Page 108 of Dangerous

He grunted and pushed. The gap grew wider.

“I will go first.” She pushed past him before he could argue.

The passage was tight and dusty and her nose twitched. Behind her, Bouchard sneezed.

“Shhhhh!”

“Do you think I sneeze for my own pleasure?” he hissed.

Mia ignored him, feeling the wall on her right for the small indent that heralded the opening.

“It’s here,” she whispered, keeping her fingers on the almost unnoticeable dimple in the stone wall. She heard the sound of a hand rubbing over stone and then felt Bouchard’s large warm hand.

“Now what?”

“Push.”

She pushed with him and for a moment it seemed the heavy slab of stone would not budge. When it finally did, it made the low-pitched grinding noise she remembered.

Bouchard swore and stopped. “We’ll wake the whole damn palace!”

“No, we won’t. This entrance is near the shared pools. Nobody will be here so late at night. Push.”

The door swung easier once it passed over the flagstone and met the polished floor. Mia peeked around the edge into the open courtyard. Only one dim lantern glowed in the walled bathing area and there wasn’t a soul around.

Bouchard followed her into the big open space and glanced around.

“So this is what a harem looks like, eh? I imagined it differently.”

Mia had a pretty good idea of what he’d imagined.

“We need to keep going. If Jibril is in the palace, he will have gone to our old quarters. There are several excellent hiding places built into the walls.”

“What if there is somebody else living in your old quarters?” he whispered.

Before Mia could answer, the sound of footsteps came from the direction of the kitchens.

Mia grabbed Bouchard and dragged him into the nearest hallway. She peered around the corner and saw silent shapes flickering into the courtyard. It wasn’t until they reached the large bathing pool, which was directly below the light, that Mia saw who it was.

“Jibril!”

Bouchard reached out to cover her mouth but she was already bounding across the courtyard. Jibril grunted when she slammed into his arms.

“Mother?” He sounded stunned. And maybe a little angry. Mia kissed his cheek and his nose.

“Where is your stepfather?” she asked before Jibril could begin scolding her.

A voice she knew and loved came from somewhere behind her son.

“I’m right where I’m supposed to be, darling. What about you?”

“Perhaps we could have this family reunion later?” Bouchard whispered angrily.

“Bouchard?” It was Adam again, and he sounded furious. “What the bloody damned blasted hell could you be thinking to bring her here?”

Bouchard made a sound of pure, frustrated rage.

“It’s not his fault, Adam, I—”