I return to my quarters and grab my wallet because, although I’m not entirely sure what I’ll do, I know I need to leave. Once again I regret not having my phone with me, but if I manage to escape, I can get another one later.
My heart beats heavily in my chest as I pass people inside the palace. I keep my head down, and I’m relieved that nobody recognizes me.
When I’m finally outside the walls of the Royal Residence, I start breathing again.
I walk under the scorching sun for several minutes, and it’s only when I see how far away the city is that I realize I shouldn’t have fled without a plan. But what choice did I have? To stay in the palace and become a prisoner in a loveless marriage where he distrusts me and where I could potentially lose custody of my child?
I start to sweat and feel a little dizzy, and only then do I remember that I haven’t eaten anything today. My vision blurs, and afraid of fainting, I stop for a moment to catch my breath near the bushes on the side of the road.
Chapter 48
I don’t know how much time has passed, but I quickly realize that I was reckless to run away without knowing where I was going. I should have stayed at the palace, pretended everything was fine, and then contacted Zoe. I have no doubt that she and Christos would move heaven and earth to help me escape from Sintarah.
Now I’m in the middle of nowhere, feeling like I might faint at any moment, putting not only my life but also my baby’s life at risk. I force myself to stand up and start heading back to the palace, but I feel disoriented, perhaps due to the heat. My eyes are heavy, and my body is weak.
It’s a miracle when I hear a car approaching and then a voice asking in perfect English, “Do you need help, miss?”
I turn to face the man speaking to me. He looks older and has a friendly face.
“Yes, please. Could you help me get back to the Royal Palace?”
He is in a jeep, and even though I grew up knowing that I should never accept rides from strangers, right now, I have to put my baby’s wellbeing ahead of my own.
“Get in,” he says, and he doesn’t need to ask twice.
“Thank you so much,” I say as I climb into the passenger seat. He starts the car again, and I lean back on the seat to catch my breath. “I don’t want to impose on your kindness, sir, but would you happen to have some water? I don’t seem to handle the heat very well.”
He doesn’t answer, just keeps driving, focused on the road.
I don’t know if it’s the man’s silence, different from his initial friendliness, or the fact that he is speeding up, but fear spreads within me.
Then I realize that even without seeing my face, he spoke in English when we met. Shouldn’t he have spoken in his native language? After all, I’m wearing typical Sintarah clothes.
Whoever this man is, he knows I’m American. He probably knows I’m the future princess.
Oh my God, someone was stalking me!
The first thought of pure terror is that I’m being kidnapped on Kamal’s orders.
But despite all I’ve heard, I conclude that my fiancé would never allow a stranger to get near me, knowing that it could endanger the baby I’m carrying. No, he would do it personally or send Adil instead.
Could it be one of the rebels who threatened to blow up the plant yesterday? If that’s the case, I’m in greater danger than if I were under Kamal’s heel, because at least with the father of my child, I know our baby would be protected.
“How long until we get to the palace?” I ask, just to make sure I’m not going crazy. At the same time, I glance in the rearview mirror and see the palace getting farther and farther away. We are heading in the opposite direction of where we should be going.
When the man finally turns to face me, a chill runs through me.
“You won’t be going back to the palace, Madeline Turner. Someone is waiting for you. Your brief experience as a princess is over.”
I clasp my hands in my lap, telling myself that I need to control the tremors in my body. The man is physically stronger, and I know my next move will be crucial to what will happen to me and my child.
I calmly observe the road and notice some Bedouin tents set up at the bottom of the slope on one side. I have no idea who these people are, but nothing could be worse than going along with this man to an uncertain destination.
At some point, he needs to slow down, and praying to God for protection, I close my eyes and jump out of the car.
It’s not a very high fall, but I still roll and feel the rocks hurting my face and my body.
I’ve never been athletic, but maybe the adrenaline caused by fear gives me strength I never knew I had.
