The captain flinched and said hurriedly, "He guessed, but not until we were almost here. I didn't tell him. He already knew when he came to me and--"
"You have the brains of an ox." Nasim's gaze shifted to Selene. "Who is this?"
"The lady Selene," Balkir said. "It was necessary that I--"
"You have bold eyes," Nasim said. "Too bold for a woman."
"Lower your eyes," Balkir muttered.
She would not lower her eyes.
"Why is she here, Balkir?" Nasim didn't wait for an answer. "Your choice, Kadar?"
"No, a mistake on the part of the captain," Kadar said. "She'll only be in the way."
"He couples with her," Balkir said quickly. "I saw him."
"And did you see anything but conflict between us other than that one unimportant act?"
"I thought she might prove useful." Balkir's desperate gaze was fixed on Nasim. "But if it displeases you, I will dispose of her."
"Why do that?" Kadar asked. "Send her back to Montdhu with the boy. It will pacify Lord Ware and prevent the possibility of him coming after her."
"Boy?"
Balkir jerked his head in the direction of Haroun behind him. "He's Lord Ware's servant. Shall I dispose of them, Lord Nasim?"
Nasim's glance moved from Selene to Kadar and then back again. "I think not. One never knows when dross may turn into gold. Find them chambers." He turned to Kadar. "Come with me. We will talk."
Kadar nodded. "The sooner, the better." He deliberately avoided looking at Selene as he dismounted and climbed the steps. "Get them food, Balkir. It's been hours since they broke their fast. We don't want them sent back to Lord Ware in poor condition."
"If we send them back." Nasim entered the castle with Kadar following closely behind.
"Come. Quickly," Balkir tossed over his shoulder to Selene. "You heard the master."
Selene slipped from the saddle.
Haroun immediately sidled next to her. He was trembling, his gaze fixed fearfully on the castle. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
"I know you will." She didn't know any such thing. She hadn't expected to be this shaken. "But the danger is not great. I think this Nasim is bluffing."
"You do?" Haroun asked uncertainly.
She didn't believe that cold devil ever bluffed, but there was no use alarming Haroun. She followed Balkir up the steps. "Of course he was. You saw that Kadar was not afraid of him."
"But Lord Kadar is--They seem . . . alike."
She whirled on him. "They are not alike," she said fiercely. "They are nothing alike."
He took a step back. "I beg pardon, Lady Selene. I meant no--"
"It's all right." She tried to steady her voice. She shouldn't have exploded like that. Haroun's words had provoked a response that had come out of nowhere.
She was lying. She had merely blinded herself. She hadn't wanted to see what Haroun had seen. She had hoped that time and distance would bring about a change that had not happened. As she had watched Kadar and Nasim, the tethers that bound them together had been almost visible. The bond between the band of assassins and Kadar was still there.
"I didn't mean that Lord Kadar--I spoke without thinking," Haroun said.
"I know." She walked quickly up the stairs. Haroun's remark had been spurred by pure instinct, and sometimes instinct was more revealing than thought.
