“Lady Selene.” He bowed. “It was necessary. I ran out of wine.”
“We have a plentiful supply here.” Kadar strolled forward to stand beside Selene.
“Good. Then my journey won’t be for nothing.” His gaze traveled around the anteroom and rested on a bust of Pope Giulano. “I’d forgotten. I’m surprised you haven’t gotten rid of that statue of His Holiness.”
“Why? It’s well executed,” Tarik said. “Everything in the villa is extremely well done. Your mother had excellent taste.”
“She had no taste of her own. She studied His Holiness’s likes and whims and gave him what he wanted.” His tone was without expression. “She was a mirror.” He turned to Kadar. “The wine and then conversation. Shall we go out onto the terrace?” He didn’t wait for an answer but strode out of the antechamber.
“It seems we shall,” Tarik murmured. “Do you suppose I should remind him he’s no longer master here?”
“I doubt if it would do any good.” Selene hurried after Vaden, followed by Kadar, Layla, and Tarik.
“You paid too much, Tarik.” Vaden was leaning on the balustrade, his back to the garden. “I would have taken much less to rid myself of this place.”
“I know.” Tarik seated himself on the bench. “But then guilt would have marred my enjoyment.”
“It’s the bane that rules his life,” Layla said.
Vaden turned to her. “And you are?”
“Layla.”
“Tarik’s wife.” Kadar poured a goblet of wine and carried it to Vaden. “Your wine. Must we wait until you finish before we start?”
“Nothing should interfere with a fine goblet of wine.” Vaden smiled. “But I suppose I could make an exception.”
“You’ve decided to help us?” Selene asked.
“If you can meet my price.”
“We’ll meet it.”
“Don’t be so eager,” Tarik said. “It’s my money pouch you’re depleting.”
“But you’re clearly a wealthy man,” Vaden said. “Only the very rich can afford to suffer guilt.”
“What’s your price?”
“First tell me what my part is in this endeavor.”
“What you always do: You and your force will attack when we deem it necessary,” answered Selene.
“When
“And that’s why I’ll make the decisions,” Vaden said.
Kadar shook his head. “I know Nasim, and your part in this may be minor depending on how we can position him.”
“My part is never minor.” He met Kadar’s gaze and then shrugged. “But we can decide details later.”
It was a major victory, Selene thought, and one she hadn’t expected Kadar to win. “First we have to find Nasim. We think he’s somewhere near Rome.”
“Pompeii,” Vaden said. “The assassins never venture too near any city in Christendom. Fear is one of their weapons, and distance lends mystery. Nasim and his men have set up camp above the ruins.”
“How do you know?” Selene asked.
“This is Rome. It’s the place of my birth. I make it my business to know everything that happens here.”
“Then you knew Nasim was here when we first spoke to you.”
“I knew he was near, and I located him yesterday morning.” Vaden’s smile was angelically beautiful. “But I hadn’t run out of wine yet.”
She wanted to hit him. She drew a deep breath. “Nasim is searching for us. We have to strike before he finds out where we are.”
“We could try to draw him here.” Vaden glanced around the cool tiled beauty of the terrace. “In fact, I think that’s a splendid idea. The villa would make a fine battleground. If Nasim rode his horses through here, we could rid Tarik of several of those abominable statues.”
“That’s not amusing,” Tarik said. “You obviously not only intend to beggar me but to deprive me of my property.”
“Well, we probably couldn’t lure him here anyway,” Vaden said. “We’ll have to rely on attack.”
“We can lure him. We have something he wants,” Kadar said. “But we’ll have to choose a better place than the villa.”
Vaden’s eyes narrowed. “What do you have that Nasim wants?”
“It’s none of your concern,” Layla said.
“Everything that affects my life and that of my men is my concern.” He paused. “Is it the golden coffer?”
Layla stiffened. “How did you know of-”
“Rumors.” His gaze shifted to Tarik. “There were many interesting stories swirling about you when I sold you this villa. I was almost tempted to reach out and take the coffer myself.”
“It was fortunate you didn’t try.”
“I wouldn’t judge Nasim to be a man who’d be interested in a small treasure. What’s in the coffer?”
“You know enough,” Layla said.
“No, he’s right,” Selene said. “He risks his life. There’s only a grail in the coffer.”
He gave a low whistle. “A grail? I’ve heard tales of the Holy Grail.”
“I assure you, there’s nothing holy about this grail,” Tarik said.
“Then why does Nasim want it?” Vaden shook his head. “Never mind, I don’t want to know. It’s probably some mystical nonsense I’d be better off not filling my head with.” He finished his wine and set the goblet on the balustrade. “Since our business is concluded, I’ll return to the city and send word to my men to gather. It will take two days.” He started for the door. “Kadar, if you don’t have a reasonable plan in that time, you’ll have to step aside and leave it to me.”
“I’ll have a plan,” Kadar said. “But you haven’t told Tarik your price. Is it kind to leave him in suspense?”
Vaden glanced over his shoulder at Tarik. “I’d prefer to give you my price after Nasim is defeated. I promise not to take quite everything you own.”
“A most unusual arrangement,” Tarik said dryly. “What if I decide not to pay you?”
“You’ll pay me.” Vaden’s smile was tiger bright. “Everyone pays me.”
17
“WELL, ARE YOU CONTENT?” Kadar asked as he escorted Selene back to her chamber a short time later.
“Yes.” She grimaced. “Though I don’t know why. He’s a most unsettling man. I don’t know what he’s thinking.”
“You don’t need to know. All we have to worry about is Vaden’s power in battle and his loyalty.”
“I’d judge Vaden to be a man who hates to be held in check. How far will loyalty stretch?”
“There’s no use discussing it. It’s done. We’ll just watch him.”
She suddenly frowned. “He seemed uncomfortable talking about the grail.”
“Ware told me Vaden was always a man who believed only what he could hold in his hands.” He smiled. “Yet he traveled all the way to Scotland to deliver your sister’s banner to her. I’d wager he was even more uncomfortable performing that task.”
“But he did it.” Her jaw firmed. “And he’ll do this for us.” She stopped in front of her door. “Will you have a plan in two days?”
“Yes, I’ll have a plan.” He paused. “But we have other things to do in those two days. I told Tarik that we’d need a priest for tomorrow evening.”
“A priest? Why should-” She understood. Vows. “You still wish this?”
