Page 70 of Warlord’s Empire

“Make sure Radik gives you access to the outside world again,” Leeza said sternly, taking Havel’s place and hugging her sister. “Kris and Addy have been despondent since you stopped answering their video chats.”

Saskia’s heart ached as she was reminded of her niece and nephew. It was going to be hard not seeing them any time she wanted. In Prague, they were a 20-minute drive from her place.

Radik came to stand behind Saskia, his hand skimming her back. “Saskia will have complete access to outside communications. And we’ll be sure to visit soon. I know she misses the children.”

Ayaan was the last to say goodbye. “Watch out for snakes,” she warned Saskia. “They’re no joke around these parts.”

“I have the anti-venom for every poisonous creature in this region,” Radik said seriously, pulling his sister in for a rib-cracking hug. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?”

She stepped back. “You sent me away to keep me safe, now you’re asking me to come back?” she teased. “You need to make up your mind, big brother.”

He chuckled. “Six years ago, I didn’t have Marifiya yet and you were being hunted by an enemy.”

Ayyan’s eyes glittered with malice. “One day I will track that man down and make him regret every bad decision he ever made.” She paused, then added, “For the time I allow him to live.” She climbed aboard the jet with the others.

As the plane lifted into the sky, Saskia said, “I love them and I’m going to miss them, but I’m not sorry to see them go.”

Radik, who stood behind her, squeezed her shoulder. “Now that I can be assured of Jozef’s hospitality, we’ll be able to visit them soon.”

Saskia smiled, waving at the plane as it got smaller in the sky. Radik had called Jozef by his first name. He’d never done that before. Things were changing.

As they drove back to the village in Radik’s beat-up truck, one security vehicle in front of them and two behind, Saskia asked him, “Are you really going to give me access to the outside world? Or is that just something you told my family so they would leave.”

He chuckled, taking her hand and lifting it to his mouth to kiss her fingers. “I can’t give you complete unrestricted access. No one living here has that, me included. For Marifiya to remain safe, we must be invisible to the outside world, but you can make and receive calls as often as you want.”

Saskia nodded, then shook her head. “I need access to the internet too so I can check translations when I’m working. Can I do that?” She also enjoyed shopping online, reading the gossip subreddits, playing games. Would she have to give all that up?

“You don’t need to work anymore, but yes, you will have access to the internet with some restrictions.”

“Good, I can’t imagine never being able to go online again,” she said. “And as far as work goes, I’ve never needed to have a job, it’s just something I’ve always wanted. I don’t know if I can give that up, especially since I worked so hard to get my degree and find a placement in the Prime Minister’s office.”

“What if I offered you – ” he began.

“A position working for your organization?” She shook her head. “That’s what Jozef was offering. I’m not interested in becoming a glorified and unnecessary assistant just so you can keep me someplace safe and I can feel like I’m making an honest living.”

They lapsed into silence and she relaxed and enjoyed their bumpy drive through the rainforest thinking the topic was forgotten.

When they arrived at Marifiya and parked in front of the house, Saskia climbed out of the jeep. Before she could go inside, Radik took hold of her hand, pulling her to face him. “Do you trust me, my angel?”

He hadn’t given her a single reason to distrust him. In fact, he’d given her everything and more since arriving in Marifiya, including the two things she wanted most, her family and her freedom.

“Yes, I do,” she said firmly.

He cupped her face and bent to give her a lingering kiss, heedless of the activity in the town, the chuckles as people had to move out of their way to get around them.

“Then trust that I will make you as valuable to my organization as you are to my heart.” He cradled her hand in his and held it to his chest. “I’ve known you for years. I know how important it is to you that you have meaning in your life. I will not strip that from you by locking you away from the world.”

Wow. What did a person say to something like that? He just kept getting better and better.

“Okay,” she whispered because she had nothing else.

Saskia thought it would take time for Radik to find meaningful work for her, but he joined her for dinner on the patio that evening. “Can you be ready to take a flight with me tomorrow morning?”

She grinned. “Yes, of course! I’d love to. Where are we going?”

“On a business trip.”

Oh, it was for work. Nerves hit her. “Will I be expected to translate? I usually know what I’m dealing with ahead of time. I don’t know all languages of course, but I’m good at understanding common…”