Page 58 of Kismet

Although there was still a trace of anger in the young man’s face, there was also discernment reflected there, too. The boy would heal, and their relationship would continue, but in a different form. As the Amazigh heir tipped his head in a nod of understanding, Shaheen offered him a small smile.

“Come, we need to see what news Coman has brought us.”

Together they continued toward the command post. Relieved to have things settled between the two of them, he recognized that their relationship had changed. He was no longer the boy’s guardian, but a friend and mentor. It was a small payment on the debt he still owed for James’s death. The boy would do well by Khalid, especially if Nassar forced them into a war.

An hour later, Shaheen realized there was only one way to avoid an armed conflict with Nassar. The man had to die. As Coman and the other men escorted their prisoner away, a vicious fury slashed at him. The bastard had gone too far this time. He relaxed his fist and opened up the crumpled piece of paper he held.

My dear Newcastle,

As you can see, I’ve decided to let you live. Your whore on the other hand . . . well, did you really think I would let you keep her? If I cannot have her, then neither shall you.

Sheikh Nassar

He crumpled the paper in his fist again with suppressed violence. The man his men had captured had been sent to murder Allegra. The note was simply the message Nassar had intended for him when he found Allegra dead. She was in danger. God, he’d done nothing but make mistake after mistake since he first met Allegra. He should have sent her back to Shaftsbury weeks ago. No, he should have placed her on a boat to England himself. Khalid’s words echoed through his head. God help you if you fail her the way I failed Yasmia. And he had almost failed her. It wouldn’t happen again. She was going back to England with Shaftsbury.

“He’ll do to her what he did to my mother if we don’t stop him,” Hakim said with a haunted expression on his young features. “What are you going to do?”

The boy’s grim words sliced through him and he nodded. A fear he’d never known before closed his throat, and not even when he’d searched for James that terrible night had he experienced this kind of dread.

“I’m going to send for Shaftsbury. He can take her to Othmane, and from there they can travel by train to Safi. It will be a safer route than taking the train from Marrakech. Nassar will be looking for them there.”

“Let me fetch Shaftsbury.”

“No,” Shaheen exclaimed with a sharp hand gesture. “It’s not safe.”

“Is it safe for any of us?” Hakim asked quietly. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll take Jamal with me. We can travel in the dark to avoid any of Nassar’s scouts.”

He hesitated as he considered the boy’s suggestion. It was a sound plan despite the danger involved. But Hakim’s status as Khalid’s heir was a problem. If something happened—

“I’ll be in good hands, and as you’ve said. I need to take on greater responsibility.” The younger man sent him a sober look.

“I didn’t mean putting your life in danger,” he snapped, glaring at Hakim. “If your father were here, it would be me going after Shaftsbury.”

“But he’s not.”

Still he hesitated to agree to the suggestion. It would be just as easy to send Jamal by himself. Stepping toward him, Hakim touched his shoulder.

“Let me do this. Let me make my amends to you and the jahīm anasi.”

The request wiped away his reservations as he realized how much the young man had matured almost overnight. Or was it simply that he’d not given the boy a chance to prove himself? Narrowing his gaze, he studied Hakim’s eager expression.

“Send for Jamal so we can hammer out this plan of yours. I want both of you to return safely with Shaftsbury in tow.”

Satisfaction turned Hakim’s mouth upward as he nodded and bolted out of the command tent. Left alone, he opened his fist and looked at the note he still held. The sudden image of Frances sprawled lifeless across her bed flashed through his head, only this time it was Allegra’s green eyes staring up at the ceiling. A shudder blasted its way through him as he threw the image back into the dark pit it had emerged from. Allegra wasn’t going to die.

With Shaftsbury’s help, he’d see to that. But something told him she wouldn’t go willingly. The idea that she might want to stay with him in spite of the danger filled him with mixed emotions. Whatever happened, he wouldn’t let her stay here. He’d do whatever was necessary to make her leave. All that mattered was her safety. Not even the pain he was going to feel when he gave her into Shaftsbury’s care mattered. A primal surge of emotion raced through him. After tonight, she’d no longer be his. But until then he was going to memorize every breath she took, every turn of her head, everything about her that he could commit to memory.