His eyes gleamed. "I told you I was weary. But if you insist, I'll try to--"
"Stop it." She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks. "You're trying to discourage me. You'll not succeed that way."
"And the suggestion of intimacy is beginning to annoy me." Kadar smiled sardonically. "Selene feels your involvement was meant to be. In truth, your appearance at this particular time and place seems heaven-sent."
"I have nothing to do with heaven and no credentials from that quarter."
"I don't care. I need you," Selene said. "Ware trusted you. If you help us, I promise you won't be hurt by it."
Kadar pressed her shoulder. "Let's leave him to think about it. We'll be at the villa. When your head is clearer, perhaps you'll let us know your decision."
She reluctantly rose to her feet. She supposed Kadar was right. They were making little progress with Vaden. "Help us. Nasim is a monster. He hurts everyone."
Vaden looked at her, his eyes blue and cool as a mountain lake. "Did he hurt you?"
"Yes," she whispered. "He hurt me."
He glanced down into his wine. "He hasn't hurt me."
She turned on her heel and strode toward the door.
Kadar caught up with her outside. "It's not entirely hopeless."
"I don't see how it could be any worse."
"I'm not certain. It's hard to judge what Vaden's thinking."
"He told us what he was thinking. No."
"That doesn't mean that will be his final decision. Even Ware was never quite sure of Vaden. We'll wait for a few days and then I'll approach him again."
"I don't know if I still want his help. He's an arrogant, self-indulgent, brutal--"
"And a greater warrior than even Ware. You want him."
She sighed. "Yes, I want him."
Vaden appeared at the villa two days later. He wore light armor that shone bright in the afternoon sunlight. He was clean, sober, and even more startlingly comely in daylight.
"Good heavens," Layla murmured as she saw him walking up the steps. "Magnificent. Who is this?"
"Vaden. And I'm sure he'd agree with you." Selene eagerly moved forward to greet him. "You came. Why?"
"Lady Selene." He bowed. "It was necessary. I ran out of wine."
"We have a plentiful supply here." Kadar strolled forward to stand beside Selene.
"Good. Then my journey won't be for nothing." His gaze traveled around the anteroom and rested on a bust of Pope Giulano. "I'd forgotten. I'm surprised you haven't gotten rid of that statue of His Holiness."
"Why? It's well executed," Tarik said. "Everything in the villa is extremely well done. Your mother had excellent taste."
"She had no taste of her own. She studied His Holiness's likes and whims and gave him what he wanted." His tone was without expression. "She was a mirror." He turned to Kadar. "The wine and then conversation. Shall we go out onto the terrace?" He didn't wait for an answer but strode out of the antechamber.
"It seems we shall," Tarik murmured. "Do you suppose I should remind him he's no longer master here?"
"I doubt if it would do any good." Selene hurried after Vaden, followed by Kadar, Layla, and Tarik.
"You paid too much, Tarik." Vaden was leaning on the balustrade, his back to the garden. "I would have taken much less to rid myself of this place."
