The Treasure_ A Novel - Iris Johansen [78]
“And you think he wouldn’t have done it anyway?”
“Perhaps.” She closed her eyes. “I don’t know. He risked his life to come after me at Montdhu.”
“Then the babe had nothing to do with it. Now stop thinking. Try to sleep.”
Sleep? If she hadn’t been so numb, she would have laughed aloud. “How long before we can go looking for him?”
“A day, perhaps two. Maybe longer. When we’re sure Nasim has given up the search and left the forest.”
“He won’t give up.”
“He will if he thinks we managed to elude him and are no longer here. That’s why we must make no move.”
“How will we know when he leaves?”
“Antonio’s very good in the woods, but I won’t let him go out until we think it’s safe.”
“Of course not.” The last thing she wanted was to put another innocent person in danger. Her burden of guilt was already too great.
She closed her eyes. Let nothing happen to him. Please let Haroun be safe.
Twice the next day, riders came within yards of the cave. Once two of them dismounted and walked into the nearby bushes to relieve themselves.
But they did not discover the entrance.
On the third day Layla sent Antonio out to reconnoiter.
He shook his head when he returned a few hours later. “They’re still here. But they’re camped on the edge of the forest to the west. They may be getting ready to leave.”
“Haroun?” Selene asked. “Is he a prisoner?”
“I didn’t see him in the camp.”
Fear shuddered through her.
“Don’t think the worst,” Layla said. “That may be good news. He could be hiding in the forest. Now sit down and have some of these fine berries Antonio brought us.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Eat anyway. You’ve barely eaten anything for the past few days. You have to think of the babe.”
She had thought of the babe and let Haroun ride into danger. She had chosen the child, and Kadar and Haroun might suffer for—
“Eat,” Layla repeated.
If she had chosen, then she must at least make sure something good came out of this. If Haroun died, it must not be for nothing. The child must live.
She reached out, took a berry, and began to eat.
The next day Antonio ventured out again. When he returned, he reported that Nasim and his men had left the forest.
They waited until nightfall to make sure he did not return and then began their search for Haroun.
They found him on the second day, tossed in a gully like a scrap of garbage.
He had been chopped to pieces.
“Don’t look.” Layla stepped in front of Selene, blocking the way. “Antonio and I will take care of him.”
“Get out of my way.” Selene thrust her aside and fell to her knees beside Haroun. No face. No face. It wasn’t even Haroun anymore. “Oh, God.”
Layla’s hand fell on her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
“They didn’t have to do this to him,” Selene whispered. “To kill is bad enough. That monster didn’t have to do this.”
“Selene, we have to bury him,” Layla said gently. “It’s been too long already.”
“Yes,” she said dully.
“Antonio and I will do it. You go back to the cave and wait until—”
“No, I’ll do it.”
“It’s too much. You—”
She jumped to her feet and whirled on Layla. “I said I’ll do it,” she said fiercely. “You didn’t know him. You didn’t care about him. He deserves to have someone—” Her voice broke and she had to stop until she was able to go on. “You and Antonio go dig the grave. I’ll prepare him.”
“It’s not wise. It would be easier for—”
“I don’t care. I don’t want it easy. He wasn’t allowed to have it easy.” She turned back to Haroun. “Go away.”
A moment later she heard the sound of Layla’s and Antonio’s departure.
She needed a shroud. She took off her cloak and laid it on the ground. “We have to do this together, Haroun,” she whispered. “You’ve always helped me. Now let me help you.”
They laid Haroun to rest at sunset.
For a long time Selene stood looking down at the pile of earth. It didn’t seem right that any man’s life should end like this. There should be . . . more.
“Are you ready to go?” Layla asked.
“Not yet.”
Haroun laughing as he diced with Kadar in the stable at