Chapter Nine
The palace was cool. But through the precise pattern of windows cut in the wall to the west, Ward watched the sun drop like a flaming ball through the dazzling multicoloured sky into the Red Sea. The men, now without Reza, sat sunk in the down couches facing each other around the large low pale marble table. Servants brought glasses of sweet minted tea. At the soft slap of bare flesh on stone, they all turned their heads.
The dark servant who was her caretaker led Gina in on hands and knees on a short chain attached to the large, silver ring in her nose. Ward did not have to pretend to be startled at the sight of her. He was, briefly, captivated by the nose ring. “Hot!” he thought. He’d have to take a closer look later. His attention was quickly pulled away by the bruise, u
