CHAPTER TWELVE
He couldn't find her and it was driving him crazy.
Kadeem had said goodbye to the last of the guests and he was making his way back into the palace. It was late in the afternoon. The only people remaining in the palace were their parents and himself and Eliana.
But he couldn't find her.
In the sitting room, he found Gretchen, Nalini and Zaeed talking with each other. They looked up at Kadeem as he entered. "Have you seen Eliana?" he asked.
He was greeted with puzzled looks from all three of them.
"I thought she was with you," his mother said.
Kadeem glanced at his father. For some reason, Kadeem felt his father knew something about where Eliana might be.
Kadeem lifted a brow. "Father?"
Zaeed nodded. "I saw Azem and Eliana talking a while back," he revealed.
Immediately, Kadeem felt an urgent jolt course through him. "Where?"
"I saw them walking toward the fountain," his father explained.
Kadeem moved quickly, striding out into the corridor. He knew this couldn't be good news. Not after the way Azem had spoken to him on Kadeem's arrival earlier in the morning.
Kadeem moved quickly down the corridor which would take him to the north of the palace. There he would find the courtyard within which was situated the large fountain. Worry fired up in him as he thought about what he'd find there.
As he walked, Kadeem thought about the afternoon which had just passed. It had gone as well as he could have expected. He'd done what, a few days ago, would have seemed an impossibility.
He'd claimed his arranged bride-to-be.
He thought about the way Eliana had looked at him as he'd said those earth-shattering words. Her eyes had been moist with emotion as he'd heaped praise on her. And they'd been full of even more emotion when he'd declared his formal claim upon her hand.
He was sure he'd never felt such happiness before. But, during the following hours, as he'd mingled with the guests, chatting with them and sharing his new beautiful prospective bride with them, Kadeem had felt a growing unease.
Eliana had seemed distant. And nothing he had said seemed to have made a difference. Of course, she didn't show any disappointment to either of her parents. Her father in particular had remained impassive throughout the afternoon. Azem's harsh words still rang in Kadeem's ears.
Had the King of Zahram realized what Kadeem had achieved? Did he understand that he had made an enemy of his potential son-in-law? Because that was the effect of that unpleasant exchange out there in the garden only a few short hours ago.
Kadeem had made an enemy of Azem.
Just as he was about to reach the courtyard, Kadeem turned a corner and almost ran into the figure of Azem. Both men halted, face to face, and peered at each other.
"Where is Eliana?" Kadeem demanded.
Azem smiled. "You wish to talk with my daughter?"
Kadeem glared at Azem. "Where is she?"
Azem tilted his head. "She is waiting for you at the fountain."
Kadeem frowned in puzzlement.
"She knew you would come for her," Azem explained. "She told me you would come to find her. It seems she knows you better than you think, Sheikh Kadeem," Azem said sardonically.
Kadeem ignored that last remark and pushed past Azem. There would be nothing to be gained from arguing with Azem. Every moment he was apart from Eliana was one moment too many, as far as he was concerned.
Kadeem raced along the corridor and came to an archway which opened out onto a wide courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard was a large fountain. Sitting on the circular edge was Eliana.
Kadeem halted and gazed at her. She was sitting with her back to him. Gazing into the pool, she was casually dipping her hand in the water. The sound of the gently tumbling water filled the wide, high-ceilinged space. Each of the four interior walls of the courtyard were formed of a series of traditionally and ornately decorated arches with a narrow cloistered passage.
This was a place designed for peace, Kadeem reminded himself. But, right now, the woman he had chosen looked anything but at peace.
Kadeem moved into the courtyard, his footsteps sounding loud on the marble floor. Eliana turned at the sound.
Her eyes widened. "Kadeem!" she exclaimed.
Kadeem went to Eliana and sat down beside her, feeling the cool marble beneath him.
"Eliana," he breathed. "I was looking for you."
"You were?" she asked.
Kadeem nodded. He reached across and took her hand. It felt icy cold. He gazed into her eyes and saw something there which immediately set him on edge.
"Was your father here?" he asked.
She nodded, but didn't say anything.
"What did he want?" Kadeem asked.
She shook her head. "Nothing. He just wanted to talk with me."
"About what?"
Her eyes narrowed. "About us." Her voice was weak, even tentative.
Kadeem paused, listening to the soft sound of the water spilling from the central form of the fountain.
Eliana glanced away from him, as if she didn't want to say anything more. But he knew that wouldn't be enough for him. He'd seen the look in Azem's eyes. He knew something had been said. Something that didn't bode well for himself and Eliana.
"I met him on the way here," Kadeem admitted.
Her eyes widened. She looked suddenly pale. "You did? What did he say?"
Kadeem shook his head. "Only that he'd been here. But, I got the impression there's more going on than I know about."
Eliana nodded. "There is."
Kadeem leaned closer. "What's this about, Eliana?"
She thought for a few moments. "He doesn't think you're worthy to be my husband."
Kadeem straightened. "I know that, already."
She frowned. "You do? How?"
Kadeem peered at her. "He told me in no uncertain terms this morning. Before the reception."
"What did he say?" Eliana asked urgently.
"Just that he would do anything to make sure that you would never become my wife."
Her mouth opened in shock. "He said that?"
Kadeem nodded. "And he had some pretty clear ideas about why I'm not good enough for you. In fact, he considers that my entire family aren't good enough to even think about marrying into yours."
"How can he say that?" Eliana declared. "Doesn't he see everything around him. Yours is one of the most influential families in Qazhar."
"Maybe he hasn't been here long enough to get to know Qazhar," Kadeem suggested. "Or maybe he's just prejudiced against my people."
Eliana shook her head. "That's not true. He's not that kind of person."
"Then why would he say those things to me?" Kadeem asked.
Eliana sighed. "Maybe he's frightened."
Kadeem looked incredulously at Eliana. "Your father? Frightened? I find that hard to believe."
"I don't mean it like that," Eliana said. "Perhaps he's scared of losing me."
"Doesn't he realize you're old enough to make your own choices?"
Eliana shook her head. "He's always been protective toward me. I'm his only daughter, after all."
Kadeem frowned. "He's too protective, if you ask me. He doesn't have the right to stand in our way. We both want the same thing."
Kadeem saw Eliana's eyes narrow slightly.
"I am right, aren't I?" he said. "We both want this don't we?" He sensed a sudden urgency in the conversation.
To his shock, Eliana didn't reply immediately. Kadeem took Eliana gently by the shoulders. She looked into his eyes. He saw doubt there.
"Eliana? You're not telling me you believe what your father thinks about me is true."
She shook her head, but it was a weak gesture, lacking conviction. "That's not it, Kadeem. This whole thing has been crazy. Sometimes I don't know what to think. I don't know what's true anymore."
"What about last night?" he asked, squeezing her shoulders gently. "That was true, wasn't it? Real?"
She lifted her gaze to him. She smiled, but again there was a lack of conviction in her response. "Of course it was real, Kadeem," she murmured.
He felt a heaviness in his chest, as if all the work of today had been for nothing. Did she doubt his sincerity? Was she thinking to find some way to call the whole thing off?
Kadeem moved closer. "Every word I said to you last night was true, Eliana. I meant what I said."
She smiled. "I know, Kadeem."
It wasn't the response he'd wanted. Nothing like it. What had her father done?
"You know I won't stop, don't you," Kadeem declared. "Your father can't stop me from making you my bride."
Her mouth turned downward. "He seems to think he can. And he is quite powerful."
"Not in Qazhar, he isn't," Kadeem stated firmly.
"In my country, what he says is law," Eliana said. "He has a great deal of power there."
Kadeem frowned. "Maybe that's the reason why he is so angry about all of this."
Eliana peered at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"
"Your father feels that I am in control here," Kadeem said. "If I choose to do something, there is little he can do to stop me. His power has been taken away by the forces of custom and tradition."
"Why is that important?"
"It means he will never take me seriously while he is here. While he is waiting for the outcome of our courtship."
Eliana squinted at him. "So how can you make him take you seriously?"
Kadeem smiled. "There is only one place where I can prove to your father that I am worthy. And that is in Zahram."
"My country?" Eliana exclaimed. "How?"
"He considers me beneath him," Kadeem said. "He doesn't think I am fit or competent enough to be a part of your life. He cannot see how I could ever possibly fit into the court life in Zahram."
Eliana's eyes brightened. He could see the understanding in her eyes. She knew where he was going with this.
"You wish to come to Zahram?" she asked breathlessly.
Kadeem gazed with utter determination into Eliana's eyes. "I will go to Zahram. With you as my betrothed. And I will show your father that I am fit to be your husband."
Eliana smiled and thought for a few long moments. "He will make it very difficult for you," she said.
"It will be nothing if I know you have faith in me, Eliana," Kadeem said. "You do have faith in me, don't you."
There was a very long pause, during which all he could feel was the furious beating of his heart and the tightening of his throat. She considered his words for what seemed like an eternity.
Then she nodded. "After last night, how could I not?" she said softly.
Then he leaned forward, dipped his head and claimed her lips with a kiss. He'd wanted to do that all day, but they'd had no privacy. She moaned quietly as she lifted her chin. He savored the sweetness of her lips as he cupped her exquisite oval face in his hands. This was where she belonged. By his side.
For a few perfect moments, all he felt was the delight of being with her, the gentle movements of her lips. He knew she wanted him, but there seemed to be so many barriers in the way. So many obstacles. But, none of that mattered now. Not while her body was pressed close to his.
Finally, their lips parted and he gazed into her eyes.
"You know he'll be angry, don't you?" she said.
He shook his head. "It doesn't matter what he thinks. According to tradition, I am entitled to go to the domain of my beloved and claim her there, if I wish."
Even as he said those words, he knew they sounded archaic. But they were also exactly what he wanted. What he needed. He was not about to let anything stand in the way of his claiming Eliana.
Especially now that he was sure she also wanted him.
"Beloved?" she asked, surprising him.
He lifted a hand and gently ran the back of his fingers down the side of her soft face. "Of course, you are my beloved." He lifted a brow. "Didn't you know that, already?"
She smiled modestly. There was no need to say anything else.
Now it was time for him to take the next decisive step. It was time that he showed everyone that their pretend courtship had turned into something else entirely. Something perfect.
Nothing was going to stand in his way.