I woke up surrounded by black. A black that wouldn’t disappear when I reached out my hand, that only laughed when I cried out. A black that was cloth, fabric. A black of voices and camels’ brays. I was being carried.

“Help—help!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

“Shut up,” one of the voices grunted.

“Please, whoever you are—this has to be some kind of mistake!”

“It’s not, so shut up!” the voice growled back.

So, I did. Feverishly, I tried to go over last night, what had happened and what could possibly be happening now. Rashid and I had been so close, it had all been so perfect…and now, this.

Rashid couldn’t be involved; I knew that for certain. But what could have happened to him—and what was happening to me now? Some random kidnappers, eager for a ransom from my family or Rashid? Well, if it was my family they were hoping to get money from, they were going to be sorely disappointed.

* * *

I woke up to light. More voices. I was in some beautiful temple, laying before a group of people on a platform, all of them lounging on orange pillows.

“Nawfal, Sidqi, you fools. What did I say about taking her nicely?”

“But you—”

“Be gone with you, idiots!”

I turned to see two burly, bald men hustling away.

“Are you hurt, poor girl?”

I turned to the speaker. He was a tall man with a long, braided beard and glinting black eyes. When he crouched down beside me, I flinched. He tut-tutted and sat beside me.

“I truly am sorry. Nawfal and Sidqi have never been good at following orders, or doing things gently. That must have been horrible, being tied up in the cloth bag like that, traveling strapped to the camel for hours.”

I turned to see a dark cloth bag flung off to the side.

“You poor thing, are you all right?”

There actually looked to be something like pity on his swarthy face.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice shaking.

He smiled, showcasing wolf-like, yellow teeth. “I am Idris, son of Mubarak. Surely Rashid has told you about me.”

When I shook my head, his smile grew.

“Oh, no?” Another tut-tut, and he shook his head. “Ah, I guess it’s not so surprising. I mean, my family and I are the main reason he’s so desperate for a bride, after all.”

At my surprise, he chuckled. “Really, he told you nothing? Our families have been enemies for decades, ever since his father wrongly wrested power from mine. If Rashid doesn’t get the throne, it goes to me.”

The longer his black, beady eyes darted over my face, the happier they looked about what they saw.

“You poor woman—were you actually starting to think that he really cared about you? I suppose he did, in a way. No woman in his own country would have him, after all. His family’s exploits were known all too well, despite their futile attempts at propaganda. So, I guess, in a way, he was grateful for that—for you making things…easier on him.”

He smiled menacingly at me, grinning like the cat who’d eaten the canary.

“Because, you are a virgin, are you not?”

I turned my head away from his probing eyes, but I couldn’t hide the giveaway blush I could feel burning on my face.

“Ah, so it’s really true, then?”

As laughter from all sides rang throughout the room and my cheeks burned with the humiliation of it, I dared to sweep my gaze over my surroundings. Those on the platform were clad in the same gauzy material that the man sitting beside me was wearing, and had the same high cheekbones, proud noses, and cruel mouths.

I flinched when he patted my head.

“No need to be ashamed. Back in your country, that must be an accomplishment. At any rate, we aren’t here to laugh at you. Everyone shut up.”

And, just like that, the room went deadly quiet. Still, he continued his rhythmic, patronizing head pats, while I wanted to shrink away more with each one.

“Yes, I wanted to warn you about what you were getting into. Before it was too late.”

“Prevent me from marrying Rashid so that you can get the crown for yourself, is what you really mean.”

Angry surprise flashed in his eyes, then he let one final pat fall.

“I won’t deny that you being out of the picture would make things easier for my family and me—not to mention, better for the country as a whole. But it is also in your best interests to listen to me. Rashid is a cunning, manipulative man, but not a kind one. Even if you change your mind or want to see your family again, he won’t let you. I thought I’d give you that chance.”

“Why should I believe you?”

He shrugged. “Can you afford not to? If you don’t heed my warning, you’ll be married to the cruelest man my country has ever known.”

His face looked so certain, his pockmarked skin tensed so emphatically, that I felt a wave of uncertainty go through me.

“So, you’re offering me a free ride home?”

He nodded. “Yes. I’m offering you a ticket out of this situation: a get-out-of-jail-free card.”

“Then why not just tell me? Why kidnap me like that?”

“You were never alone, and while my men are very skilled, they can’t sneak into a palace that’s crawling with Rashid’s men. This was our only choice.”

“And if I refuse your offer?”

Irritation flickered in his eyes a moment before being replaced by more amusement.

“There could be other incentives. Money, for instance…”

When I said nothing, he continued.

“Whatever he’s paying you, I can double it. Two hundred thousand, two million—I don’t care.”

The figures rotated in my mind stupidly. The numbers were so big, they seemed nonsensical, as if the man was offering me my very own unicorn. I closed my eyes. I saw myself, throwing my arms around Mom and Dad, all of us rejoicing on a beach somewhere, both of them in good health.

And then, I saw Rashid, his face crumpled as he stood at the altar on our wedding day, alone.

“The only requirement would be that you leave now and never return. And never contact Rashid ever again.”

The image of Rashid disappeared and was replaced by one of me, looking up at the stars, alone. Tormented by what I’d lost, what I’d given up.

My eyes snapped open.

“And if I still refuse?”

A growing anger burned in his eyes. “I wouldn’t, if I were you.”

My eyes were narrowed with a fierceness of their own. “I’m not going anywhere. Rashid is a good man; I know that for a fact. You’re not fooling anyone here.”

“Nawfal, Sidqi. Take Lacie away. We’ll give her time to think, to decide whether she wants to go home safe and sound, or stay here…as otherwise.”

The two men lumbered up to me, sneering, ready to grab me again.

“Rashid will come looking for me. You’re not going to get away with this! I mean it—he’s going to find me!”

Idris gave me another horrible smile, as if I’d said something cute, something adorably stupid.

“I’ll give you a day to decide. One day, then, whatever happens is on you.”

And then, I was wrenched from the room, half-carried down a dimly lit hallway, through a door, and thrown into a stony room of blackness again. I cried, but only soundless tears. I didn’t want to give whoever was guarding me the satisfaction of hearing me cry.

What was I going to do now?