The Treasure_ A Novel - Iris Johansen [18]
“I’ve made the journey twice. I won’t have you interfering in my—”
“It will do you no harm to show me the charts. Sinan ordered you to bring me to him. What if the ship sinks?” He nudged Balkir forward. “He’s been said to be able to curse even the dead. Do you want him angry with you in the hereafter?”
Balkir frowned and then turned on his heel. “Follow me.”
Kadar winked at Selene over his shoulder before sauntering after him.
Impudent rogue. She started to smile and then caught herself. So easy to fall back into the habit of years. “Come with me, Haroun.” She led him down the deck toward her cabin.
“I’m sorry, Lady Selene.” Haroun’s sandals squished as he hurried after her. “I had to come.”
“I know.” She opened the door and ushered him into the cabin. She grabbed a toweling cloth on the washstand and handed it to him. “Dry your hair.”
He began to rub his head. “The captain is a bad man. You should have waited and talked to Lord Ware.”
“And you should have done as you were told.” She grabbed the cover from the bunk. “Take off your clothes and wrap yourself in this.”
He turned bright scarlet. “I cannot. It would not be fitting for a man to undress in your presence.”
“It would not be fitting for me to have to tend you if you became ill from your foolishness. For heaven’s sake, I’ve seen naked men before. Besides, you’re scarce more than a boy.”
“I’m older than you,” he said indignantly.
Why, he must be, she realized in surprise. She always thought of Haroun as the boy she had first met those many years ago, before they had come to Scotland. He had been the survivor of a massacre by the Knights Templar, and Ware and Thea had taken him into their entourage. How eager and young he had seemed then. But young boys grew up, and she had hurt his pride. Thea would know what to say to ease that sting. Thea always knew what to say. Well, Thea wasn’t here, and Selene must do her best in her own way. “You’re right, it’s not fitting, but this is an emergency. I’ll turn my back.” She faced the door. “But be quick. I wish to sit down. I’m not feeling well.”
She heard the rustle of clothing behind her.
“You can turn around now.”
Haroun was wrapped from ears to toes in the gray blanket.
“Sit down.” She gathered his wet garments from the floor and spread them on the chair.
“You should not be waiting on me.”
She smiled. “And you should not have swum out and clung to that anchor line. But, since you did, we must forget what is fitting and try to help each other to stay alive.”
“You did not tell Lord Ware the truth in your note, did you?”
“No. I’m a hostage and so are you.” She sat down on the bed.
“But we don’t want Lord Ware to know, do we? You know what danger he would face if he came after us.”
He nodded. “That’s why I told Robert nothing was amiss when I gave him the note.”
“Good boy—man.” Dear heaven, she was weary. She wanted only to lay her head down and go to sleep. “But while you’re on board this ship, you must do nothing to anger Balkir’s men. Stay out of their way.”
“I will try.”
Of course he would try. He seemed terrified of everyone connected with Sinan.
“I’m not usually a . . . coward,” he said, as if he had read her thoughts. “Lord Ware has trained me to be a warrior. He says I’m a good soldier. It’s only . . . all my life I’ve heard of the Old Man of the Mountain. His people are not as others. They are . . . demons. One cannot fight demons.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Kadar was once one of Sinan’s people. Is he a demon?”
He shook his head. “But Lord Kadar is different. He walks alone.”
“How many times have I seen you dicing together? He’s your friend.”
“Yes.” He looked confused. “But he’s . . . different.”
She gave up. Kadar was different. One had only to be with him for a short while to realize that beneath that light, charming facade lay impenetrable depths. “But you trust him?”
Haroun brightened.