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There was no centre to her world.
Maggie did her best to shrug off the dark thoughts that slunk in.
The sound of bells had her sitting up, and in came the maidens with a tray.
‘La,’Maggie said and told them no.
She did not want to be served with refreshments!
‘La!’She said again, only more loudly, and again they retreated to the sound of distancing bells.
Curious, she got up and peeked out and saw that the corridor was also lined with a strip of bells that they must run their hands along to indicate their approach.
Satisfied with her new knowledge, she retrieved the photos she had left in the wash area and got back into bed to examine them.
Not the one of Hazin.
She turned that face down on the floor and looked at the others. Suddenly she was aware she was not alone.
Maggie looked up and sawhimstanding there with the tray she had refused.
‘What happened to the bells?’ she asked, by way of greeting.
‘I don’t have to use them,’ he said, but then surprisingly accepted her boundary. ‘In future I shall.’
‘Hopefully there shan’t be a reason for you to come in here again,’ she said, but immediately felt guilty about her tone after he had been polite and kind.
She could see now that the maidens had only been trying to help and he had been right to suggest she needed to rest.
But he deserved no downgrading of her anger and she shot him a look with her eyes.
Ilyas did not flinch.
He found her a curious mix. She was resigned yet defiant; accepting of her situation while making her own protests.
‘You need to eat,’ he said.
‘No, I don’t,’ Maggie said, and lay down, speaking with closed eyes. ‘A human can go three weeks without food.’
‘Very well, but you haven’t had a drink since you arrived. We are in the desert...’
‘I’m very aware of my location,’ Maggie snapped.
‘Suzanne.’
She didn’t answer to the call of a name that wasn’t hers.
‘Maggie.’
Her eyes blazed with rage as they opened to his. ‘I am taking nothing from you. How do I know what you’ve put in it?’
‘I’m not going to drug you, Maggie,’ he said. ‘You can trust me.’
‘I can’t remember where I heard it, but I do seem to recall someone saying never trust a man who kidnaps you in the dead of the night and brings you to his desert tent.’
Maggie stared at his impassive face and realised she had better enlighten him. ‘That’s sarcasm, by the way.’
‘I’m aware of that.’
