Page 76 of Modern Romance November 2024 5-8

‘I’m really not.’

‘Oh, you are. We are all taught about the skies here, and the patterns of the land, the winds. It is just something I took for granted. The palace is built in the shape of a star...’

‘I saw,’ she said. ‘Well, I noticed when the helicopter took off.’

‘Were you terrified?’

‘A bit.’ She nodded as they rode on. ‘But not adequately terrified.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Just...given my situation, I wasn’t that scared.’

As they rode he told her about the palace ruins his mother had loved.

‘My father is adamant that they remain untouched. Or rather...’ Sahir paused, for he did not discuss his thoughts with anyone, and yet he found that constantly challenged when he was with Violet.

He glanced over at her, saw the dreamy look in her eyes. She glanced back, as if expecting him to carry on speaking.

‘The plans have to get passed by the council, and some of them are opposed.’

‘But not all of them?’

‘No.’ He nodded. ‘Unfortunately, it is the vocal few who are against change.’

‘It always is.’ She told him about the library committee. ‘Honestly, it took for ever to get them to agree even to join social media.’

He smiled. ‘We have the raw materials; the Bedouins have the skills.’

‘They do for now.’

He frowned, unsure how Violet could speak so knowledgeably, but she turned and smiled.

‘Use it or lose it.’

He laughed. ‘I’ll put that to the council.’

It was an incredible trip, and as they turned to head back, even though she’d been warned not to, Violet wasn’t scared to persist with him.

‘Can I ask a question?’ Violet said. ‘Just one.’

‘One.’

‘Why do you feel guilty about your mother?’

‘Maybe because she was lonely, and unhappy.’

She knew when he was being evasive. And something told her that she was getting the standard Sahir reply.

‘Don’t bother answering if you’re just going to fob me off,’ she said.

‘You really don’t miss anything,’ he said.

But then he paused, unsure whether or not to proceed. Yet she’d somehow trusted him, and now he felt the same way. It was something he had never shared before, though.

‘She was breathless on our last walk,’ he said. He had replayed that morning so many times. ‘I should have noticed.’

‘I’m out of breath now.’

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