The Treasure_ A Novel - Iris Johansen [54]
“If I hadn’t learned how to infiltrate a camp, Nasim would have banished me very early in my training. Be ready.”
“Don’t come. I won’t be here. I’ll leave before you arrive.”
He smiled. “But then I’ll surely be killed, for I’ll have to blunder around the camp looking for you.” He bent down and brushed a kiss on her nose. “Be ready.”
He should have been here by now, Selene agonized.
He had said near midnight.
Had they caught him?
No, she would have heard something.
Why? It took no noise to slip a dagger between a man’s ribs.
Selene drew a deep breath. Stop it. Imagining the worst would do no good.
She flexed her hunched shoulders and scooted closer to the entrance of the tent. Through the slit in the cloth, she could see the two guards standing a few yards away. How could one man take out two guards without rousing the camp?
One of the guards lifted his head as if listening. He said something to the other guard and then strode around the right side of the tent.
What had he heard?
Then she heard it. A soft trilling sound that might have been a bird.
It was not.
She heard the sound of a falling body through the thin material of the tent.
One guard left, but it would be difficult for Kadar to surprise him now that he had taken out the other man.
She jumped up and threw open the flap. The guard whirled to face her.
“I need to see Nasim,” she said. “I have something to tell him.”
The guard shook his head. “Tomorrow.”
“Now.” She moved out of the tent and to the left, still facing him. “He will punish you if you don’t wake him.”
The guard half-turned, following her. “He is more likely to punish me if I—”
Kadar was on him. His hand covered the guard’s mouth as his blade entered his heart. The man dropped to the ground.
Kadar motioned silently and Selene flew to his side.
He pushed her ahead of him around the right side of the tent.
Selene almost tripped over the body of the first guard Kadar had lured away. Then Kadar took her hand and was pulling her through the labyrinth of tents.
A few minutes later they reached the edge of the camp. Selene drew a deep breath. Too soon to be safe, but at least they had gotten this far without being discovered. Now they had only the run to the castle and—
“I thought you’d come back for her.”
They whirled to see Balkir standing beneath a tree a few yards away. The moonlight gleamed on the blade of the sword in his hand. “I’ve been waiting for you. Nasim was wrong to trust you. He should have let me fetch his treasure. I would never betray him.”
Kadar’s hand closed on Selene’s elbow. “Run,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll follow.”
She shook her head. She would not leave him to face Balkir alone.
“Stop whispering. You’ve lost. Nasim believes you to be so clever, but I’m the one who’ll give him what he wants.” Balkir stepped forward, hatred twisting his features. “And I’ll take away what you want.”
He lunged forward, the sword pointed at Selene’s breast.
Die. She was going to—
Kadar leaped in front of her, knocking her to the ground.
The sword entered his chest.
“No!”
Balkir wrenched out the sword and Kadar fell to the ground. Selene watched the blood gush from the wound. She fell to her knees beside him. “Oh, sweet Jesus, please . . .”
Kadar’s eyes were open. “Run . . .”
“No.” Tears were running down her face. “Be silent. You’re hurt . . .”
“Run.” His eyes closed and he slumped sideways.
Dead?
Agony tore through her. She cradled him in her arms, rocking back and forth.
“Get away from him,” Balkir said.
She scarcely heard him.
He took a threatening step forward. “I said, move away from that—”
“By Allah, what have you done, Balkir?” Nasim was striding toward them from the direction of the tents.
Balkir cringed. “They were trying to escape. You said we would kill the woman if he betrayed us.”
“You clumsy fool, I didn’t say to kill Kadar.”
“He stepped in front of my sword.”
Nasim knelt beside Kadar.
Selene drew Kadar closer. “Don’t you touch him,” she said fiercely.
He ignored her as he examined the wound caused by