He took a long swallow of beer, finishing the glass and setting it on the counter. The barman brought over two more without missing a beat.
“I barely saw my father while I was growing up. Our mother died when we were young, and Raj and I spent our childhoods with bodyguards and tutors. Our father was too busy running the country to have time for us. The only time we saw him was when we did badly in our lessons, and then he would beat us.”
His voice was so matter-of-fact that I almost missed that last bit. I looked at him in horror.
“Your dad beat you?”
“Sometimes. And sometimes he would order one of his soldiers to do it.”
“But…” I didn’t really know what to say. “That’s terrible. Did it happen often?”
“Less so as we got older. But when we were young, Raj was not as diligent as I in his lessons. Sometimes I would swap our homework so that it was me that received punishment, not him.”
The thought of him accepting a beating to save Raj was heart-breaking. Impulsively, I put my hand over his on the bar.
“You were a good brother. But I have to say, he was a rotten father.”
“He wanted me to be the best that I could. He was preparing me for a hard life as a ruler.”
“It doesn’t justify what he did. He hurt you. That’s unforgiveable.”
“I have never told anyone that before.”
He absently curled his fingers through mine and unexpectedly my pulse jumped. Awkwardly I extricated myself and reached for my glass. It was empty.
“Two more, please,” I shouted down to the barman. I was beginning to feel light-headed. “Okay, here’s another one. When I found out my parents had died, I was so upset I blew the roofs off some houses in the town where I lived. I also uprooted a telegraph pole. The local news said it was a freak whirlwind.”
I took a sip and looked at Dhav for his reaction. His face was slightly blurry.
“This was when you were just five?”
“First and only time it ever happened,” I said, struggling slightly to enunciate my words. “It taught me an important lesson about self-control. And in a greater sense, it was karma.”
“Karma?”
“I found out later the telegraph pole had smashed into the house of the bastard who killed my parents. And that was after I’d blown the roof off it.”
We looked at each other. The next second, we burst out laughing. The elderly couple at the table nearest us tutted loudly.
“A force of nature, even at five years old,” said Dhav.
“Haven’t you done anything bad? Even once?”
“I am a prince,” he said regally, and I noticed he was enunciating too. “I do not do bad things.”
“Oh come on. Never told a lie? Never stolen a sweet? God, you must have been the world’s most boring kid.”
“I was,” he nodded gravely. “I was extremely boring. Although, there was one thing…” his eyes suddenly lit up with a memory, and I nudged him.
“What?”
“When I was twelve, I discovered the art of blackmail.”
My jaw dropped.
“You what, now?”
“I witnessed my tutor with my father’s favourite concubine.”
“What’s a…” I struggled to say the word clearly. My mouth suddenly seemed to have a mind of its own. “Comubine? Conbumine?”
“Concubine. It’s a sort of live-in mistress. Very popular in my father’s day.”
“Wow. What did your mother think?”
“She turned a blind eye. It was the norm.”
“And do you? I mean, do you have a combu… conca…”
“Do you want me to finish the story?”
“Yes, of course. So, you saw your tutor with one of these comu… conci… women?”
“Yes. And I took a picture. And I threatened to show it to my father, unless he guaranteed neither me nor Raj would ever have less than glowing reports ever again.”
I clapped my hands in delight.
“Blackmail and extortion! That’s brilliant.”
He made a little mock-bow from the waist.
“So glad you approve.”
“So, do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Have concu-whatsit? Women wafting around the palace just waiting for a booty call?”
His lips twitched.
“No, we don’t have harems anymore. Now we’re expected to date, like anyone else.”
“Except you don’t.” I took another pull of beer as his eyebrows shot up.
“Excuse me?”
“Raj told me. He sees plenty of girls but you never go with him. Don’t you have a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend? Or, even, you know, both?”
He stiffened.
“That is none of your business.”
“My game. My rules. You have to tell me.”
“I have yet to meet the right girl. My father wanted me to marry when I reached eighteen, but then he died and as ruler, I was too busy to seek a match.”
“You’re talking about getting hitched. What about just hanging out with someone?”
“Hanging out?” He said the words as if they were alien to him.
“You know. Spending time with someone. Dating. Flirting. Do you even know how to flirt?”
His eyes glittered.
“I assure you, Samira,” he said deliberately, “I have had plenty of girlfriends. And none of my romantic partners have ever complained about my prowess.”
I’ll bet they didn’t. Dhav was arrogant but he seemed like he’d know his way around the bedroom. The aberrant thought made me blush.
I tried to concentrate on what he was saying but his face was swimming in and out of focus. Hm. Maybe he was right. Maybe this local beer was stronger than I was used to. My eyes drifted to his mouth again. Damn, he had nice lips.
“I’m sorry?”
Shit. I realised I’d spoken out loud and tried to cover my embarrassment.
“I meant… don’t you get lonely?”
“Samira, are you drunk?”
“No, I…” I suddenly felt woozy. I slid off the stool and he put an arm out to steady me.
“Perhaps that’s enough for tonight.”
“Answer the question, your Highness. Don’t you get lonely?”
I swayed and his arms closed about my waist, holding me upright.
“Always,” he said softly. “I am always lonely.”
“Me too,” I whispered.
And maybe it was the loneliness, or maybe it was just the drink. But before I could stop myself, I was standing on tiptoe and kissing him.
He stiffened in surprise, and I half expected him to push me away. Then he was kissing me back, his lips expertly parting mine as he explored my mouth.
He drew me closer, one hand in the small of my back, the other threading through my hair. I wanted him to kiss me forever, but the room began to swirl alarmingly and I pulled back.
“Samira?”
The tone in his voice was one I’d never heard before. Tender. I gazed up at him, and found I couldn’t focus.
“Take me to bed,” I murmured.
And then everything went black.
Chapter Seventeen
I slowly came to, and regretted it. My head was a pounding mass of bongo drums, and my stomach was one big seething cauldron of bile.
“I am never drinking again.”
I’d said it before but this time I really, really meant it.
Cautiously, I cracked an eyelid. Everything was white. Why was everything white? Had I died and gone to heaven? Unlikely. When I died, I was fairly sure I’d be waking up somewhere black and smoky.
Gradually my vision adjusted. Ivory curtains fluttered in the morning breeze against simple whitewashed walls. I was lying in a huge bed with white sheets spread across me. A large glass of water had been left on the table next to me and I gratefully gulped half of it down, groaning slightly as the hydration started to ease the pounding in my head.
&nb
sp; I turned over in bed and froze. Dhav was in a chair opposite, his long legs stretched out in front of him, his head propped in one hand. He was asleep, his breathing steady and rhythmic, and I let myself relax.
I tried to remember what had happened. Beer was involved, I knew that. Beer was always involved when I woke up in strange places. What the hell had I been thinking, drinking on an empty stomach? I was embarrassed at the thought of Dhav seeing me tipsy.
I frowned. There was something else, something nagging at my subconscious. I examined Dhav’s face, trying to piece together the previous night. Why did I feel I was forgetting something important? Was it something I’d said? Or perhaps something I’d…
The image slammed into my mind. Dhav’s lips on mine, his tongue darting into my mouth, his hands in my hair.
I bolted upright, heart pounding. Shit. I’d kissed Dhav. I’d kissed the biggest jerk I’d ever met, and - I put my hands to my cheeks, feeling the heat flooding into them - I’d liked it.
Mortified, I remembered the last thing I’d said to him.
Take me to bed.
We hadn’t…? Hastily I looked down at myself, relieved to see I was still fully clothed, except for my boots and socks which were arranged neatly by the bed.
Not that I believed Dhav would ever take advantage of an unconscious female. He might be irritating, but he was honourable. Besides, he’d obviously spent the night in that chair.
I chewed on my lip. Perhaps he wouldn’t remember. He’d downed a lot of beer too. And if he did remember, I’d just pass it off as a drunken joke.
I lay down again and resumed my examination. He seemed younger in his sleep. Less guarded. He wasn’t much older than me, yet he acted like someone far more mature. Forced to grow up too quickly because of his job.
I remembered what he’d told me about being beaten as a child, and I felt a pang of sympathy. No wonder he didn’t trust people.
“Stop staring, little thief.”
I jumped as he spoke, his eyes still closed.
“Um, sorry. I thought you were asleep.”
“Regrettably, I am awake.”
“So why aren’t your eyes open?”
“I am working up to it.”
“I know how you feel. Here.”
I leaned over and pushed the glass of water into his hand. He drank deeply, finishing it in one long draft. His eyes finally opened and trailed over me as I lay curled in bed.
“That was an interesting night. With a rather unexpected ending.”
I coloured immediately.
“I don’t remember.”
“You don’t remember what you said to me? Or you don’t remember me carrying you up the stairs?”
“I don’t remember anything,” I insisted, avoiding his gaze.
“Would you like me to remind you?”
“No, no, that’s okay. I’m sure it was just the drink talking anyway.”
“That’s a shame.” His eyes danced. “You made me an extremely tempting offer. But in case you don’t remember that either, I declined. I prefer my women to be conscious.”
“Oh God.” I covered my face with my hands, cheeks flaming, too mortified to look at him. “Sorry.”
“You are forgiven. For now.” He stood, stretching, ironing out the kinks in his spine from a night in a chair. “Do you know what?”
“What?”
“I’m starving. How about we grab some food and continue our truce just a little longer?”
I peered at him through my fingers, and unexpectedly he grinned. His face lit up, and my breath caught a little.
“Okay,” I croaked. I was starving too.
I climbed out of bed, feeling self-conscious. He waited courteously while I pulled my boots on.
“Um, thanks for being a gentleman,” I offered awkwardly as we made our way downstairs into the now empty bar. “The chair must have been uncomfortable.”
“It wasn’t bad. But it’s your turn next time. Unless of course, you want to repeat your offer while you’re sober?”
His tone was serious but his lips were twitching. I narrowed my eyes.
“At least I’m a step up from the last thing you snogged.”
He gave a bark of laughter.
“Touché, little thief. Then let us call it even. As long as you don’t try to seduce me again.”
My fingers itched to call up a whirlwind and blow him back into the desert.
“I can assure you, you’re safe from me, your Highness.”
We were interrupted by Deelan and Maeva who ushered us to a table laden with food. We fell on it with gusto. It was delicious; fresh crusty bread, white goats’ cheese, spicy sausage and fruit juice.
Dhav and I barely spoke while we demolished the lot, and I was grateful. I was both horribly embarrassed, and annoyed he was so amused by it all.
“So what now?” I asked as I sat back, subtly trying to loosen the button on my trousers. I was stuffed.
“We need supplies. And a map to show us the route through the mountains.”
“We’ll need money for that. Have you got any?”
“It’s gone. I left all my cash in the tent. I have nothing. You?”
“Nope. Although I could…” I waggled my fingers.
“No.” His tone brooked no argument. “No stealing wallets. We can’t take the risk.”
“So how are we going to buy what we need?”
“What are you two talking about?” Kiran appeared by the table, her face sharp with curiosity.
“We need to travel into the mountains, but we haven’t any money for supplies,” I explained. “Any ideas?”
“Can you not sell your pet?” she suggested. Dhav’s face darkened.
“I am not her pet,” he growled. I giggled, hastily straightening my face as he glowered at me.
“He’s not my pet,” I told Kiran. “And anyway, no-one would buy him. He’s grumpy and bad-tempered.”
Dhav rolled his eyes.
“Perhaps I can sell my watch?” he suggested. Kiran looked doubtful.
“The only people round here who could afford to buy a watch like that are the card-sharks. And they’re not nice people.”
“Card-sharks?” I echoed. “As in, gamblers?”
“Deelan told me there’s a high-stakes poker game here once a week. She doesn’t like it but they pay her well to use the back room. I saw one of them in here last night. He’s scary.”
“Wait. Do you mean the man with one eye?”
“Yes. He’s a Duwa. They’re desert dwellers, but he comes into Maeltor once a week to play poker with the rock trolls.”
“Rock trolls? What the hell’s a rock troll?”
“They’re trouble,” said Deelan, bustling up to take our plates. “Don’t mess with a rock troll. They’re mean and stupid and have the basic mentality of sixteen year old boys. The only thing they like more than fighting is sex. And the only thing they like more than sex is gold.”
My ears pricked up.
“Gold?”
“That’s what they play for. The Duwas pan gold in the desert, and the rock trolls try to win it off them.”
“What do the trolls bet with?”
“Diamonds. They mine them.”
Honestly, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. A poker game where the stakes were gold and diamonds? Point me at it.
I almost heard the kerchinggg sound as dollar signs popped up in front of my eyeballs.
“It’s perfect,” I said excitedly. “We can join the game and win enough to buy our supplies.”
“Supplies?” asked Deelan.
“For heading to the other side of the mountain. We have to… “ I realised Dhav was glaring at me and trailed off.
“The other side of the mountain?” Deelan was horrified. “That’s no place for decent people. It’s dangerous.”
“What’s so bad about the mountain?” I asked curiously.
“It’s the realm of He Who Must Not Be Named.”
“What, Vo
ldemort?”
“Who’s Voldemort?”
“He’s… never mind. Do you mean Al Uddin?”
“Shh!”
Deelan looked horrified, and Dhav and I exchanged glances. Even Kiran looked bemused.
“Is Al Uddin still alive, cousin?”
“Please don’t say his name!” Deelan looked utterly panicked. “He has spies everywhere. If he thinks we are plotting against him, he will retaliate.”
“But he’s trapped in his tower, isn’t he?” I asked.
“He still has power. A landslide, an earthquake – he can control the very ground we stand on.”
Landslides? Earthquakes? I looked at Dhav, but he was staring fixedly at Deelan.
“Do you mean to tell me Al Uddin has power over the earth?”
Deelan clapped her hands over her ears.
“Please, I beg of you, do not say his name again.”
“We’re sorry, Deelan.” I tugged at Dhav’s arm. “Let’s talk somewhere quiet.”
Kiran followed us as we walked out into the street. I winced slightly at the bright sunshine, but the food inside me had made me feel a hundred times better.
“Dhav, why do you think Al Udd…” I stopped myself and looked round nervously. Deelan’s paranoia was catching. “Let’s just call him Al. How can Al control the earth?” A thought struck me. “He’s not a djinn, is he?”
“That’s what it sounds like, doesn’t it?” Dhav’s voice was grim. “A djinn who enslaved other djinn to gain power and wealth.”
“So he’s the one you’re looking for?” Kiran looked at us with bright curiosity. “You’re going to the tower?”
Dhav nodded.
“Yes, but this changes everything. No wonder everyone keeps saying the mountains are dangerous. He can move them with just a thought.”
“And he can also control the ghuls,” I reminded him. I looked at Kiran. “He sent them to attack us in Ashfahaan.”
“Well, ghuls do live underground,” she pointed out helpfully. “Maybe if he controls the earth, he can force them to do what he wants.” I hadn’t thought of that. “And there are other things too,” she continued. “The succubus told me. In case I ever tried to run away. She said there were beasts in the mountain far worse than her. Creatures that prey on travellers. You’ll need a guide if you are to reach the tower safely.”
“No guide,” said Dhav firmly. “We cannot endanger anyone else.”
Mark of the Djinn: A Young Adult Urban Fantasy Romance Page 11