“I told you,” she said softly. “My parents –,”
“No.” He interrupted, earning a sharp look from the security agent. But Will didn’t notice. In that moment, every single bit of him was focused on this woman. “It’s more than that.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you’ll have to fill in the blanks.”
The security agent moved closer to the table and reached down to clear the princess’s tea. As his fingers curled around the edges of the tray, Will was blasted back into the past by the sight of a tattoo he hadn’t seen in a very long time. Clearly printed on the guard’s wrists were the markings that instantly alerted him to danger:
??? ???????
Will felt a flush of adrenalin spike through him, but he didn’t visibly react. He lifted his eyes to Lilah, mentally calculating the closeness of the guard to the princess. He was only two feet from her. Will’s eyes dropped to the man’s waist. He wore a gun. He would probably have a knife somewhere too, and perhaps another concealed weapon.
Will forced himself to lean back in his chair, affecting a pose of total relaxation.
“Madam, you have the prime minister’s wife phoning in ten minutes.” The guard spoke in his own language. Will spoke it fluently.
“Goodness, is that the time?” Lilah responded in kind, her own words soft and almost mythical seeming.
Will’s smile was reassuring. “I won’t be much longer.” He held his body tight like a spring, ready to pounce.
“It’s fine.” She lifted her eyes to the guard. “Thank you.” It was a dismissal and the guard took it as such. He left swiftly, clicking the door behind him.
“Lilah –,”
“You know,” she said with a curious smile, “Most people feel obliged to call me by my title unless they know me very well.”
He was standing, his eyes not leaving her face. His whole body was as stiff as glass. “Where are your things?”
“My … what things?” She was still smiling, his sudden change in demeanour almost a joke to the princess.
“Where is your room?”
“My room?” Now her smile fell. She stared at him with a frown of confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“There’s no time to explain. You’re in danger. I need you to go –,”
“Danger?” She stared at him as though he was deranged. “Me? In danger? Have you not observed for yourself my rather decadent fortress?”
“You are only as safe as those protecting you want you to be,” he foreshadowed darkly. “Grab some clothes.”
“No,” she shook her head, her eyes drawn together in confusion. It began to dawn on Jalilah that perhaps he wasn’t, in fact, joking.
“Damn it, Lilah, if you want to survive you’ll do what I say and you’ll do it now.”
CHAPTER TWO
“It was the tattoo,” he spoke quietly, keeping his eyes pinned to Lilah through the doorway as she carefully folded a selection of entirely inappropriate clothing into whatever space she could find within his laptop bag.
“It’s not possible.” Kiral sounded as though he’d been punched hard in the stomach.
Will spoke with patience though his nerve
s were taut. “You told me some of the men had escaped, probably aided by government forces.”
“Escaped, yes,” Kiral groaned. “But they were thought to be living deep underground. How the hell did one end up on my sister’s detail? Not only on her detail, but part of her intimate security circle? These men have been vetted extensively. It’s not … it should not be possible.”