by Albany,Cara
There were cliff carvings all over this region. She knew that. But, this took the whole concept of ancient cliff carvings and statuary to a whole new level.
Lucy turned to Azim. "Can you believe it?" she said.
Azim smiled at her. "I can believe it, Lucy. I'm just so pleased that its intact. Just like it has been for over two thousand years.
Lucy turned back and gazed up at the enormous figures which had been carved into the rock. They were two huge carvings of winged lions that faced each other, strange almost mythical looking creatures that could have stepped out of the pages of a book of fantasy animals.
Weather had taken some toll of the carvings. Parts had crumbled away. That would have been inevitable since the bas-relief statues had been dated to around 200 B.C. But, still the original artisans who'd created these giant testaments to some long lost deity, had carved the stone deep as if defying the future elements. They had intended these mythical offerings to last into the depths of time.
The figures had been dug out of the rock, expertly and delicately carved by a myriad of expert hands. Both figures stretched up to perhaps one hundred feet in height, she estimated. The heads of the lions had enormous carved manes, rock carved to flow like hair, and the two powerful muscled bodies stretched along the length of the cliff wall.
No wonder her breath had been taken away, Lucy realized. As she knew all to well, it was one thing to see photos or video images of something like this. But, it was an entirely different experience just being in the presence of something which had stood since early Roman times.
Beneath the twin facing winged lions, just above the valley floor, she saw the almost completely crushed remains of a high stone platform. No-one knew what this place had been used for, but the educated guesses were that some kind of group had settled here in ancient times, existing nearby as cave dwellers. In those times the climate had been different in these parts, more moist, with possible vegetation in these mountains, and such a life might have been sustainable for a modestly sized community of believers. But these winged lions had such an incredible majesty about them. They exuded history and power and mystery like she'd never witnessed before.
She'd seen similar animals depicted in ancient Assyrian wall decorations in other parts of the region. But, for various reasons, those countries had become inaccessible to people like Lucy in recent times. Emotion overtook her and she felt another wave of sobs threaten to swell up within her.
Lucy turned to Azim and saw the concern in his eyes. She could tell he knew just how much this meant to her. It had been her passion since she'd studied ancient history at college.
Azim came to her and she didn't resist him at all when he wrapped his arm around her and held her close. She leaned her head against his shoulder and looked up at the incredible sight before them.
"I'm so happy," she murmured. "They're undamaged. It's amazing."
She felt Azim pull her closer to him. When she looked up she saw his eyes were bright with appreciation. Then he did something which took her by surprise, but on reflection it really shouldn't have. She felt his head dip and he planted a kiss on her forehead. She did nothing to stop him doing that. It felt almost right for him to do that, she told herself. His lips felt moist against her skin for a brief moment, and she pushed away the sudden thought that rose up in her mind. Hadn't that felt good, she asked herself.
"I'm glad," he said. "Aren't you going to do what you came here for?"
Lucy snapped out of her reverie, suddenly aware that she had plenty of work to do. Her camera was in her bag in the pack on the horse.
Azim released her and she raced to her horse and started unpacking the equipment she would use to record the evidence for which she'd come such a long way.
Lucy glanced over toward Azim and saw him standing, hands on hips, craning his neck back to take in the sight of the winged lions. She knew he cared as much about this as she did. Maybe being here would focus his mind, and that of others who had influence, to do something to ensure that this incredible site would be properly protected, made safe from potential damage by those for whom this was probably an affront to their own beliefs or ideology. But she had no time for such thoughts.
She finally managed to get her equipment ready and for the next hour she took all the pictures and video images she could get. Azim watched her the whole time and he seemed fascinated as he observed her doing what she had done so many times before.
In fact, at one point Lucy realized she was taking a secret delight in Azim watching her at work. It reminded her of how he had watched at her in the past, when they had just met, when everything was still exciting and new and full of hope.
Finally, she felt she had enough material. She'd just about filled up the memory of her camera, and she was satisfied she'd covered every angle that was available to her from her vantage point on the ground. She wished she could get up higher and get some shots of the more elevated parts of the carvings, but she knew that wasn't going to be possible. She took some satisfaction from the realization that she'd captured images of what was truly important; the undamaged condition of the monument. The pictures she'd obtained would be persuasive. She was sure of that.
"Finished?" she heard Azim ask as she started to pack her gear away into the pack.
Lucy sighed and glanced up at the monument. "I could spend all day here," she said.
Azim smiled. "I'm sure you could. But, we have to get going. If we're going to have any chance of getting out of these hills before sunset, I think we have to get going."
"Where are we going?" she asked.
Azim looked up at the sun. "We need to head south. If we move fast enough, there's a place I know we can use to stay overnight."
"Overnight?" she asked.
She saw the way he looked at her, taking in her expression of surprise.
"We can't make it straight back to Qazhar city that quickly," he explained. "It's going to take a couple of days."
"Can't you arrange for us to be picked up?" she asked, thinking he must have some means of arranging for them to be collected. She just assumed his wealth and power would give them options not available to others.
Azim shook his head. "I came away so quickly, I didn't have time to arrange anything."
Then he quickly turned away from her and started preparing his own mount for the upcoming journey. Could she believe what he'd just told her? Was he just trying to find any excuse to have her all to himself for one more night? She knew there would be ways to shorten the journey back to the city. So, why was he being so evasive about it?
This was no time for argument, she told herself. He was the one who knew his way out of these mountains. She knew they couldn't go back the way they'd come. She just had to trust him. And she could do that. Couldn't she?
More importantly, she knew she could keep him at bay. It was clear he was still attracted to her, still harbored some of the passion they'd both shared previously. Come to think of it, so did she. It was undeniable that something still connected them, something of the old feelings lurking in both their hearts.
Lucy busied herself with her pack, refusing to glance over at Azim. If it meant they had to spend another night, perhaps in a secluded encampment in the desert, she was sure she could cope. She was certain that there was nothing she couldn't handle, nothing that would make her succumb to Azim's obvious temptations.
Wasn't she?
CHAPTER EIGHT
It took longer than he'd thought it would to get through the mountains, but eventually Azim brought his horse to a halt on the crest of a rocky ridge that looked down across a wide expanse of welcoming, golden desert. Lucy rode up to his side and pulled to a halt.
"There we are," Azim said and sighed contentedly. He smiled at Lucy. "That looks more welcoming, doesn't it?"
Lucy frowned. "If you say so, Azim," she replied. He could tell she wasn't convinced.
"It shouldn't take us long to get to the place I have in mind for us," he said.
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br /> "And what's that?" she asked.
Azim pointed south. "There's a tribal settlement just over the horizon on that direction. It belongs to a family with which my family has very close ties. They'll be welcoming. I can assure you, " he said giving her a reassuring grin.
Lucy gazed up at the sun which was already starting to make its way toward the far horizon. "You reckon we'll have time?"
Azim nodded. "No problem." He leaned closer to her. "You ready for a ride across the desert with me?" he asked. "Or, do you need to rest a while?"
Lucy scowled at him. "What do think I am? My grandma?"
Azim laughed. "I thought you'd say something like that," he said.
She thought for a moment and then added: "Just let me take a drink of water, and then we'll be off."
Azim nodded. "I'll give the horses a short break."
Azim got down off his mount and set up a drink for the animal which eagerly started to drain the bag he placed across its mouth. Azim watched Lucy remain defiantly on her horse. She drank some of the water from her container.
She glanced back toward the mountain range. "I thought we'd never get out of that place," she observed.
"It's a maze. You can get lost in there, if you're not too careful."
Lucy smiled at him. "Just as well you have such a keen sense of direction. But, then again, why am I not surprised at that?"
She was teasing him again, and he liked it. Maybe she was relieved to be out of the mountains. Perhaps she had been more concerned than he'd realized. He hadn't seen any sign of Jawad's men since they'd left the site of the rock carvings. He was relieved that the only thing thing he had to worry about now was keeping Lucy safe during the relatively short desert journey back to the city.
But, he'd already had a change of plans about. He hadn't told Lucy yet, but the shorter southward path he'd chosen to get out of the mountain range had opened up an entirely new option for them. One that made more sense than a longer trek westwards across the desert. He hadn't revealed that plan to Lucy yet, choosing to wait until they were heading out across the desert before telling her what he had in mind. He was sure she'd see the sense in it, once he'd revealed it to her.
Azim walked over to Lucy and looked up at her. "Are you pleased with what you managed to get back there?" he asked.
Lucy took one last sip from her water bottle and shrugged. "I'd loved to have spent more time. But, I got what I could, I guess." She looked down at him. "What about you?"
Azim squinted at her. "What do you mean?"
Lucy slid her bottle away into her pack and peered at him. "Doesn't what you saw back there give you something to think about?"
"In what way?" he asked.
"What's going to have to be done to keep places like that safe," she said.
Azim frowned. "I know what needs to be done, Lucy."
"I suppose you do," she replied sharply. "But, what's happened in the last twenty-four hours surely must have shown you how serious the problem is," she said.
Was she lecturing him? The thought made something bristle inside himself.
He leaned back and folded his arms. "Are you suggesting that my country doesn't take its heritage sites seriously?"
Lucy shook her head. "Not at all. It just shouldn't need foreigners like me to come and document what's happening."
Azim squinted at her. "You're much more than just another foreigner, Lucy. You know that, don't you."
She shifted on her saddle, obviously uncomfortable with the way he'd personalized the conversation. He saw the color change on her cheeks and saw the thoughts flickering in her beautiful eyes.
"Sites like these are being destroyed all over this region," she said.
"But not in my country," he said firmly.
"That still doesn't change the fact that I had to come here."
"That was your own choice, Lucy. No-one forced you to do this," he said. He had to contain the irritation in his voice. The last thing he needed before they set out across the desert was an argument.
Lucy leaned a hand on her saddle and looked defiantly at Azim. "I know that. But, I can't help wondering how long you've known that was going on."
"Jawad's people have been known to us for a while now. We've been taking measures to answer their concerns. We make as many inspection visits as we can. But, there's no easy solution."
Lucy scowled and leaned forward. She looked almost angry now, he told himself. "You need something more organized than occasional visits to make sure that site, and others like it, are safe from harm."
Azim sighed heavily and wrenched his gaze away from Lucy. He could hardly believe she was saying all this.
"Everything that can be done has been done," he declared, desperate to change to subject.
Lucy's eyes narrowed defiantly in a way that made her look instantly, inexplicably sexy. He'd forgotten how gorgeous she looked when she was angry. He loved the way her mouth pouted like that, the narrowing curve of her brows, the defiance in her eyes. It all made something shift inside him, but he couldn't risk letting her know he had anything else on his mind other than the subject of ancient relics. He didn't know how she'd react if she discovered that her challenging him like this only made desire and need flame up inside him.
"Look, maybe this isn't the time to have this discussion," he said. He gazed out across the desert. "We've got a long way to go. I don't want to spend the whole time arguing with you."
He saw Lucy stiffen, her shoulders rising. "Who's arguing?"
Azim said nothing in response, merely raised one arching brow at her.
Lucy exhaled and shifted her hat forward. "Maybe the heat's getting to me," she suggested.
Azim quirked a brow at her. "I'm not going to comment on that," he said with a grin.
Lucy gave him one last look, and then he went back to his horse and lifted himself onto the saddle. He looked back at her. "Ready?"
Lucy nodded.
He guided his horse down a series of narrow gullies, careful not to move too fast, knowing that for Lucy moving down the side of gently sloping cliff would be treacherous. If her horse slipped and injured itself then the journey across the desert would be even more difficult for them. Although the prospect of Lucy riding with him, with the opportunity to hold her close to his body in front of him the entire time, was a delicious prospect in itself.
Twice he heard her yell out loud as she felt the balance of her horse shift beneath. Each time he went quickly to her and then he decided it would be best to hold onto her reins and guide her himself.
She tried to protest, as he'd expected she would. But, he gave her a look that made it clear he wasn't in any mood for negotiating. One more slip while he held the reins was enough to finally convince her to let him help her, and before long they were at the base of the rocky transition between mountain and desert.
Azim released the reins of Lucy's horse and felt his own mount settle its hooves into soft sand. The desert felt unbelievably welcoming, he had to admit. There was a sudden steadiness beneath him now that had been missing for most of the afternoon as they'd trudged through the gullies and ravines of the mountains he was now so pleased to have finally left behind.
Azim turned to Lucy and smiled. "Okay?"
Lucy tightened her grip on her reins and nodded to him. "Yup."
He saw her gaze out across the undulating dunes.
"How long will it take us to get to this place of yours?"
"It isn't mine," he insisted.
"You know what I mean, Azim."
He nodded. "If we keep up a good pace, we should be there well before nightfall." He glanced at her. "You up for a desert ride?"
He saw her brows crinkle involuntarily, and then she nodded, pulling her reins up toward her. "Are you suggesting a race?" she asked gazing at him with clear challenge in her eyes.
He was momentarily taken aback. Why was it everything they did together ended being some kind of exquisite, provoking battle? He examined her for a moment
and saw that she was in deadly earnest. She really wanted to race him? Really? Didn't she know what she was letting herself in for? Humiliation, that was what she was about to experience, he told himself.
He felt a tingle of anticipation. This woman truly knew how to make him feel alive. No other woman had ever ignited such a desire for life in him. Every moment seemed to promise so much. Even their good-natured, spirited disagreements only seemed to energize him, make his existence more vital.
Lucy was still staring at him with that sexy look, waiting for his answer to her challenge.
"Okay, my beautiful desert adventuress," he joked.
Lucy's brows narrowed at that description. "Really?"
Azim smiled. "I'll try and go easy on you," he teased.
He saw her jaw tighten at that comment. "Easy? You don't have to go easy on me, sheikh," she teased him back. "I know you've got an unfair advantage, already. But, that won't stop me beating you."
Azim glanced ahead to a distant ridge. "Why don't we make it that ridge," he said pointing in the direction of the highest visible dune top a short distance away.
She didn't immediately answer him. Then, with a sudden yell, Lucy flicked her reins and she was off, racing away from him. He laughed as he watched her horse tear away at breakneck speed with Lucy hunched over the animal's neck. The horses hooves hammered into the ground, sending up plumes of golden sand. The rhythmic, pounding sound cut through the timeless silence of the desert. The sound awakened something in Azim.
Seeing her race away from him like that triggered a sensation he recognized in some deep part of himself. It was a feeling as old as his ancestors, something that caused his body to tighten, his brows to narrow, his nostrils to flare. He drew in a deep, harsh breath.
Instinct kicked in. He tugged on the reins and his mount shifted beneath him, sensing its master's sudden purpose.
Then, he dug his heels into the animal's flanks and he was off after the amazing woman who was now racing away from him across his beloved desert.
It felt glorious to be in pursuit, straining to catch up with her, gazing ahead, savoring how well she was riding. He could see her hips sway, and the sight of her body as she drove the horse on to greater speed only intensified the sensations coursing through his body.