"Not only in Zalandan. Women are surrounded by iron bars and silly rules wherever they live." She waved a dismissing hand. "No matter, I've learned to escape most of them. One absolutely must be determined and persevere."

"I… see." Yusef waved the servant away and descended the last three steps. His alarmed gaze searched the hall behind her. "Dear God, where is your escort?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I had no need of guards to come to visit you."

"No?" Yusef asked weakly. "I may have need of guards if the majiron hears you've paid me a visit without them. It's not fitting for—"

"You sound just like Said." Tess made a face. "Sweet Mary, I'm beginning to detest that word. I refuse to encumber myself with a covey of roosters clucking around me."

The suspicion of a smile broke through the shock and disapproval on Yusef's face. "I believe roosters crow, not cluck."

"The distinction is of no importance. You haven't asked me why I'm here."

"Terror struck me dumb."

She chuckled.

Yusef merely shook his head.

"You seem somewhat perturbed, so I'll get straight to my reason for visiting you," Tess said. "I wish to use your roof."

"What?"

"I noticed when Galen and I visited Kalim that this house is very tall. Its roof is higher than any in town. I need it to launch Alexander."

"Alexander?"

"My homing pigeon. Well, he's not that yet, but he will be when I've finished training him properly. Viane and I actually have two, but it seems Roxanne is regrettably lacking in natural instinct, so we've had to concentrate on Alex—"

He said quickly, "You cannot come here. It would not be fitting."

"You mean I must find another house? Oh dear, I'm sure I won't be able to find another roof this suitable, and it will be most awkward going from house to house asking strangers if—"

"No!" Yusef interrupted. "You cannot do—" He stopped as he saw her determined expression and gave a deep sigh. "How long would you need to use the roof?"

She brightened. "Oh, not long, I'm sure. Perhaps only a few days, if I came every afternoon."

"And when the majiron returns to the city, you must immediately cease your visits."

She nodded. "I'm sure Alexander will be clever enough to learn the trick of it long before the week is out."

"I hope so," Yusef sighed again. "I can send the servants away to avoid gossip and only hope no one else notices you." He glanced at her red hair blazing in the sunlight streaming into the foyer. "Though that's probably too much to ask."

"I'm sure everything will go splendidly." She smiled at him. "I do thank you, Yusef. I knew I could count on your help." She moved briskly toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow just after noon."

Yusef nodded gloomily. "I'm afraid you will. I'll be waiting, Majira."

The sand in the dunes shifted, lifted, then swirled in the moonlight with eerie grace.

The desert seemed empty, but that impression might be wrong. Galen gazed out into the darkness.

"Do you think Tamar's out there?"

Galen turned to see Sacha strolling toward him from the encampment. "Probably, we're on his territory."

"Will he pose a problem?"

"Not unless the whim takes him." He shrugged. "I've posted many sentries tonight. After we cross the border into Tamrovia tomorrow, there won't be any danger."

"Except total exhaustion." Sacha's brows were lifted as he looked at Galen. "I've never seen you push the men so hard as on this journey."

"I wanted to get you safely to the border. News travels fast among the tribes, and there was a chance Tamar might have guessed the reason for my marriage and decided to cause trouble. "

Sacha continued to look at him skeptically.

Galen shrugged. "Very well. So I'm restless and want to get back to Zalandan." He turned and strode back toward his blanket by the fire. “I’ve been away too much these past months.”

A smile tugged at Sacha’s lips. “Ah, how fraught with responsibilities and the burden of state affairs is the life of a ruler.” Sacha dropped down on his blanket and curled up with his backside to the fire. “What a relief it is to me that I’m just a dissolute popinjay who does only what he wishes to do.”

Galen realized ruefully that Sacha knew why he wanted to return quickly. They had been too closely associated for too long. Sacha had to see that lust was driving him back to Tess. He wondered why he hadn’t answered him with the earthy bluntness that was common between them. Sacha knew Galen needed a woman frequently, and was probably aware that since he had reached Zalandan he hadn’t visited any of the kadines who usually serviced him.

It wasn’t only because of his desire not to heap shame upon Tess that he had not indulged, he told himself. He had also been busy. There had been no time to—

How long did it take a man to wrest his satisfaction from a willing woman? Merde, he was lying to himself as he had to both Tess and Sacha. He didn’t want a kadine. He only wanted Tess.

He had wanted her since that first night in the stable, and the fever had grown until he couldn’t look at her without his loins readying.

As he was readying now just thinking about her.

He muttered a curse and turned to face the fire.

The flames shone as brightly as Tess’s auburn locks. No, Tess’s hair shone with a deeper, softer fire.

He closed his eyes tightly, trying to push the thought of her from his mind. It would be different once he had bedded her. The hold she had on him would lessen, the lust fade, the tenderness—

He would not think about the tenderness she stirred, or the amusement she prompted. It was perfectly reasonable for him to be eager to be with her after only a few hours apart. She glowed with the joy of life, and naturally such joie de vivre would draw him to her. Still, it was best not to dwell on anything but his physical response. Lust could be satisfied. Lust could not hurt him.

The hell it couldn’t. Right now it was damnably uncomfortable, he thought grimly. However, the wait was almost over. When he returned to Zalandan, he would be able to satisfy the hunger he had kept at bay for almost a month.

He firmly locked away thoughts of Tess. Tomorrow he would start back to Zalandan, but it would be so long before he reached there… before he could be with Tess.

* * *

Someone was following her!

Tess hastened her pace as she turned the corner. It was the time of the evening meal, and the streets of Zalandan were deserted. The entrances to the shops were dusky caverns on either side of the street. She shivered with apprehension.

She could have been wrong about the footsteps that slowed and quickened in tempo with her own. Why should anyone be following her? Her hand instinctively went to the golden pendant around her neck. She had discovered in the last few days that although Zalandan might have its share of scalawags, she could move about without anyone bothering her. The pendant. She was sure it was responsible for her freedom. It was invisible armor enveloping her. Galen's armor.

But Galen had been gone for three days. Perhaps the man following her was more interested in the gold of the necklace than the warning it sent out to—

"Stop!" The voice behind her was harsh, male, commanding.

Her heart leaped, and she broke into a run.

"Majira!"

The voice was familiar, she realized with relief. She turned to see a tall, robed figure stalking toward her. Kalim.