Chapter 46
“We still haven’t found her!” Angela grumbled, sliding dramatically down to the floor again with a huff. Rafi and Laith slid down beside her in perfect synchronicity, as though they'd rehearsed the move. But Zayn, the ever-determined six-year-old, stood tall in front of them, hands on his hips, his feet spread wide apart in the stance he'd seen his dad take during serious moments. He looked like a miniature general, ready to lead the charge.
“I thought we were going to get help,” Zayn said, his dark eyes big and confused as he looked down at his cousins, trying to make sense of the situation.
Laith, with his usual too-serious-for-a-seven-year-old level frustration, ran a hand through his hair. “They’re busy,” he muttered, his tone signaling his growing irritation at failure.
“Your dad is in a meeting,” Rafi added, pointing vaguely down the hallway. “They’re all in meetings.”
Zayn's little face scrunched up in confusion. His dad always told him he could ask for help whenever he needed it. And right now, he needed help. Big time. With dramatic flair, he puffed out his chest and announced, “Come on. We’re getting help.”
This time, he didn’t wait for anyone to follow. He marched ahead, his tiny feet tapping loudly against the marble floors, his determination practically radiating off him like a little sunbeam. Behind him, Angela, Rafi, and Laith scrambled to their feet and hurried to catch up, but not before Angela rolled her eyes playfully, mouthing a “He’s bossy, huh?” to Rafi, who gave a sarcastic shrug as if to say, “He’s six, what can we do?”
They finally reached the door to his dad’s office, where a frazzled assistant was in the midst of sifting through a stack of papers. Zayn frowned slightly as the papers spilled across the floor like confetti. He couldn’t help but notice that the assistant seemed to be frazzled—definitely not the best person to be in charge of helping with a kid’s important mission. Still, he couldn’t back down now. “I’d like to speak with my papa,” he announced.
The frazzled man barely looked up. "He’s in a meeting and can’t be disturbed," the assistant mumbled, practically shooing them away, but not before turning to bend down with an irritated grunt, attempting to gather the papers in what could only be described as a very unprofessional manner.
Not deterred in the slightest, Zayn’s eyes immediately darted to the bodyguards standing at attention in front of the conference room. There, with all the confidence of a mini-sheikh, he walked over, his head tipping back just enough to look up at the towering figures.
“I need help from my papa,” Zayn whispered, his voice soft yet serious, like a grown-up asking for permission to use the remote. He didn’t want to interrupt the meeting if it was important, but honestly? Saving Aunt Marianna felt like a huge priority. "Can I just speak with him for a moment?"
Angela, ever the tactful one, stepped forward, flashing her sweetest but most persuasive smile. “We won’t take long. We’re just...?” She looked to Laith for help, knowing he could finish her thought better than she could.
“We don’t know what else to do,” Laith jumped in, raising his hands as if giving up. "We were told to ask for help when we don't know what to do." He finished with a frustrated sigh, the kind only a seven-year-old with a bit too much responsibility would sigh.
Rafi nodded, his curly hair bouncing on his forehead, giving a vigorous shake so that the curl danced in time with his words. “We don’t know what to do,” he echoed, looking up with big, wide eyes that only seemed to deepen the cuteness factor.
The guards exchanged a glance that seemed to flicker with— was that triumph? No, surely not. That couldn’t be right. Zayn was just about to question his own instincts when one of the guards moved and cracked the door open slightly.
Zayn couldn’t help but grin. His dad was about to get a big surprise.
Zayn didn’t wait. He was the smallest of the four cousins, but sometimes being bigger had its downsides. He scurried to the door, his head popping through the gap just in time to see his father turn, curious about the guards interrupting the meeting. Before he could say anything, Zayn felt a soft pressure on his back. He knew exactly what was happening—Angela wanted in on the action too. So, with a little shift, he let her squeeze in beside him, both of them peeking through the crack like a tiny caterpillar made up of four little heads.
Sheik Khal watched with growing amusement as four tiny heads peeked through the door, which was only cracked open enough for the lead guard to squeeze through. The heavily armed, stoic guard stood frozen, staring down at the four little humans trying to squish their heads into the conference room. Khal stifled a laugh at their hopeful, wide-eyed expressions, he couldn’t help but find it adorable.
But beneath his amusement, a wave of relief washed over him. The kids had been searching for Marianna for what felt like days, and now, finally, they were asking for help. His heart swelled with a mix of pride and a bit of tenderness. They were brave, and now they knew when to come to him.
“What’s up?” he asked, glancing over at the guard, who seemed unsure whether to escort the children away or simply stand there, bewildered.
Zayn, that adorable little devil, was the first to speak. “We need help, Papa!”
Khal nearly burst out laughing when the other three heads nodded in eager unison. The sight was so endearing, he had to quickly smother his amusement. He tried to remain serious, lifting a hand in mock solemnity. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. My son and his cousins have an emergency that I need to attend to.”
With that, he stood up, grabbed his phone, and slipped out of the room, texting his brothers, his wife, and his sisters-in-law. Kneeling down to their level outside the conference room, he gave them his full attention, his tone now as serious as their own. “Talk to me.”
The four kids immediately began explaining—babbling over each other, filling in details about the clues they’d uncovered, the places they’d searched, and how they’d eventually come to him for help. Khal’s heart tightened with pride as he listened to their earnest explanations. He made a mental note to have a word with the guard who had come up with the “scavenger hunt” idea. It had certainly kept the kids busy, but clearly, it was time for a new plan.
And as Marianna’s plane touched down at the airport—safe, and... engaged—Khal felt a pang of mixed emotions. The bastard she’d chosen wasn’t exactly his first choice, but if Marianna was happy, he’d endure the pain of accepting the guy into the family. As much as he didn’t want to let Marianna go, he knew he’d have to.
“Alright,” Khal said, turning his attention back to the kids, his face softening as he looked at each of them with a smile. “Let’s go to my office. You can tell me all about the clues and where you’ve looked so far.”
The relief on these little faces was enough to make Khal forget the security briefing he'd just left. He couldn’t leave them hanging now—they’d asked for help, and he was going to give it.
Standing up, he glanced at the guard standing by the door. Before he could say anything, he felt tiny hands grabbing at his. He looked down to find Laith and Angela both clinging to him like their lives depended on it. He could practically hear their little voices echoing in his head: Help, Uncle Khal!
He muttered a quick, “Explain this to my sister and get her ready,” under his breath and the guard nodded quickly, looking as if he wasn’t entirely sure whether to laugh or just follow orders.
Khal followed his tiny companions down the hallway, smiling despite himself. Zayn, the tiny tornado, looked up at him with an expression that was equal parts serious and adorable.
“We’re going to find Aunt Marianna,” he declared, then rushed over to grab Joran’s hand when he walked into the office, tugging him along behind Khal like a little duckling. “You were in the military, Uncle Joran. You can help too.”
Raj stepped into the scene, rolling his eyes while clearly trying—and failing—to smother his amusement. It wasn’t easy when you had four tiny kids charging ahead, determined to save the day. They all piled into Khal’s office, with Joran and the rest of the group following behind.
Fifteen minutes later, Khal was still nodding as the four little ones took turns blurting out the places they’d looked for Marianna, the clues they’d figured out, the wrong turns, their frustration and their successes. He smiled at the chaos, feeling a warm sense of pride.
Thankfully, in that moment, he looked over at one of the bodyguards. The man nodded, silently signaling that Marianna was back home and “in place”.
“Okay, it sounds like you’ve all done a very thorough search of the palace,” Joran said, stepping forward and placing a heavy hand on Rafi’s shoulders, who was so small, it looked like Joran was about to crush him. Helen, Tasha, and Tila stood in the back, snickering behind their hands, clearly trying to hold in their laughter.
Raj, ever the practical one, stepped forward, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He placed a quickly drawn map on the coffee table, then pointed to a closet near the end of the “trail.” “With all the clues you’ve described, I think they all lead here,” he said. “Maybe all of your clues brought you to this place.”
The four tiny heads leaned closer to examine the “map” with expressions of pure concentration. It was hard to take them seriously when they looked so cute, but Khal managed to keep his face straight.
“We didn’t look there,” Angela whispered, her eyes wide as she glanced at Zayn, then Laith and Rafi. “Is he right?”
Zayn, now the self-proclaimed leader, sighed deeply, looking like he was about to deliver a profound piece of wisdom. Instead, he let out a dramatic sound that was perfectly imitated from his father’s own, then nodded with a seriousness that could only belong to a six-year-old. “We should look there,” he confirmed, giving his best "I told you so" look.
Laith and Rafi, always eager to succeed, nodded in agreement. “That’s a good idea. Thanks, Uncle Raj,” they said, their little voices filled with gratitude.
And just like that, all four of them were off—a blur of tiny sneakers and determined faces, tearing down the hallway faster than Khal could blink. Their aunts, uncles, and parents followed behind, but the kids didn’t even notice. Their focus was clear: Find Aunt Marianna. Nothing else mattered.
Khal couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched them go, feeling a sense of joy and relief. His little warriors were on a mission, and there was no stopping them now.
The four little heroes made a beeline for the closet Raj had pointed out, their tiny feet pattering like a swarm of excited bees. Zayn stopped in front of the door, one hand resting on the knob, looking at his co-conspirators. With a glance at the others, all three of them nodded like a perfectly coordinated team. Then, with a flourish, Zayn opened the door.
Sure enough, there was Marianna, her hands and feet bound, a gag over her mouth. The moment she saw them, she let out a muffled “yell,” which sounded like more of a relieved sigh than anything else.
“We found you!” Angela squealed, her voice high with excitement. Without waiting for Marianna to react, the little darling dove into Marianna’s body, completely unconcerned that Marianna couldn’t catch her. Zayn quickly got to work on the loose knots around Marianna’s feet while Laith untied her hands. Rafi, ever the problem-solver, was the first to tackle the gag, yanking it free with determination.
Finally, Marianna was free. Before she could say a word, her arms wrapped around her four tiny saviors in a tight, joyful hug. She laughed and exhaled in disbelief. “You brilliant little darlings! You found me and saved me!” she exclaimed, planting kisses on their little heads.
Meanwhile, Sheik Amit, the “bastard,” stepped forward, blocking their little circle of happiness. Khal shot a glare at the man. Sure, Amit had saved his sister from the kidnapping attempt—that alone earned him some begrudging respect. But as Marianna looked up at him with those unmistakable heart-shaped eyes, the love in her gaze made Khal’s stomach twist. Damn it, she really loved the man.
With a resigned sigh, Khal turned around to find Joran and Raj wearing the same tortured expression. But as their wives...!
Helen, Tila, and Tasha were practically snickering in the background. Helen shook her head with a fond smile, walking over to wrap her arms around Raj, lifting onto her toes to kiss him and teasing, “You’ll get used to him.”
Tila, ever the romantic, grabbed Joran’s hand and laced their fingers together. Joran still looked a little disgruntled, but when Tila gently lifted his hand and kissed the back of it, he relented with a soft sigh and pulled her in close.
Tasha, however, stayed back, her expression more thoughtful. Khal glanced at her, seeing the love and admiration shining in her eyes, and something inside him softened. He walked over to her, his hand reaching out to pull her into his arms. He kissed her forehead gently and whispered, “I’ll behave.” She pressed her cheek to his chest in response, her smile warm and knowing.
He turned just in time to see the four little ones pulling at Marianna’s hand, their tiny hands tugging on her fingers in a coordinated dance of impatience. “You need to eat something, Aunt Marianna,” Zayn announced, his voice serious and determined as if Marianna hadn't eaten in years.
Angela, ever the little ball of energy, was behind Marianna, enthusiastically pushing at Marianna’s backside in an attempt to speed things up. “Come on! You’re coming with us to eat!” she insisted, clearly convinced that Marianna’s day of being tied up should end with a feast.
Marianna simply looked up at Amit, her eyes dancing with amusement as a silent message passed between them. The affection in that shared glance made Khal’s heart sink further.
Damn it, she really loved the bastard!