wedding ever took place.”
“You were?” Sayed could not stifle his shock. “You married so young.”
“From the moment I began to notice the opposite sex, Durrah was the one I wanted. Discovering on our wedding night that she shared my affection was the happiest moment of my life to that point.”
“You were very lucky.”
“Blessed by fate,” his father agreed with a rare genuine smile. “Yes, we were.”
“Mother was everything that you could want in your queen.” With nothing in her background for the media to feast on.
Not like Aaliyah, who not only came from the masses but whose mother had not been married to her father. Sayed did not care, but some would and she could be hurt deeply by the viciousness the media was capable of.
“Yes, she was and is.”
“I barely know Aaliyah,” Sayed claimed, though he wasn’t sure he spoke the truth.
He felt like he already knew the important parts of her too well to forget easily.
“You knew Tahira your entire life.”
Sayed wasn’t sure what point his father was trying to make. “And I had no idea she was having an affair.”
“You cannot be sure she was.”
“She ran off with him.”
“For love, if her note to her father is to be believed. I raised you better than to simply assume the worst on the basis of circumstantial evidence.”
“Yes, you did.”
“And I raised you better than to hurt someone the way you did Miss Amari arguing with your mother about spending time with her.” His father frowned. “Didn’t you tell me you promised to show her the country of her mother’s birth?”
“It was a foolish promise to make.”
“But a commitment nonetheless.” The implacability of his father’s tone and expression said this was not an argument Sayed had a hope of winning.
Especially when it meant fighting his own deepest desires.
As he went to leave his mother’s receiving room, his father’s voice stayed him at the door. “It may help to remember a salient truth, Sayed.”