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“Really?”
He nodded. “I am surprised as well, but then you are nothing like I imagined.”
“Don’t even pretend to tell me what you thought before. You got all your ideas out of those stupid articles. I’m nothing like that.”
“I know.” He sat up. “The troll prince is a most fortunate man.”
He started to say something more, then turned and rose. “Thank you,” he said, leaning forward and kissing her mouth. “I was most honored this afternoon.”
He straightened and adjusted the front of his bulging trousers. “And most aroused.”
He gave her a smile, then turned and left. Sabrina stared after him. When the door closed, she pressed her head to her pillow and sighed. What a strange encounter. She didn’t understand Kardal at all, yet she liked him. A shiver rippled through her as she wondered how long it would be until he touched her again.
Chapter 10
Sabrina, Kardal, Rafe and Cala sat around an antique oval table in a small anteroom outside the old throne room in the palace. Despite the importance of the meeting, Sabrina found it difficult to focus on what everyone was saying. She was too busy admiring the room.
It wasn’t large, maybe sixteen feet square, with tall, narrow windows on one wall. Instead of a view of the desert, she could see a beautiful garden. Lush and green with exotic flowers from around the world. The bougainvillea tree looked ancient and she wondered where it had originally come from. What Prince of Thieves had requested it be carried by camel to his secret palace? Or perhaps one of the princesses had wanted something beautiful to gaze upon while waiting for her husband to finish his business for the day.
There were several stunning tapestries on the wall, although she winced when she saw bright sunlight falling directly on a length of cloth depicting Queen Victoria attending an elegant picnic. There were faded patches and frayed threads. The tapestry needed immediate attention if it was to be saved.
“Sabrina?”
Kardal spoke her name with some impatience, as if he’d been trying to get her attention for some time.
“What? Oh, sorry.” She turned her attention away from Queen Victoria and settled it firmly on those in the room.
Cala smiled at her. “Kardal and I have grown up in the palace so we’re used to its splendors, but it can be overwhelming for someone seeing it for the first time.”
“It’s not just that,” Sabrina said heatedly. “So many of the treasures are in serious danger. These tapestries—” she pointed to the cloths on the wall “—should never be exposed to sunlight. They’re being destroyed.”
Kardal glared at her. “You may deal with them later. Right now we need to plan for the visit.”
Instead of arguing, Sabrina simply nodded. Kardal had been growling like a lion ever since he’d agreed to allow King Givon to visit. She couldn’t blame him for his temper. No doubt he was fighting nerves, not to mention second and third thoughts about the whole thing. Meeting one’s father after all this time couldn’t be easy.
She reached for her pad of paper and pointedly ignored the sideboard covered with small ivory figurines just begging to be cataloged. “How many will be in the king’s party?” she asked. “Oh, and how are they arriving? Will there be extra animals to house in the stables?”
Kardal, Rafe and Cala all stared at her. “I assure you the king of El Bahar will not arrive by camel,” Kardal said dryly.
Sabrina thought about sticking her tongue out at him, but restrained herself. “Like that was something I should know intuitively,” she grumbled. “The palace is in the desert. From what I can tell, there aren’t any big roads. A convoy would have difficulty with the terrain and call attention to the location of the palace.”
Kardal leaned toward her. He sat next to her, with Cala across from her and Rafe on her right. She was fairly comfortable with Kardal’s mother, but Rafe still gave her the willies. The man seemed dangerous when he was just sitting in a chair and breathing.
“I understand your point about the convoy and it is well taken. Still, the king will not arrive by camel. Or horse.”
“Fine. Then how?”
“Helicopter,” Cala said, consulting a notepad in front of her.
Rafe did the same, only instead of a pen and paper, he had an electronic device the size of a paperback book. “The king will travel with the pilot and one security agent. We’ll be responsible for his security once he arrives in the city.”
“No entourage?” Sabrina asked, even as she felt Kardal stiffen. As clearly as if he’d spoken, she knew what he was thinking. Why so few people? Was Givon being trusting or showing disrespect?
