He could tell she was on the drifting edge of slumber, scarcely aware of what she was saying. He kissed her gently. “Wonderful.
“Why? I like it here, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do like it here.” He liked it too much. He felt the same mysterious sense of belonging that Elspeth was experiencing. Since the moment they had ridden into the city there had been some unusual hold on both of them.
“If you say so.”
He crossed the room and gathered her up in his arms, brushing her closed lids with the lightest of kisses. “You’re being amazingly docile.”
“I’m sleepy.”
He laughed as he turned and walked from the chamber and down the hall. “I knew there had to be some explanation.”
She pressed her lips to his shoulder in a loving caress. “I do like my necklace and bracelets and I thank you exceedingly.”
He chuckled. “You’re exceedingly welcome.”
There was something she had meant to ask him when he had first come back from the palace, but so much had happened since then that it had completely slipped her mind. What was it? Suddenly it came back to her. “Why did you go searching through the palace in the middle of the night? Couldn’t it have waited until morning?”
“Probably.” She was lying against him as sweetly relaxed as a small child, and he was reluctant to disturb her by discussing the uneasiness he was feeling. After all, there had been nothing to provoke that uneasiness. The Sun Child was as majestic and unmoving as the golden throne in the palace, and the city of Kantalan was also still and completely lifeless.
It was that complete absence of life that was bothering him. There should have been rats, reptiles, or birds inhabiting the city, but there was nothing. Once when he was a child a tornado had touched down at Killara, and he remembered that minutes before the funnel was sighted there had been a great flurry of activity as birds, horses, and cattle tried to run from a threat invisible to man. The prophecy? Hell, there was
He tightened his arms around her as he quickened his steps across the garden. “I couldn’t sleep and thought I might as well take a look. I’ll load the treasure in the saddlebags tomorrow morning and then help you search the temple. We should be ready to go by tomorrow night.”
“So soon? I thought we’d stay a few days.”
He hesitated. “We’ll see. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.” He laid her down on the blankets before their campfire and knelt down beside her. He tilted her chin up on the curve of his finger. Her eyes were cloudy with sleep as they looked into his own. “Tonight I’d rather discuss something else. Tell me that you love me, woman.”
“I told you.” Her eyes were almost closed. “I’m sure I told you.”
“Then tell me again. It bears repeating.”
Her voice was so low he could scarcely hear it, drifting like a phantom wisp of smoke from her lips. “I love you. I will love you until there is no sun, no moon, and no homeplace left on this earth.”
The first sight to meet Elspeth’s eyes when she woke the next morning was Patrick squatting beside her, a mischievous grin on his face. “Good morning. I thought I had better wake you first. Dom has a nasty habit of reaching for a gun when you surprise him.” He lifted a brow as he sat back on his heels and appraised Dominic’s relaxed form huddled beneath the blanket. “He usually sleeps lighter than this.” His gaze moved back to Elspeth’s bare shoulders and the lump beneath the blanket was clearly Dominic’s hand on Elspeth’s breast. “He must be… tired.”
Elspeth could feel the color rush to her face as she hurriedly sat bolt upright, jerking the blanket up to her chin. “Yesterday was quite exhausting. Azuquita… the palace… the temple…”
“I see.” Patrick nodded solemnly. “That seems clear.”
“Leave her alone, Patrick.” Dominic raised up on one elbow. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I decided I wanted a little of that treasure for myself,” Patrick said lightly. “And from the looks of the necklace around Elspeth’s neck, I gather I’m not going to be disappointed.”
“Patrick came with me.” Rising Star was coming across the garden toward them. “He tells me he wants to buy an Oriental dancing girl.”
“Rising Star!” Elspeth’s eyes widened. “But why? The baby…”
Rising Star smiled. “I’m fine. My son must be more Indian than white. He likes being on a horse.”
Elspeth frowned uneasily. “But there’s still the journey back.”
“I have almost a month more before giving birth, There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Does Josh know about this?” Dominic asked.
“He knows I have left Killara.” Rising Star reached down and picked up the coffeepot from the stones encircling the fire. “I will get water for coffee. Patrick, you start breakfast.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Patrick sighed as he turned back to Dominic and Elspeth. “You can see why I want one of those Arab harem girls to bow and scrape for me. A man doesn’t get any waiting on around here.” He rose to his feet and bowed. “Anything else, ma’am?”
“No, I think not.” Rising Star’s gaze met Patrick’s with intimate understanding. “Perhaps later.” She turned and walked across the garden toward a small pool fed by a canal running through the tangled wilderness of shrubbery.
The humor immediately disappeared from Patrick’s face as soon as she was out of hearing. “She’s left Josh,” he said curtly. “And I don’t want either of you to be bothering her about it. Do you understand?”
Dominic’s gaze followed Rising Star. “Why did she do it?”
“Josh told her he didn’t want the baby.”
“My God,” Dominic murmured. “Josh wouldn’t-”
“He did,” Patrick interrupted harshly. “She wouldn’t lie.”
“No, Rising Star wouldn’t lie,” Dominic said quietly. “So where does this leave you?”
Patrick’s lips twisted. “Exactly where I was. She’s Josh’s wife.” His gaze went to Rising Star. “She wants the treasure for the child; she thinks it will help keep him safe.”
Dominic’s gaze flitted briefly to Elspeth. “I can understand that. Well, one saddlebag filled with the jewels I saw in the palace should guarantee he’ll be surrounded by a wall of gold for the rest of his life.”
“Good.” Patrick’s gaze turned to Elspeth. “I wish you’d try to talk to her and find out what she’s planning on doing. If she’s not going back to Josh, I can’t let her run off alone. She’ll need someone.”
Elspeth nodded. “I’ll try.” How terrible that this could happen to someone as beautiful and kind as Rising Star. And how unfair that Elspeth’s own love was opening like a flower while the other woman’s was blackening and shriveling. “If you’ll let me put on my clothes. Turn your back, Patrick.”
“If you insist.” Patrick turned away. “But with profound regret.”
A few minutes later Elspeth was dressed and walking across the garden toward Rising Star.
Patrick turned back to watch Dominic pull on his boots. “We didn’t get Torres. It looks like he may still be after you.”
Dominic nodded.
“Gran-da and the rest are probably still on his trail.”
Dominic smiled mirthlessly. “Then after some three hundred years Kantalan may suddenly become very well populated.”
Patrick shook his head. “I don’t think anyone would ever find the entrance behind the waterfall without a map.”
Dominic wasn’t as confident. As time passed, Torres was beginning to take on supernatural qualities in his mind. “Maybe.” He stood up. “After breakfast I’ll show you where the treasury is. Rising Star can help Elspeth in the temple and we’ll load up the horses and pack animals. You and Rising Star take the burros and mule through the pass and wait for us on the banks of the lake.”
