“There are lines we cannot cross. Do not hurt him. Swear it.”
Apollo gave her a fierce look. “How can you defend him?”
“Defend?” she balked. “I defend myself—if you go after him, the king’s nephew, you will be removed if not killed. Then who will protect me?”
That flexing jaw muscle told her he was ticked but could not argue her words.
“I…I had thought Rayan was kind.” She sighed heavily. “But I see now that does not exist in the Central Kingdom.”
The way he’d grabbed her, worked to keep her from Apollo, felt…ominous. A warning clanged at the back of her mind. When they’d first brought her to Jeddah, she had expected torture and rape. Anything to punish her for Ummi’s betrayal. Yet, by something she could only ascribe as a miracle of God, they had not. Beatings, yes. But those had stopped quick enough once she understood how they expected her to behave. Once she’d figured out their rules, she knew how to play the game.
But it was exhausting.
Not until Apollo arrived did any semblance of light bleed into the darkness that had taken her captive. Maybe…maybe she should let him get her out of this before something nefarious happened.
The throttle of engines startled her out of the morbid thoughts and drew her gaze to vehicles pulling away from the compound. “Where are they going?”
“Spotlight night drive,” he said in a hollow voice. “When you marched out of the tent, I heard Maaz telling the others to meet there immediately after they ate.”
“Without us?”
He nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Furrowing his brows, he eyed her. “Didn’t think you wanted to be with them.”
“I…don’t.” And yet, she felt sad at not going out to see the wildlife. She stared out past the covered porch. “A moonlight drive amid wildlife sounds kind of dreamy though.”
“There’s one Cruiser left,” he said with a smirk. “Just you and me and the guide.”
Excitement pushed Leighton out of the tent.
“I guess this is you wanting to go.”
It would be one lifetime too soon if Owen had to deal with another royal. Never had he met such self-serving, self-absorbed people. Which felt a bit whack, since he knew the North and South Kingdoms were light-years different—kind, friends of the West. The Central Kingdom’s disregard for life and common decency appalled, especially since the royals on this trip were the ones who would rule, be leaders among nations.
Spoiled, rich fools.
Owen had almost believed Rayan had a thread of honor in him, but that had unraveled in the last twenty-four hours as the prince started crossing lines and treating Leighton like a subservient. As if she were a thing to be owned and controlled instead of a valuable ally and partner, an intelligent woman with a killer sense of humor.
Seeing that piece of slime touching her, ordering her around, had nearly made him a murderer.
They made it to the vehicles, and a driver materialized from the shadows of a nearby tent. “You want spot-lit drive with Bakari?”
“Please,” Leighton said calmly.
“In, in,” he said with a toothy grin as he circled around and climbed in behind the wheel.
They both sat in the second passenger row as the vehicle rumbled to life and pulled away.
“We will drive out long way, then I use spotlight.” The guide tapped the open-top roof. “Show you wildlife.”
About twenty minutes later, Bakari slowed to a stop, grabbed a large flashlight, and aimed it out the sunroof toward the left of the Cruiser. He angled the beam over a series of three levels that had bricked walls and planters with directional signs pointing to various locations. The large arrangement seemed ornamental—kind of like a centerpiece to welcome guests. And there in the middle?—
“See? See it?” Bakari prodded.
“What?” Leighton craned and squinted, shifting to see. “What is it?”
