He rubbed a hand over his mouth, seeming to recognize the gravity of the situation. Which, admittedly, she’d put him in, but she could not have predicted this outcome. “Why did he want us to get married?”
“Yelda told him we were sleeping together,” Layah said.
“Why would she do that?”
“I don’t know. The Yazidi have strange ways. She thinks we are destined to marry.”
His eyes narrowed with suspicion.
“I did not encourage her,” Layah said, placing a palm on her chest.
“Right. You’d never force anyone to do anything against their will.”
“I have no interest—”
“No interest? Really?”
“Not in marriage.”
“You don’t strike me as the casual affair type.”
She lifted her chin. “I feel desire, like any woman. I remember the pleasures of the bedroom. That does not mean I wish for a reluctant husband.”
He went quiet, contemplating her words. “Will you stay in Halana?”
“No. We head north from there, to Armenia.”
“You never said you were going to Armenia.”
“There was no need. I had planned to leave you in Semdinli.”
“And now?”
“Now I would advise you to stay with us until the danger has passed.”
He didn’t argue, so she continued walking. They seemed to have reached an understanding. She didn’t want to say too much. Admitting her desire for him wasn’t a problem; he already knew. Letting him in on their destination was a riskier endeavor. She hadn’t told him how they would get to Armenia. He wouldn’t approve of the route, but she couldn’t change it. There was no other way.
She hurried to the courtyard, where she consulted with Yusef and Aram about the new arrangements. They agreed that Hudson couldn’t be left at the mercy of hostile Turks or Da’esh invaders. Layah suspected that her cousins had grown to like Hudson. Even Ashur had warmed up to him, and he was made of ice.
The Yazidis didn’t send them off hungry. They sat down to a meal of local favorites. The main dish was rolled-up grape leaves stuffed with lamb and rice. It was served with tea, flatbread and a yogurt porridge called mierr. True to form, Hudson ate seconds and thirds of everything. Before they left, Hanna gave Layah a sack filled with golden raisins and almonds. Layah thanked her for the kindness.
They collected their packs and walked to the river’s edge. There was a rustic fishing boat waiting for them at the end of a wooden dock. Layah noted their dwindling group of travelers. They’d started at thirteen. Now they were seven.
Hanna was saddened by their departure. The girl said goodbye to Hudson in English, and in Arabic to the others. She also surprised Ashur with a kiss on the cheek. He flushed and stepped back, touching his face. They climbed aboard the boat, one by one. As they headed downriver, Yelda slapped Hanna’s hand in admonishment. The girl pulled away from her and raced to the shoreline, waving goodbye.
Ashur watched her until the boat rounded the bend. Then he turned forward, focusing on the journey ahead.
Chapter 11
Hud found himself enjoying the scenery along the river.
He wasn’t pleased about the circumstances that had brought him here, but it was a beautiful country, and he appreciated the mode of travel. After four days in the mountains, it felt good to be off his feet.
The river meandered through rolling hills and rugged cliffs. Its serene waters lulled him into a more relaxed state. He’d always wanted to visit Turkey. There was a climber’s paradise to the west, along the Turquoise Coast. He’d been planning a Mediterranean vacation with Michelle before their split. The funds were in his bank account, untouched. Although this wasn’t the trip he’d dreamed of, he couldn’t fault the location.
He could fault Layah for dragging him into another perilous situation. She was a magnet for trouble. He considered what she’d said earlier about having no interest in marriage. It sounded legit, but he didn’t know what to believe. She had a new story every day. He was too tired to examine her motives. Examining her figure was a more enjoyable exercise. She was wearing a pale gray hijab with a peasant blouse and a long skirt. Almost no skin was showing, but his pulse still leaped at the sight of her. She looked soft and feminine in Yazidi clothing, her eyes shining with promise. Everything she did aroused him.
He pulled his gaze away from Layah and caught Ashur’s warning glare. The resemblance between the boy and his father was startling. Hud didn’t know how he’d missed it before, and he felt a twist of guilt for failing Hasan.
They passed under a crumbling stone bridge on the outskirts of Semdinli. Hud stayed alert while they were close to civilization. He scanned the shoreline, his muscles tensed for action. But he saw no law enforcement, no Turkish military, no lurking terrorists. There were a few fishermen along the shore, minding their own affairs.
After a long, lazy stretch, they entered a section of remote wilderness. The river turned turbulent, with a series of churning rapids and narrow channels. The captain didn’t seem fazed by the challenges, and the boat was a sturdy wooden dory, well suited for choppy conditions. Layah gripped the underside of her bench seat and held on tight.
They continued to a lower elevation and returned to calmer waters as daylight faded into dusk. An impressive medieval fortress rose up in the distance, its crumbling side illuminated by the setting sun.
“That is Halana,” Layah said with pride.
“Who lives there?”
“No one. It is an ancient Assyrian settlement.”
The Yazidi captain left them on a muddy bank along the west side of the river. They said goodbye to him and walked uphill to the settlement. There were remnants of old stone houses, cisterns and dirt pathways. Layah stopped to study the details of different relics, chatting happily with her cousins in their native language.
Hud had no idea what she was saying, but her enthusiasm was infectious, and the ruins were stunning. She was stunning. It was impossible not to admire her
