Fire in the Heart : The Princess and the Bandit (9781629020112) (19 page)

Natalia’s eyes widened as she glanced off into the distance. She felt a shiver race down her back as a cool breeze swirled by. The sound of the elephants, roaring in the background, suddenly filled the night air. “I want to leave this place, Anas. I want to see the world,” she said as their eyes again met. “I want to see the stars.”

Anas gently caressed her face as he came closer. “Then the stars you shall see. I feel energy between us that I cannot explain.” He leaned down with his mouth by her ear. “It makes me want to be nearer to you,” he whispered.

She closed her eyes as his smooth skin glanced off her cheek. His scent suddenly caused her knees to quiver. She wondered,
How can I feel this way for a man whom I barely know? What of Elijah?

His soft words pierced her dreams. “Will you come with me?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

His hand slipped down to her waist. She felt her breath escape as a wave of dizziness swept over her. It was all she could do to fall into his arms.

Ever so slowly, Anas leaned forward, but she didn’t notice until his lips brushed hers. His beating chest pressed tightly against hers until their hearts beat as one. She raised up and found his lips again, this time, not letting go. A gentle breeze swept through the garden as they remained locked in each other’s embrace.

Crack! Anas jumped and turned toward the bushes. Natalia glanced over as well, still wanting to feel the warmth of his softness against her lips. “What is that?” she asked, not wanting this moment to end.

Anas shrugged. “Nothing, it was probably just a bird,” he said as he leaned back into her awaiting arms.

Natalia abruptly pulled back as she adjusted to a wave of guilt spilling into her soul. Her mind suddenly teetered when she considered what she was doing. She quickly replied, “I…I…I need to get back to my room,” she whispered.

Anas tried to look into her eyes. “Is everything okay?”

But Natalia turned her face toward the uneven stones. “Yes. Everything is fine, I just…I just…I need to take care of something,” she said.

“As you wish,” replied Anas quietly and stepped away.

Natalia quickly glanced at him as she turned to go. Her first step faltered ever so slightly, and then she hurried back into the palace.

Chapter 21

H
e reached up,
yet again, and wiped his forehead as he peered through the bushes. His only love, so close that he could hear her whisper, had just turned to leave the tall prince. Her hand moved, only to release a budding rose. As he watched it descend, he thought about the rock he had just thrown across the distance. The loud crack was not as noisome as he had hoped, but it did curtail any further kissing. He grinned. But that quickly faded under the penetrating stare of the prince. The man bent over and carelessly grabbed the rose. His eyes closed as he inhaled its fragrance. Suddenly, the red petals were replaced by an eruption of brilliant flame. Elijah gasped! Seconds later, the cinder ball fell to the earth as the prince exited the garden. Elijah wiped his forehead again and shut his eyes. His jaws clenched abruptly when he replayed the image of Natalia’s last glimpse. His happiness was gone. She had fallen for the stranger in his city, and now, he felt like nothing more than a common bandit. Oh, how he hated that feeling as it sunk deeper and deeper into his chest. He put his hands to his head and started to sob.
Why is this happening? Why?
screamed his thoughts.

The garden was empty and he knew that he had to leave. As he reached hand over hand, the ground slowly moved farther and farther away.
She used to climb with me. She was so good at everything she did, even stealing
, he thought. He paused and stared at the small wooden creature, now moistened by his own hand. He shook his head and tried to drive away the desperate emptiness overtaking him. A quick glance back toward the palace and Natalia’s balcony pushed back the wave of emotions.
Could it really happen?
he thought. Could he convince her of his undying love and win her back? The dark image of the smoldering rose drove him toward her room. He felt compelled to try. The adrenaline surged as if he was being chased across the rooftops. Oh, how he loved that feeling. He was doing something positive, and it had to work, he thought. No risk was too great for his love. He told himself that without her, he was as good as dead. A loud snarl forced his look down. In the corner, directly beneath him lay the chimera with its beady eyes fixed upward. It rose and started to pace, its goat head slowly rising. Elijah shuddered from the chills running up and down his spine as the beast’s sounds penetrated the darkness.
Hisssss
! Elijah leaped for a ledge and quickly pulled himself up and away. With one more hand movement, he quickly scaled the balcony fencing.

The tall glass-filled door gave way to the sight of his love. Her vanity was her only companion as she brushed her hair every so slowly. Elijah’s lungs filled with her sweet fragrance and he stepped closer. He pushed his thoughts away, not wanting to realize that this might be his last chance. “Natalia…” he whispered.

Only her eyes moved as Elijah’s reflection took form. “Elijah? What are you doing here?”

With a half grin, he replied, “I…I came to see you.”

She turned around and slowly rose to her feet. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous here! You could be caught!” she exclaimed.

Elijah shrugged it off. “I don’t care. I…I had to see you,” he said.

She stepped closer. “Elijah, I…”

Elijah drew in another deep breath. “I need to tell you something…”

“I think I already know. I know you killed the prince.” Natalia shook her head and looked away.

Instantly, Elijah’s raspy whisper came forth. “What? I didn’t!”

“Everyone knows about it, Elijah! You told me you took care of it!”

“I didn’t! I didn’t do it, Natalia! You know me! You have to believe me!” pleaded Elijah.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” asked Natalia.

Elijah continued. “I didn’t want you to get hurt! I didn’t kill the prince! It was a gang leader, Karam, who did it!” He stared at her and wondered if even his words were heard.

“Why did you say you were there? Are you a part of this gang now?” asked Natalia, frowning.

“Natalia, stop it! Of course, I’m not! It’s complicated, I,” pleaded Elijah.

“I…can’t trust you anymore,” cried Natalia.

Elijah watched her tears well up.
What was she really thinking
? he thought. “Natalia. Please…I…,” he said as he stepped closer. “I saw you and the prince, and…”

The whispering ended. “You were watching me?”

Elijah stepped back. “I didn’t mean to overhear…”

“What is wrong with you?” she exclaimed.

Elijah’s shoulders dropped. “It’s not how it sounds,” he said.

“Well. Did you hear everything?” demanded Natalia.

He slowly lifted his head. “I heard you wanted to leave with him.”

“Is that true?” tried Elijah again.

Her blank expression offered no help at all. Elijah could hear the thump, thump, thump trying to break through his chest. “Is it true?”

“Elijah,” answered Natalia ever so softly.

Elijah bit his lower lip and looked away. “I suppose we are not meant to be?” he muttered.

Natalia immediately replied. “Elijah. It’s…it could never work out between us, and…you know that.”

Elijah wiped his hand across his eye. “How do you know, Natalia?”

“Because,” she stuttered. “I’m a princess, and you’re…you’re a…”

Elijah nodded as he glanced away. “A bandit?”

Her eyes met the ground.

Suddenly, Elijah reached for her. “Natalia, I love you with all my heart. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you, dream about you. Everything about me wants to be nearer to you. No one will ever love you the way I do. If you could just give me a chance to make this right, I promise we can do it. We can run away together, just the two of us. We can be free! We can go live where there are flocks of hummingbirds!”

A smile settled across her face.

“I…I don’t want to lose you, Natalia. I have never felt so alive than when I’m with you. Please!” He felt her warmth against his arm. “I love you and I always will. My heart belongs only to you,” he whispered.

Several tears broke free. “Elijah…,” she pleaded. “I can’t…”

His chest felt crushed, unable to breath.
Have I taken my last
,’ he wondered as their lives flashed before him. He stood motionless beside her, unable to stir.

Her words forced him to draw in a breath. “I…I am so sorry that I…I misled you, and I knew that we couldn’t be, but I just wanted to pretend and live in my own fantasy world. I am so sorry that I hurt you.”

But his head was spinning, out of control.
What do I do now?
he thought.
Where do I go, who do I see?
He glanced around the room and tried to figure out why it seemed so dark.

His eyes fell on the vanity behind her. “I understand, Natalia. I want you to be happy. And that’s the truth,” he said, hoping against hope for something to change. He didn’t move.

Natalia broke out in tears, sobbing quietly within herself.

“I’ll always be there for you if you ever need me,” he said, gazing at her tender hands.

Suddenly, she threw her arms around him and pulled him close. He tightened his embrace when he realized that this might be their last. “If this is the last time I get to see you, I just want you to know that you made me happy,” he whispered in her ear.

Her broken voice whispered in his ear. “You made me happy too,” she said, eking out a smile.

Realizing that their time was coming to an end, he let go of Natalia and reached into his shirt. “I think this belongs to you.”

Natalia blinked and then remembered the tiny, wooden carving she had given him. She quickly said, “No,” and met his eyes. “I want you to keep it,” she said as she gently pushed against his hands.

“I love you, Natalia.”

The swelling of her chest increased. “I love you too, Elijah,” she replied as her tears flowed freely.

“Bam!” The door suddenly burst open, immediately followed by a screaming woman. “Bandit! Bandit!”

Natalia shouted back. “Mera!”

She screamed again, “
Bandit
!”

Elijah wasted no time as he slid the hummingbird into his shirt and bolted for the window.

“
Bandit
!”

Elijah leaped over the rail down the walls of the great palace. The chimera’s hissing increased as the woman screamed. Elijah could hear shouting from the garden below. The entire palace burst into life. He practically fell into the courtyard and sprinted to the wall.

At first, he couldn’t hear much at all when “Halt!” broke through. A shouting guard charged at him, spear forward. Two others with swords suddenly circled to his side.

Elijah barely had time to notice, but he had to clear his way. He was nearly surrounded.

“You! You’re Elijah!” shouted one of the guards.

A wave of dizziness swept through him when he realized that one of the city guards could identify him.
This can’t be happening!
he screamed within himself.
Why?

The guard with the spear shouted out. “Kill him!” The two guards sliced over and over, forcing Elijah backward. He heard the
whoosh
of the blades as they passed by. He rolled out of the way and into the direct path of the thrusted spear. It slammed into the ground, just missing Elijah’s chest. He came alive, flipping backward and then bouncing to his feet. The shouting increased as more guards appeared. The spear again slammed toward Elijah, close enough to grab it. A quick yank brought the guard within arm’s length. The guard immediately dropped in a heap under the blow of Elijah’s elbow. The other two guards charged Elijah as he vaulted off the spear into the air. It couldn’t have gone more perfectly. He felt the rough stone and latched on, flinging himself upward.

Spear aimed upward, one guard shouted, “Get down here!”

The other yelled out, “Get the archers!”

Elijah didn’t look back as he bounded to the top ledge just as an arrow skidded next to his foot. A quick glance showed several archers adjacent. He lunged over the side and dropped to the ground. His chest pounded harder and harder with each movement. Fear began to seize at him with each whizzing arrow.
Oh, if only I was already on the rooftops
, he thought. He jerked sideways as one arrow sped by. A second’s pause showed him the growing distance behind and a most ominous sight. Radwan’s silhouette commanded attention as he towered on the ledge, thick spear in hand. Suddenly, the threat of death struck him as he watched the spear being raised.
It’s too far!
thought Elijah as he ducked another volley of arrows. Radwan pulled back and catapulted his spear into the dark of night! Elijah could hear the zing of it as it sliced through the air.
It can’t make it this far, it can’t
, his frantic thought screamed.
No man could do that. It’s just too far!
He barely rolled his neck out of the way as the spear impaled itself nearly halfway through a stone wall. Eyes wide, Elijah stumbled backward. He reached up and felt his head and then bolted into a nearby alley. The shouting never stopped, rather, only grew closer as it crescendoed with the chimera’s hissing and growling, He quickly scaled the next wall and dropped his hands to his knees. The heaving kept its loathsome pace until he peered back at the palace. Never before had he seen it bustling like this. Guards kept pouring out, lining the streets. The majestic image of Radwan stood motionless between him and Natalia’s balcony. Elijah closed his eyes, overpowered by everything out of his control. His only love, his only hope was now out of reach. He felt his fate was sealed as the streets filled with a veritable army intent on only one thing—his death.

Chapter 22

H
e had to
bolt across the street, but the clinging wall felt so good against his back. Elijah froze in place. Horse hooves beat against the stones, but he wasn’t sure. The incessant ringing in his ears drowned out nearly everything. Up and down flailed his heaving chest, his lungs never seemed to gain access to enough of life’s precious air. He tried again, sucking in deeply. Then, he lunged into the dark of night and welcoming alley entrance on the other side.
Did the passersby see him
? he wondered as he plastered himself against another stone wall. His darting eyes failed to prove it so he kept running, harder and faster, until his gut screamed out in pain. He realized that he hadn’t tasted a morsel of food the entire day.
How can I keep up this pace? How?
he cried to himself.
My life is over
, he thought as he rounded the corner in front of the abandoned weapons shop.