* * *

Tamar took one look at Tess sitting straight and proud on her horse and threw back his head and shouted with laughter. "Allah be merciful, what have we here? Did you bring all the goods of the entire encampment with you?"

"I see nothing amusing." Tess lifted her chin haughtily as her gaze traveled from Tamar to the grinning tribesmen mounted behind him. "I could hardly travel without a few necessities. Who knows to whom you'll decide to ransom me, or how long it will take?"

"Necessities?" Tamar's gaze went from the band of emeralds encircling Tess's throat to the gold cloth parasol she carried in her left hand. Her horse's mane was braided with matching gold cloth ribbons, and the horse on lead behind her that was heavily burdened with trunks, valises, and even a beribboned wicker cage containing a bird. "A peacock. Galen's wed a peacock!"

"He's wed a princess of Tamrovia," Tess said. "Which he would never have done if I'd known of the barbarism to which I'd be subjected when I came here." She pouted. "In Belajo I would never have suffered these indignities." She turned to Kalim and said impatiently, "Let's get on with it. Take the girl and go, so that I can get off this abominable horse. The heat is insufferable."

Kalim looked inquiringly at Tamar.

Tamar's gaze was still fixed in bemusement on Tess. "You dislike our country?"

"Zalandan is pleasant enough, but the desert country is unbearable." She wiped her brow with a perfume-drenched handkerchief and said pointedly, "You're keeping me waiting."

"My apologies, Your Highness." Tamar swept her a mocking bow. He snapped his fingers, and the riders behind him parted to reveal a small figure toward the rear of the column. "Viane!"

Viane rode forward toward Tess. The young girl's face was white and set, her eyes dark with pain. Tess felt a flare of anger at Tamar that she knew was reflected in her face, and deliberately turned it to Viane. "You foolish girl, you've caused me a great deal of trouble."

"I'm sorry," Viane whispered.

Tess shrugged. "Perhaps it's for the best. If he's sensible, this brigand and I may deal very well together. It may be fate that brought us together. "

Tamar lifted his brow. "Indeed?"

"Later." Tess gestured haughtily to Kalim. "Take her and leave."

"Tess." Viane stopped her horse beside Pavda. "I'm sorry, I would not have—"

"If you're sorry, then leave so I can get off this animal. You know I detest horses."

Viane's eyes widened in shock. "But, Tess, I don't—"

"Come, Viane." Kalim quickly took the reins of Viane's horse and led her away.

Would Tamar let them go? Tess held her breath as she saw the sheikh's speculative gaze follow Kalim and Viane. She had no faith he would honor the exchange if it suited him to do otherwise. Galen had said he was a man who acted on whim.

Distraction. She swiftly nudged Pavda forward, blocking Tamar's view of Kalim and Viane. "Now, I have a proposition for you."

His gaze shifted back to her. "A proposition?"

She nodded. "Why else would I have consented to this exchange? It was my opportunity to leave this dreadful country. If you wish to hold me ransom, why not ransom me to my father in Tamrovia?" She wiped her brow again and said peevishly, "Why do you keep me here in this heat? Is there no shade anywhere in this country? Come, we will go back to your encampment."

"Oh, will we?" Tamar's lips twisted. "I think not, Your Highness. We've broken camp, and we'll have a long ride before we stop." He glanced at Kalim and Viane, who were almost out of sight, hesitated, and then turned back to Tess. "And I will decide when you will be permitted to rest. You'll find I'm not Galen Ben Raschid. He was always soft where women were concerned. It was that bitch of a mother who ruined him for the pleas—" His eyes suddenly widened, and he started to laugh again. "Damn!" He slapped his thigh. "Of course, why not?" He turned his horse. "Come along, Your Royal Haughtiness, I've just had a wonderful thought. Let's get on our way."

"My proposition," Tess protested, shooting a sidewise glance at the curve of the road. She breathed a sigh of relief as she realized Kalim and Viane had rounded the curve and joined Yusef and the waiting escort.

"Be sure I'll listen." Tamar laughed. "You're proving to be more amusing than I thought. I'll let you speak all you wish as long as you continue to amuse me. After all"—he shot her a malicious glance—"we must have something to do… between."

Tess kept her expression pettish. "You're as crude as my husband. I will not tolerate this treatment any longer. I'll be glad to be home in a civilized country again, where gentlemen speak sweetly and courteously."

Tamar gazed at her in astonishment as if she were some startling new animal he had discovered. "Don't you understand what I'm going to do to—" He stopped and began to laugh again. "Impossible!" He was still laughing as he put spurs to his horse. "I could almost pity Galen. What he must have suffered, dragging you from tribe to tribe these last two months. He should reward me, for I'm truly saving him from himself."

"Dear God, you left her with him?" Galen had the odd feeling he was breaking apart inside. "You gave her to him?"

Kalim flinched. "It was wrong, but I didn't know what else to do. Viane was—"

Sacha stepped forward. "How is Viane? Did he hurt her?"

"No, she's just weary and frightened. She scarcely spoke to me on the road back to Zalandan," Kalim said hoarsely. "As soon as she reached the palace, she went to her chamber, and I came here."

Galen moved across the chamber toward the door. "Where did the exchange take place?"

"In the hills above the carobel encampment."

"Gather the men. We leave at once."

"He's wounded, Galen," Sacha reminded him quietly.

Galen whirled to face them. He could feel the anger, raging, flaming, devouring him. "Do you think I care? If he can ride, he goes. Everyone goes. He's fortunate I don't strangle him. We're going to get her back."

Sacha shook his head. "We can't ride out blindly. You know Tamar. He's like a shadow. We could be searching those hills for days."

"Then that's what we'll do."

"No," Kalim said.

"No?" Galen said silkily, his glance a barbed sword as he turned on Kalim. "Perhaps you wish to leave her with Tamar? You certainly gave her into his tender care with great alacrity."

Kalim turned pale. "I could not—" He swallowed. "I deserve your anger, but it was the majira who said you were to wait here."

"Wait! She doesn't know what Tamar—"

"She knows," Kalim interrupted. "She said she will get word to you where she is."

"And how will she do that?"

"Alexander. She took him with her. She said she would send you word where she was. She also had a plan to render Tamar and his men helpless."

Galen stared at him in astonishment and then felt a leap of hope. He didn't see how Tess, a lone woman, could possibly hope to defeat Tamar's band, but the pigeon might prove her salvation. "How long since you left her?"

"Noon."

Galen glanced at the sky. "It's nearing sunset. They'll be stopping at dusk to camp." He turned and strode toward the door. "Have the horses saddled and the men ready to ride, Sacha. Kalim, come with me and tell me about this plan. I'm going to Viane's chamber and wait for Alexander."