They had your permission, didn’t they?
Didn’t they..?
Maia catches my eye; her hardcore myserver incredulous expression forms a question.
I flick an eyebrow back at her, telling her I have no idea.
Unseen by the Sultan, she shakes her head – she doesn’t know what’ll hardcore myserver happen.
‘Get up’.
The Sultan paces evenly across the tent hardcore myserver until he stands at the side of the cushion-pile.
His rigidly-disciplined anger is palpable; it comes off him in waves.
‘Maia, the Captain of the Guard.
‘Yes hardcore myserver, Lord.
’ hardcore myserver She ducks back out into the hardcore myserver night.
Azram.
Both guards stand unbending, feet apart, hands behind their backs.
They stare straight ahead.
‘My hardcore myserver Lord Sultan’.
‘Touching something of mine, without my permission, is unwise.
’ He walks back and forth; his voice is measured and tightly controlled.
‘Touching a woman, of mine, without my permission, is extremely unwise.
’ He’s furious; both guards are trembling.
‘Touching an unwilling woman, of mine, without my permission, is nothing short of hardcore myserver suicidal!
Az clenches his jaw.
Imayho’s stance falters and he stares at his Lord in disbelief.
‘You…?
‘SILENCE!
I hear myself speak.
‘They had your Blessing, my Lord’.
His gaze snaps to me and I flinch at the hardcore myserver potency of those dark eyes.
I see towering anger – I have never seen him so livid – but I see pain, disappointment, betrayal.
The Sultan’s personal guard hardcore myserver are more than his trusted élite; their ranking warriors are his friends.
Under those eyes I falter, struggle to find my voice.
‘Imayho saved your life, my Lord.
You granted him a wish’.
He looks me over.
‘You were willing?
Answering ‘yes’ will bring my Lord’s wrath upon me; answering hardcore myserver ‘no’ will secure the fate hardcore myserver of hardcore myserver these two guards.
I choose the truth, ‘I was willing’.
He closes his eyes against a wash of feeling.
Then he turns from me.
‘Imayho?
‘For saving your life, my Lord.
This is the wish you granted.
‘Do you lie to me, now?