Nasim was silent a moment. Then he shrugged. "As you say, I'll have Balkir there to butcher them if you seek to betray me."
"But that's the only area in which Balkir will not be under my orders. You'll see that he obeys me in everything else."
"He won't like it."
"What difference did that ever make to you? It will clearly be difficult enough to steal this box without having to worry about a captain who may sail off and leave me stranded."
Nasim shrugged. "Very well, he'll have orders to obey you as he would me." He turned and moved toward the door. "I'll go have the horses saddled. Come down to the courtyard at once. I wish to give you more details on the location of Tarik's chamber."
Selene watched the door close behind him before she said, "You handled that very well." She swung her legs to the floor. "Though I was ready to kick him to make him stop treating me as if I weren't in the room."
"Now, that would have caught his attention. I'm glad you refrained." He rummaged in the saddle baskets and tossed her the sailor's garments she had worn when she arrived. "I was walking a fine line as it was."
"I'm not an idiot. I knew that the only thing of importance was getting us out of here. We'll worry about escaping Balkir later." She scrambled into her clothes and ran her fingers through her hair. She would have liked to braid it for the journey, but it was better to leave at once. She didn't want to give Nasim time to change his mind. She headed for the door. "You gather our things while I go wake Haroun."
______
"Balkir is in a rage." Selene watched the captain stride about the ship barking orders. "I almost wish Nasim had told somebody else to go with us."
"I don't." Kadar leaned his elbows on the rail and gazed out at the sea. "If he hadn't given the task to Balkir, I would have asked for him."
She turned to look at him in surprise. "Why?"
He changed the subject. "I doubt if I'll have an opportunity to set you and Haroun free before we reach Tuscany. Balkir's terrified of offending Nasim, and he'll be on guard. But a chance may occur when the action begins."
He meant when he had to find a way into Tarik's fortress. "Nasim is mad. How can one man hope to do what an army cannot?"
"We'll have to see. It may be possible." He smiled mockingly. "I've told you before: I'm very, very good, Selene."
"You'll be very, very dead."
"And then will you weep for me?"
She shook her head.
"You wept for me once."
"I was a child and a fool."
"A child perhaps, never a fool."
She looked down at the water. "Don't do this, Kadar."
"I must. If I give him the box, he'll leave Montdhu alone. Besides, I gave him my word."
"A promise to that demon means nothing."
"It does if I made it. I'll bring him his golden box."
She whirled on him, anger flaring. "And you'll send me away and then go back to him."
He lifted his brows. "But you said you wanted to leave me."
"Stop smiling. I do want to go. Do you think the tower chamber meant anything to me? Pleasure for the moment. That was all. Now it's over."
"I assume that means you'll no longer allow me in your bed?"
"I told you that I would couple with you only while it was necessary."
