"I know you're going to have to do your damnedest," Daniel said with a cool little smile. "Or else you're going to have to face just the awkward diplomatic confrontation you've been trying to avoid between Alex and Philip."

Clancy's eyes narrowed to ice blue slits. "You'd bring El Kabbar into it?"

"If I have to," Daniel said. "That's up to you. You know Philip wouldn't bat an eye to closing his borders and refusing to let Zilah leave or anyone to come in after her. He'd probably enjoy testing his power against the Ben Raschid regime."

"I wouldn't doubt that for a minute," Clancy growled. "Dammit, Daniel, I won't be manipulated this way. You're bluffing."

"Then call my bluff." Daniel's eyes were gleaming recklessly. "And take the consequences. Or give me my two weeks and then I'll bring her to Zalandan myself." He paused. "If she still wants to go."

"And just how do you propose I accomplish this hiatus?" Clancy's tone was heavy with sarcasm.

"That's up to you. We both know you have guile to spare when you choose to exert it. If it will help, I'll get Philip to have the doctor issue orders that she's not to be moved for that length of time."

"And I only have to keep the homefront from finding out she's being held by a man who'd like nothing better than to tumble Zilah into his bed. Considering her circumstances, that particular knowledge would alarm the hell out of everyone." Clancy scowled. "I don't suppose you'd like to give me your assurance that that won't happen?"

Daniel shook his head. "I want her more than I've ever wanted any woman before, so I can't promise anything." His expression was grim. "But I want her trust as well. That means I can't have both. Not right now."

"Well, that's something at least." Clancy stood up. "You have your two weeks. You leave me very little choice." He placed his glass on the desk with careful precision. "I don't like to be put in that position," he said softly. "Remember that, Daniel. You're walking on thin ice."

"I know." Daniel grinned suddenly. "That should prove how serious I am about this. You always did scare the hell out of me, Clancy."

A reluctant smile tugged at Clancy's lips. He uttered an obscenity that was explicit. "Two weeks. After that I'm coming in to get her and to hell with diplomacy." His smile took on a silky ferocity. "And I'll nail your ass to the wall of the Tower of Tears at Marasef."

"We'll see." Daniel slanted an engimatic smile at him as he straightened. "You've only played the game with me, Clancy. Never against me. You might be in for a surprise. Now that we've reached an agreement,

I want to get back to Zilah." He strode briskly toward the door. "Let me know if you get any word on Hassan."

"Daniel."

Daniel looked back over his shoulder inquiringly.

"This must mean a hell of a lot to you," Clancy said slowly. "But are you sure it's worth the possibility of having to go up against Alex?"

"It's worth it." Daniel's smile was bittersweet. "I feel as if I've found something I've been searching for all my life. I should have known it wouldn't come without a barb or two attached." He opened the door. "But, hell yes, it's worth it."

When Zilah opened her eyes, she saw Daniel. It was obviously night, for it was dark in the room, but there was a lamp burning on the bedside table and Daniel was sitting in a wing chair drawn close to the side of the bed. There was a frown on his face as he gazed abstractedly into the distance.

"Daniel?" she murmured drowsily to bring him back to her. She shifted in the bed, turning to face him. She was naked beneath the satin sheet that covered her, she noticed absently.

He straightened and leaned forward. "I'm here. Go back to sleep, babe. You're safe now."

"I know." She was always safe with Daniel. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine and you will be too. Dr. Madchen said that you'd be weak and lethargic for a few days, but after that you'll be on the mend."

"Dr. Madchen?"

He went still. "You don't remember the doctor?"

She shook her head. "It's all pretty much of a blur. I remember you carrying me into a foyer that looked like something out of an Arabian Nights palace. After that, it was all downhill." She frowned. "No, I remember something else."

There was a flicker of wariness in Daniel's eyes.

"Really?"

"A man with strange-colored eyes. Almost turquoise. Was that the doctor?"

Daniel chuckled. "No, that was your host, Philip El Kabbar. He'll be flattered to know that he made such an impression even while you were in the throes of fever. It will give his ego an enormous boost. Not that he needs it."

"It's very kind of him to let us impose on him like this. I'd like to thank him."

"You'll get plenty of opportunity to do that." Daniel reached out and took her hand in his. "The doctor doesn't want you traveling on to Zalandan for a week or so. He wants to be sure you don't develop

complications."

Her eyes widened. "Why should he think I'd have complications?"

He looked down at her hand and idly began to stroke the pulse point at her wrist with his thumb. "Complications have a habit of popping up when you least expect them," he said evasively. "We're going to be very careful of you, Zilah." He glanced up, his eyes twinkling. "After all the trouble I took to get you away from Hassan, I refuse to lose you to a scorpion."

His gentle massaging thumb was sending sparks of heat up her arm, and Zilah felt a tiny sensuous stirring in the pit of her stomach. "I wouldn't think of having all your efforts in my behalf come to nothing," she said lightly. "It would be most ungrateful of me." She couldn't seem to pull her gaze away from its entanglement with Daniel's. "I'll be dutiful in making a complete recovery. Has anyone notified my mother and David that I'm safe?"

"We phoned Zalandan as soon as the doctor said

you were out of danger. Clancy Donahue flew back there tonight and will give them a more personal report. You'll be able to phone your mother tomorrow yourself if you like."

"Of course." Her forehead wrinkled in a frown. "Clancy Donahue was here too? The fever must have really caused me to draw a blank. What else did I miss?"

"Nothing of importance." He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze before releasing it. "Do you think you can go back to sleep now that you've had some of your questions answered?"

"But I don't have all my questions answered." She was scanning his face with a troubled expression. There were lines of strain around Daniel's eyes and the flesh was drawn taut over his cheekbones. "Haven't you slept at all?"

He chuckled. "I don't need much sleep. I was fine after I showered and had something to eat."

"I don't think you slept last night either. And I don't see how you possibly could have slept the night before, planting all those bombs and whatevers."

He grinned. "Yes, planting whatevers can be very exhausting."

"Don't joke. You know perfectly well what I mean. Go to bed, Daniel."

"Now, if you'd said come instead of go, I might be more amiable about the suggestion," Daniel drawled.

She felt the heat in her stomach flutter and then begin to spread. "Then, come," she said breathlessly.