AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She felt her cheeks flush with heat. Why was it that it took only a simple look from him to make her feel like this? His eyes were so dark, she felt she could sink into the dark pools and lose herself. Was that what she about to do, now that she was home? Was she about to lose her old life and claim a new one with Kadeem?
She knew he wasn't joking with her. There had been times during the last few days in Qazhar when he'd taken advantage of their time alone together. On those occasions she'd discovered that his passion for her hadn't diminished one bit. She wondered what she'd done to make him feel this way about her. It was a mystery, she told herself.
Kadeem leaned closer to her. He kissed her, softly and tenderly. Eliana lifted her chin up and offered herself to Kadeem. She felt a familiar sensation sweep through her body as he kissed her. A sensation she was fast getting used to. His hand came up and cupped her chin. He held her face as if it was made of delicate porcelain.
Then the plane bucked sharply, and their lips were forced to separate. They smiled at one another. Still, he held onto her hand. It seemed that not even turbulence would force him to let go of her. She wondered what other kinds of turbulence awaited them both down in the palace below.
Her father and mother had left two days ago, explaining that there were many preparations to be made for Kadeem's royal visit. According to Eliana's father, Kadeem's family were not of the highest level of royal. It was a view that no amount of persuasion by Eliana or her mother could shake from Azem's mind. He was determined to hold to that opinion, even it meant fostering a troubled relationship with his possible future son-in-law.
The plane landed and, when they emerged onto the tarmac, there was a welcoming party of two servants and her mother awaiting them from the palace.
There was no sign of her father.
Why was her father being so difficult about all of this? Eliana ignored the sickly sensation in her stomach at the absence of her father.
She glanced at her mother seeking some kind of explanation, but her mother stared back impassively. It was an insult to Kadeem for her father not to have come to welcome them.
Eliana hugged her mother. "Where's father?" she asked.
Gretchen smiled. "He's waiting for you both in the palace. He had some things to attend to."
Eliana lifted a brow. "Really? More important than welcoming Kadeem to Zahram?"
Once again Gretchen smiled patiently, but Elianaknew her mother too well. She could tell her mother was trying to hide her annoyance at Azem's conduct.
Gretchen hugged Kadeem warmly. "How was your flight?"
"Perfect," Kadeem said. He took Eliana's hand. "I had an excellent and very attentive companion," he added with a grin.
It was a simple comment, but the way he'd said it made Eliana smile.
They made their way to the limo which was waiting near the plane. The journey to the palace would only be a short one. They all settled inside the limo.
"We've planned a little celebration, this evening," Gretchen explained.
"Celebration?" Eliana asked.
Gretchen nodded. "It's your father's idea," she said. "He wants to make sure Kadeem feels at home."
"He does?" Eliana asked, trying to contain her surprise.
Eliana looked at Kadeem, searching for a response, but his features were an unreadable blank.
The limo drove for a short few minutes and then they were pulling up at the foot of a set of wide, grand marble steps. Eliana saw Kadeem gaze up through the tinted windows, craning his neck, trying to take in the sheer scale of the central building of the palace. She wondered what he thought of it.
They all stepped out of the limo. Eliana waited while her bags were taken up into the palace. She offered her hand to Kadeem. At first he looked at her, slightly puzzled. Then he realized what she was asking him to do. He took her hand and they walked up the stairs, side by side.
Kadeem leaned his head back, taking in the awesome sight of the ornately carved palace exterior, the decorative reliefs, the high windows, the undulating shapes of the roof. Eliana felt as if she was seeing the palace for the first time. Of course, she knew every part of the palace. Knew all its secrets. This was where she had become a princess. She wondered if this was the place where she would become Kadeem's wife.
The inside of the palace's main hallway was high and cavernous. Their steps echoed in the marble expanse. Eliana looked for her father, expecting that he would at least come to the entrance to greet them. But again, there was no sign of him.
"You'll want to see your rooms, Kadeem," Eliana's mother said.
Gretchen gave some instructions to the servants.
"I can show him, mother," Eliana said enthusiastically.
Gretchen smiled. "We've put Kadeem in the blue suite on the East wing," she explained.
