CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
V IOLET FOLLOWED THE RULES .
Desperate not to be like her parents, all her life she had followed the rules.
Yet something had changed, and now she refused to meekly surrender...to just nod and give up on love.
Not that she dared tell Sahir—after all, she knew how forbidden it was here, this love.
It was as the helicopter swept them across the desert that she accepted that.
The sun was a ball of orange fire as it lowered, and she looked over to Sahir, the first person she had ever truly given her heart to.
He sat opposite, staring out of the window, and she looked at his rough unshaven jaw and the mouth that could sink her to her knees. And then he turned and gave her a small smile—and, yes, she loved him.
Violet couldn’t help but go misty-eyed at the sight of the palace from the sky. Last time she’d been too anxious to really take it all in, but now she truly didn’t want to miss a thing.
Carved into the rocks—or from the rocks—it was incredible. Within the palace walls there was a beautiful central star, and from each point emerged a separate wing. From high up they looked like beams of light.
It was a fractured star, though, for as they hovered to descend she could see the rubble and the ruins Sahir was fighting to have rebuilt.
A plane was on the runway when they landed—not the royal plane that had brought her here, but the small dark one she had seen on the runway in London.
Sahir’s private jet was all prepared and waiting...
Gosh, they really did want her gone.
She briefly met Aadil’s gaze and then flicked her eyes away, feeling guilty at her own audacity in her refusal to leave.
She walked with Sahir, her stomach knotted as they passed through a beautiful arch and the mechanical world of jets and helicopters was left behind...
It was paradise—or it felt like it.
The sun was still low in the sky, and after the heat of the desert there was the cool shade of trees. Little birds perched on fountains, and huge butterflies hovered over flowers.
‘It’s beautiful,’ she said.
‘There are several gardens,’ Sahir told her as they walked. ‘This is the welcoming garden.’
‘Really?’ she asked with a slight edge, even as Aadil’s eyes shot daggers into her back.
‘You are welcome,’ Sahir said. ‘You are my guest and do not forget that.’
‘Sahir. I’m sorry if this is—’
‘Such a clear night,’ he interrupted, glancing up at the sky.
She guessed they weren’t allowed to discuss private matters.
‘The view is magnificent from the Inanna wing,’ he went on. ‘That means Venus.’
‘What’s your wing called?’
Pria let out a small cough beside them and she realised her innocent question was not allowed either.
‘I was just...’ God, she always said the wrong thing. ‘I can never remember the planets,’ she said as they walked.
She stopped her nervous chatter; nobody was really listening anyway.
Two guards opened some doors and bowed to Sahir.
They entered, stepping onto a stone floor. Embedded within it was a golden star, where a bearded man paced. She thought it must be the teller.
Her eyes were drawn upwards to the huge arches and stairs, and to a central tower that stretched so high she had to put her head fully back to see the top.
‘The observatory is above us,’ Sahir said, still being formal. ‘Beyond the ceiling are the tower windows.’
‘It’s incredible...’
‘Violet?’
She pulled her chin down at the sound of her name and smiled at Pria.
‘Bibi will take you to the Venus wing.’
She looked at Sahir, uncertain when she would see him again.
‘Tomorrow we shall take breakfast in the East Garden before I leave, and then you can visit the hammam,’ Sahir told her.
‘Sounds wonderful.’ She smiled. ‘How do I get to the East Garden?’
It was Pria who responded. ‘I shall come and collect you.’ She turned to Sahir. ‘The King is waiting to brief you on the agenda for tomorrow with King Abdul.’
‘Of course.’
He nodded, and then there was a sudden stir—a slight flutter of panic from everyone except Sahir.
It was the arrival of the King.
‘Sahir...’ His father paused abruptly as he locked eyes with their unexpected guest.
Thankfully Violet copied Pria and bowed, grateful for her hurried advice.
‘Respond only if he speaks...just light chit-chat.’
‘Yes...’ Violet breathed, as she came up to stand. At least she was good at that.
‘Sahir, we have a meeting.’ The King’s eyes fell on Violet. ‘Miss Lewis.’
‘Your Majesty...’
‘King Babek,’ he invited. ‘I trust you enjoyed your time in the desert?’
‘Very much,’ Violet said, and heard Aadil’s low voice in her ear telling her to thank him.
Sahir watched as they all waited for Violet’s suitable response. Never had he hated the stilted atmosphere of the palace more. He was tempted to open one of the arched windows and let her escape.
‘The desert was wonderful,’ Violet said. ‘The flight there was a little hair-raising, but apart from that...’
Sahir suppressed a smile, certain that his father would simply stalk off. Yet he remained.
‘You’re from London?’
‘I am.’
Sahir saw Violet’s lips tremble as she smiled, but King Babek had already moved his attention to Sahir.
‘How was Carter’s wedding?’
‘Excellent,’ Sahir said, knowing damn well his father was reminding them both that it had been there that they’d met, and less than a week ago.
‘I have fond memories of London,’ King Babek said, and Sahir almost exhaled in relief. This was the polite, quiet conclusion to his brief greeting.
‘Yes,’ Violet said, clearly missing the signal that the King was about to leave. ‘I saw a gorgeous photo of you there with the Queen.’
Nobody had been moving, but even so Violet felt everyone still. She knew she had spoken out of turn as she saw the King’s eyes flare, and then she realised her mistake.
‘The late Queen,’ she hurriedly corrected, and then with slight horror realised her further mistake. ‘I mean, my late queen. Queen Elizabeth...’
‘Of course.’ The King actually gave a small laugh, but then made it clear he was done. ‘Goodnight, Miss Lewis.’
Damn! She screwed up her face as he walked off.
‘Violet?’ Sahir’s calm voice allowed her to open her eyes. ‘Well done.’
‘I shouldn’t have...’
‘I have to go.’ They looked right into each other’s eyes, because here that was all they could do. ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’
‘Yes.’
‘You can stop smiling now,’ he said gently, and Violet nodded, remembering the night they had met when he’d taken her into the garden.
She was brave, Sahir thought as she walked off into the unknown.
‘The King is ready,’ Aadil informed him.
‘Thank you.’
He knew a measured approach was needed with his father, and that emotion had no place inside these stone walls.
It had arrived, though, Sahir knew.
He’d just have to hide it for now—get through this meeting, remain icily calm.
‘Your Highness...’
Hakaam stepped out of the star and Sahir stood politely as the teller, as always, briefed him on the skies before his meeting with the King.
‘Neptune is in conjunction with Mercury. There may be deception...’
‘I see.’
‘Irrational thinking. Emotions flaring.’
‘Thank you.’ Sahir gave him a polite smile.
There would be no emotions flaring. He’d face his father with calm, and go through tomorrow’s schedule.
Violet was referred to only once.
‘Your guest is very talkative,’ his father said.
‘And very forgiving,’ Sahir said. ‘I could think of words other than “hair-raising” to describe her journey to the desert.’
‘I did what I could to give you a short holiday.’
Sahir looked up and met the challenge of his father’s eyes, which were as cold as black ice, in a face he’d barely seen smile.
This could have been him in twenty years’ time, Sahir knew. It might have been him had Violet not come into his life, warm and effusive, volatile...
Perhaps Hakaam was correct.
His thoughts were somewhat irrational, he knew, for he was glimpsing a future—and not the one he was destined for.
‘It’s time to get back to business, Sahir.’
‘I understand.’
He saw Aadil’s stance relax a little, and his father’s nod—only Sahir had not yet finished talking.
‘Of course it would have been remiss to send a junior royal to meet with King Abdul. However, I shall resume my leave on my return.’ He turned the page on his schedule. ‘Let’s move things along.’
Sahir wanted this meeting closed.
There was somewhere else he needed to be.
Oh, why did she always say the wrong thing?
Pria was very prim as she opened the door to the Venus wing. ‘This way, Violet.’
It was bewildering to walk through a palace where love was forbidden. To walk into a suite and be braced for something cold and formal, yet find it was so beautiful her breath caught. The stone walls were a soft blue hue, and gorgeous lights hung like stars.
‘A light supper?’ Pria said.
A small table was dressed with silver and candlelit. It was inviting and opulent and Violet stood there, resisting the urge to say wow . To gape.
‘Wow!’ She couldn’t help it. ‘It’s...’ She looked at the sapphire and silver. ‘So beautiful...’
‘It is the alignments tonight.’ Pria smiled. ‘Prince Sahir thought you might want something to eat.’
‘Thank you.’
‘There are robes and perfumes for you to use, and I have arranged the hammam for you tomorrow, but first I shall take you to breakfast with the Prince. I have to go to the meeting now.’ She gave Violet a lovely smile. ‘You were fine.’
‘I was dreadful.’
‘Oh, no.’ Pria shook her head. ‘You should have heard Sahir when he found out what had happened. And I must say I told both Sahir and the King that I was not happy...’
‘You were very kind to me that day,’ Violet said, and was glad of the chance to thank her.
Pria left then, and Violet slipped off her shoes, thinking of what Sahir had said.
She could stop smiling now.
The supper was welcome, but best of all was the silver tray of chocolates which she put by her bed. She showered and came out wrapped in a towel, wondering if she should have brought the nightdress from the desert.
She pulled open a few doors, but saw nothing to wear, then finally found a cupboard full of gowns—but clearly they were meant for daytime.
She ran her hand down one. It was sapphire-coloured, like the wax catcher on the candelabra, and it was far too stunning to sleep in. But she could hardly sleep in the nude.
A candle might get knocked over, Violet thought, imagining a fire in the night and another awkward encounter with the King.
She pulled it over her naked body.
Oh, it felt like velvet against her skin...
She stared into a long free-standing mirror and saw herself for the first time since the desert... There had only been hand mirrors there.
Her hair was lighter, just from that ride in the sun, but that wasn’t the only change...
She looked at her breasts. She wore no bra, and the sapphire gown clung. Her nipples grew erect just at the memory of that afternoon.
No, she could never be Queen—and not just because of her lack of status.
More because of her love for Sahir and how she ached to see him.
She wondered how they’d be at breakfast...sitting apart, unable to touch.
The poetry book was by the bed, and rather than get under the sheets she lay on top, bringing a candle to the bedside.
‘You’ll ruin your eyes, Violet,’ she warned herself, biting into a bitter chocolate.
She cringed all over again when she thought of what she’d said to the King.
Oh, it wasn’t so much the hair-raising bit where she’d messed up, it was mentioning his late wife...
She thought of his flare of anger as she’d spoken out of turn.
No, not anger...
Violet shook her head, refusing to think about it and turned to a very dog-eared page in the book.
Pablo Neruda
Every Day You Play...
Boring, she decided. She didn’t want to read about playing. But there were a lot of notes in the margin, so she gave it a go.
Oh, my...!
It was very sensual.
It was not a poem to read when you’d been thoroughly made love to and now had to spend the night alone.
Queen Anousheh’s notes and underscores explained it better than any teacher, and the poem made the cold night air feel like a midday furnace.
Violet read of suffering and savage, solitary souls, and thought of Sahir—and then she thought that absolutely she was ordering this book when she got home...
Then she lay back, wondering if she’d let him down, but then she recalled his dark eyes as he told her she could relax, as he had that first night. She could stop smiling now.
‘It’s just us.’
It wasn’t, though. They were an entire palace apart. She didn’t even know which wing he was in...
It didn’t matter, Violet suddenly realised, opening her eyes and slowly sitting up.
He’d been telling her about the observatory, the clear night, the view.
Sahir hadn’t been being formal.
He’d been telling her where they could meet.
Hadn’t he?
Opening her bedroom door, she peered down the long corridor. There was a maid sitting at the end.
‘Goodnight,’ Violet said, and slunk back inside.
Then she looked up at the ceiling, but there was no clue there. Then her gaze came down, and she looked at the many doors, one with a yellow gold and silver circle embedded in it...
Venus.
Inanna.
There seemed to be just a brick wall behind it, but then she saw that there was the same gold and silver circle embedded on the other side.
Violet picked up the candle and peered into the void. She saw that to one side there was a set of steep stairs.
It was creepy, and the candelabra was so heavy. And then it puffed out, so she left it on the first turn.
What if she was wrong?
She persisted on the slim chance that she was right.
She climbed up, ever up, and then she came to a door. Pushing it open, she came to a platform with four small arched windows and the whole of Janana stretched out below...
‘Hey!’
He startled her. She was breathless from the climb.
‘You...’ she gasped, and then his arms were around her waist, as he held her from behind. ‘I’m sorry if I said the wrong thing back there.’
‘Stop,’ he told her, lifting her hair, his hands on her breasts, naked beneath the sapphire gown. ‘I’ve been thinking of you.’
His mouth was hot on her neck, his hands rough, pinching her nipples. And then his hot palms smoothed over her breasts, making her ache for the fabric to dissolve, so much... He was slipping a hand in the neckline. Only it was too high...
His growl was impatient as he dropped contact, and then took her wrist to guide her back to the stairwell.
‘What if we get caught?’ she asked.
‘We won’t if we’re quiet.’
‘But...’
His jaw gritted, and he looked at her, and she saw the glint in the eyes of a man who did not want to sneak like a thief in his home, even if it was a palace.
She watched him walk to the door she’d just come through, and he lifted the latch on the heavy bolt. She heard the scrape of it closing.
‘It’s just us,’ he said.
She smiled.
The moon was behind her and she could see her own shadow on the stone wall. She stood, aroused, flushed and breathless, as he approached.
He gathered her into him, his body a wedge of muscle. His tongue prised open her mouth, and she kissed him back with all her might.
‘I thought...’
She was panting, on the edge of crying at the final bliss of this day, at how she’d thought she’d be on her way home.
‘We can’t last,’ she said, as his hands clasped her bottom. ‘I know that.’
She was frantic. His hands had pulled up the velvet material and she could feel the cold night air on her bottom as she searched for the opening in his robe.
‘Sahir...’
She did not know it could be this urgent—that she would choose a cold stone stairwell to be devoured in, rather than be made love to under a starry sky.
Their mouths were one...his hands were still on her bottom, pressing in and then stroking.
‘Take me...’ she said, and he lifted her. ‘Ow,’ she said, for the muscles of her inner thighs were too taut to stretch.
And yet they did so, because she ordered them to, wrapping her legs around him, sobbing as he smoothly entered her. Her back was to the wall and he was wild, tearing the front of the sapphire robe. His mouth was hot on her breast, and then he moved it back to her lips. That was foreplay, and all she required.
‘I want to...’ She held on to him. She wanted to stay. She did not want to be sent home. She was sobbing as he took her.
‘Sahir...’
She was ready to beg him to keep her. His body was hard and his breathing ragged. The tension of him untamed was bringing her to the edge of honesty.
‘Please let me stay. I’ll be your lover...your concubine. I’ll be—’
‘Shh...’
His hand came over her mouth and she licked his palm. He thrust into her hard, and then he stilled, and it was Sahir who let out a low shout that must startle the skies because it was primal.
Violet was climaxing so deeply that it almost hurt. Even her thighs contracted as he spilled inside her. It was everything she needed, all she desired, and she kissed his mouth.
She felt his firm hands lowering her down and she leant against him, his arms and body the only things that kept her standing.
Somehow she had to forget what she’d discovered today.
How much she loved Sahir.