Page 16 of The Forbidden Sheik
Jadwat loved hearing that title. “Call the team and tell them not to torture Princess Marianna. I don’t want a single mark on her.”Yet, he silently added. The woman was lovely. Perhaps he would marry her to force an alliance with Lativa. He leaned back in his leather chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he contemplated that angle. He hadn’t considered how best to shore up his power. But having Sheik Khal at his beck and call, threatening to hurt his precious sister if he didn’t do his bidding might be a layer of power that could force the other countries around Uftar to behave.
Jadwat looked up to find Ashwam still standing in the doorway, looking uncomfortable.
“What?” he snapped.
Ashwam opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again. “I haven’t been able to contact the team, Your Highness.”
Not able to contact…? “What the hell are you saying? We heard yesterday that they were successful! The bitch was snatched right off her horse yesterday.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Ashwam agreed, adding a slight bow. “They confirmed the capture. They even checked in yesterday afternoon, once they’d crossed over the border from Lativa. But about ten kilometers from the warehouse that had been set up to hold Princess Marianna, the team lost contact. They were supposed to check in at regular intervals, but no one has heard from them.”
Jadwat stared at his assistant, his thoughts slowing to a crawl as he tried to make sense of what this meant. “But…they weren’t supposed to check in again for another few hours.”
Ashwam bowed again, which was starting to annoy him. “Yes, Your Highness. But they were supposed to check in when they reached the warehouse. That hasn’t happened.”
Jadwat thought about that for a moment, then shrugged dismissively. “Perhaps they are just keeping quiet,” he replied, refusing to consider that his plan wasn’t going to work. It had taken too long to get to this point. Hell, even if the bitch wasn’t still in custody, his plan could still work. Things were already in motion. The eviction notices would end up in his tenants’ mailboxes in a day or two and then the grumbling would begin. All he had to do then was use his connections within the media to stoke the anger to a fever pitch and, voila! The people would turn against their leader!
It was all too easy, he thought.
Chapter 18
“What’s this?” Laith asked, pulling a note from under Aunt Marianna’s pillow. The corner of the paper had been peeking out, almost like someone wanted him to find it!
He eyed the pillow, then the paper. “Do you think it’s a clue?”
Rafi stared at the paper and nodded. “It’s a message from whoever stole our Aunt!” he declared.
“What does it say?” Angela whispered, moving closer. Most of the green eye shadow had rubbed off of her nose, leaving green smudges across her cheeks.
Zayn had followed them, like he always did, but his attention was caught by something in the corner.
Laith sounded out the words laboriously, not certain what they meant.“In rooms of grandeur, where royalty once dwelt, seek out a chandelier that's majestically dealt. Amidst its sparkle and its splendid glow, your next clue hides where shadows grow.”
The trio stood in a small circle, contemplating the clue.
“What does it mean?” Rafi asked.
Silence followed.
Zayn turned around, a towel draped over his shoulders like a cape. “I think the next clue is in my dad’s throne room.”
Angela, Rafi, and Laith blinked at the smaller boy, astonished by his answer.
“Or the ballroom,” Rafi added.
Laith and Angela nodded, all three pursing their lips in concentration. Zayn watched his three older cousins, then pursed his lips as well, glancing at them, then at himself, his eyes going cross-eyed to see if he was doing it “right”.
Rafi bounced on his toes. “We should look in both rooms to see if Aunt Marianna is being held there.”
“I agree,” Angela asserted.
“Let’s go!” Laith urged.
Angela grabbed her cousin’s hand, pulling him back and the other two stopped. “Our tutors will be arriving soon. How are we going to get past our guards to search in two different places and still be back in time for our lessons?”
Laith and Rafi considered her question, and then Rafi suggested, “We need to split up.” He turned to his twin brother and nodded towards Zayn. “You two take the ballroom. We’ll look through Uncle Khal’s throne room.” He glanced towards the open doorway, where the guards were standing just outside in the hallway. “Also, we should use the back hallways so the guards won’t see us.”
Angela shook her head. “We don’t know the back hallways here. We only memorized the back hallways around our homes! We’ll get lost.”
