Page 57 of Silver Angel

He came off the bed in a towering rage, barely able to recall the silent language of the mutes, which he had learned as a child, in order to send one of them after the Chief Black Eunuch. A stream of epithets followed as he waited for Haji’s return, pacing in front of the bed. Every few moments he cast Shahar a fulminating glare, which she was blissfully unaware of since she was now soundly asleep.

He felt like wringing her neck. How dared she attempt to escape him in this way? My God, Jamil would have the skin off her back for such audacity, and off her accomplice’s, too, for she couldn’t have obtained whatever she took on her own. And knowing what could have happened to her if his brother were here instead only made him more furious with her. The stupid little half-wit!

Haji burst into the room out of breath, took one look at Shahar sprawled half on the bed and then at Derek’s murderous expression, and dropped to his knees. “It was necessary, my lord, I swear! She was so out of control that we feared she would harm herself. I gave her only enough relaxant to calm her. I just didn’t know she was already so tired—”

“Then she didn’t do this deliberately?”

“No, Jamil, no. I take full responsi—”

“Whywas she out of control?”

Even though the question was snapped out, Haji was able to breathe again. The murderous look was gone, replaced by one of only extreme aggravation, though that was nothing to relax over. Jamil aggravated was as quick to issue punishment as Jamil in a towering rage these days. And Haji was afraid that the “why” he wanted answered was going to tip the scale again.

“You will not like the reason,” Haji warned, to ease the suspected reaction.

“I don’t suppose I will, but tell me anyway…. No, don’t. I can well guess.” He gave the girl another baleful stare before shouting for a servant, who fortunately appeared immediately. “I want somekanyakand plenty of it.” To Haji, when he noticed the old man’s surprised look, he said, “I need it.” And he bloody well did.

Christ, so much for hoping fear might bring Shahar around. Or did she no longer fear him? Perhaps he should have punished her in some small way instead of simply sending her back to the harem, which obviously made her think there were no consequences to suffer by defying him. But, dammit, he couldn’t bring himself to punish her in any way. She couldn’t be blamed for her reaction to him. It was perfectly natural after what Jamil had forced her to witness. That he wasn’t Jamil made no difference.Shethought he was.

“Son of a bitch!”

“My lord?”

“Oh, get up, Haji,” Derek snapped. “You’re too old to be wearing out your knees on the floor.”

Haji got hesitantly to his feet, not understanding Jamil’s present mood at all. Jamil never touched spirits, never. His brother Mahmud had, and had been known to order the execution of luckless innocents while under the influence. Mustafa had occasionally drunk, too, in his later years, on a moderate scale. But Jamil? That he intended to drink himself into a stupor with so much orderedkanyakwas not only alarming in its unusualness but unnerving given his unpredictable temper. And that he should think he needed it…

“Let me summon Sheelah, my lord. She will ease—”

“No,” Derek cut in bitterly. “My desire is for this one.” He flung a hand in Shahar’s direction, following it with another look at her relaxed body, which only served to increase his frustration. “So she didn’t even wait this time until she was here to let loose her stubborn defiance? Did you know the English were so stubborn, Haji?” He glanced back at the old eunuch and gave a harsh laugh at his bemusement. “Of course you know. You’ve lived all these years with the most stubborn Englishwoman of them all, haven’t you?”

Haji knew better than to defend Rahine to Jamil. “Shahar’s presence annoys you, my lord. Let me remove her.”

“She stays.”

Haji didn’t dare argue with that tone. “Of course, my lord.”

“But you may go—as soon as you tell me exactly what my littleikbaldid that you feared would cause her harm.”

Haji was incredulous to hear Shahar called his lord’s favorite still, but he wished the question hadn’t been worded exactly that way. He had a reprieve, however, when several bottles of the very potentkanyakarrived on a tray with a single glass, which the servant quickly filled before scurrying out of the room. Then Haji’s eyes bulged to see the glass drained and Jamil refill it himself this time.

“Well?”

Haji cleared his throat. There was no help for it. “She fought most violently the moment she learned you had summoned her.”

“Who did she fight?”

“My slave, Kadar, and he bears the marks of her resistance. But I swear he was as gentle as it was possible to be in restraining her, my lord. She simply refused to give up the fight.”

“Didn’t you think to inform me instead of drugging her? If she’s going to fight anyone, I prefer it to be me.”

“But, my lord!” Haji was appalled by the suggestion. “You would then have been forced to punish her—”

“Like hell I would!” Derek snapped, forgetting himself. And then he sighed. “Never mind. You may go, Haji. And compensate your Kadar for his trouble.”

“He would never accept, my lord,” Haji protested, explaining, “He likes the girl.”

Derek had to remind himself that it was a eunuch and not a whole man who liked his Shahar, though why he should even think of this annoyed him. “Does he?” he grunted, but after a moment added, “Send him here, Haji.”