"I didn't recognize you at first." Her eyes twinkled. "You're wearing clothing."

He blinked, appearing slightly taken aback. "May I pack for you, Majira?"

Good Lord, he was as stiff and sober as the Mother Superior. "By all means," she said solemnly. "Where is the sheikh?"

"In the stable. Shall I tell him you wish to see him?"

"No, you go about your business." She started down the steps again. "I'll find him."

"Unescorted?" He looked slightly shocked. "There are men in the stable, Majira."

She glanced impatiently over her shoulder. "What difference does that make?"

"It is not fitting. You are the majira. It would be unwise for you to—"

"I'll escort her, Said." Sacha was standing at the bottom of the staircase. "Get to the packing."

Said sighed in apparent relief. "As you wish, my lord."

Tess shook her head as she watched him move quickly away. "He has no humor."

"Said's a good man," Sacha said. "But he does have a highly developed sense of protocol. It's a different world in Sedikhan."

"So I'm beginning to discover." She started down the last few steps. "What's a majira?"

He grinned. "That's you. Wife of the majiron. The Tamrovian equivalent would be 'Your Majesty'.

"And Galen is the majiron?"

He nodded. "It's one of his titles." His smile disappeared as his gaze searched her face. "Are you… well?"

She flushed and avoided his stare. "Probably better than you. You were definitely in your cups last night." She strode past him toward the door. "I'm going to see Selik."

"Not your husband?"

She glanced mischievously over her shoulder. "My husband appeared sound in wind and limb when I last saw him. Selik was not."

"Selik is much better."

Tess swung around to see Galen standing in the doorway. He gazed at her without expression, but his lips twitched betrayingly. "And I'm glad you found me… fit."

Tess heard a sound behind her from Sacha that sounded suspiciously like a smothered chuckle.

She flushed as memories surfaced of Galen standing in naked splendor before her, his dark eyes burning, his hair flowing about his shoulders. Her gaze flew to his hair. It was tied neatly in a queue. He was dressed in a black superfine coat and matching trousers, his cravat wound as intricately as the one gracing Sacha's throat. Somehow that evidence of proper civilized attire restored her composure. "Selik is able to travel?"

He nodded. "But not bear weight. We'll put him on a lead for a few days."

"That's wise," she commented.

"I'm glad you approve." He inclined his head in a slight bow. "I've purchased a mare from the innkeeper for you to ride to Zalandan. She's a little long in the tooth, but adequate for the journey. Now, if you please, we'll break our fast and be on our way. Our escort waits over the border at the Oasis of El Dabal."

A journey to Sedikhan. Who would have believed she would ever go to that barbaric land? She found she was suddenly filled with eagerness to be on her way. "Let's go now. I'm not hungry."

"Nevertheless, you will eat," Galen said. "We won't be stopping until sundown, and you must keep up your strength."

She frowned. "I don't like orders, my lord."

His faint smile faded. "Better mine than your father's."

"True." She gave him a veiled look from beneath her lashes. "But if you recall, I usually found ways to circumvent his orders."

"Those means will not be available to you in Zalandan." He saw her abrupt stiffening and withdrawal, and his expression softened. "Which doesn't mean I plan to tyrannize you, only to keep you safe."

"My father also took precautions to keep me safe. One of those precautions was to try to kill Apollo, who loved me." She met his gaze directly. "Would you do something like that?"

He gazed at her silently for a moment before he said slowly, "If such a thing became necessary."

She was startled. It was not the answer she expected. He had saved Apollo. Yet now he looked at her with implacable resolution shining in his eyes. There was no question he meant what he said. She drew a deep, shaky breath. "Then it's well we come to an understanding." She made an impatient gesture as he started to speak. "I know I have a certain value to you. I will do nothing to endanger it by damaging myself."

"I did not mean—"

"Of course you did. I'm no fool. I know what my worth is to you." She strode toward the common room. "I will eat. Such a small thing does not matter, and I know you must keep me well." She challenged him with a glance. "But you offered me freedom, and I will not let you have it all your own way."

"Freedom comes when you leave me." He smiled. "And I'm very used to my own way in Zalandan."

"I'm ravenous." Sacha moved quickly forward and grasped Tess’s elbow, smoothly inserting himself between her and Galen. "If you're both through throwing down gauntlets, may we eat now? Come along, Tess. You know how conflict upsets my delicate nature." He heard a disbelieving snort from Galen and glanced over his shoulder with a hurt expression. "Philistine. You've never appreciated the sensitivity of my feelings." He propelled Tess forward. "Besides, neither of you is giving me enough attention. I'm beginning to become bored."

Judging by the number of tents, Tess would have said a small army occupied the palm-shaded oasis of El Dabal. As she, Galen, Sacha, and Said approached, at least seventy riders, dressed in robes of the same striped burgundy and cream colors worn by Said, thundered toward them.

"Mother of God." Tess reined in her mare to stare at the cavalcade. "Even His Majesty doesn't travel with an entourage this large."

"King Lionel doesn't have to cross a country torn apart by warring tribes," Galen said. "An escort isn't mere panoply in Sedikhan."

"Not when Tamar claims the border country as his," Sacha added with a grimace.

"Tamar?" Tess asked.

"Sheikh Tamar Hassan," Galen said absently as he took off his tailored coat and draped it over the front of his saddle, then removed his cravat, put it carefully on top of the coat, and unfastened the first three buttons of his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Tess asked.

"Getting rid of these foolish trappings. I'm home now."

He smiled recklessly, his white teeth flashing in the bronze darkness of his face. Tess was spellbound. He looked wilder, less controlled than she had ever seen him. The hot breeze lifted his dark hair from his forehead, and barely suppressed excitement glittered in his eyes. She knew he spoke truly when he lovingly called the barren golden sand shimmering under hard blue skies "home." He seemed one with this merciless, exotically beautiful land.

"Bring her, Sacha. I need to go ahead to meet Kalim." Galen spurred ahead into a gallop, with Said pounding at his heels.

Tess sat her horse and watched the uproar of greeting as Galen rode into the troop. At first the men stayed still, merely making shrill, loud noises. Then, suddenly, they surrounded Galen. Even at a distance Tess could see that the faces of the men surrounding Galen showed affection and a respect bordering on worship.