Page 68 of Dalla's Royal Guards
“There are better ways to track information now. Their warriors would likely not even know the full scope of who is involved. But I believe there are two operatives already in this hotel. I don’t have names—yet—and, nothing concrete. Just a gut feeling.” Harlem turned to Nasser and Musad. “When you’ve lived as long as Dalla and I have, you learn to trust your instincts.” He gave a pointed look at the hallway door. “It’s only a matter of time before they learn which room you’re in.”
Nasser gave a brief nod and moved toward the kitchenette, already reaching for his phone. “I’ll contact Donovan and the rest of our team. Let them know what’s going on.”
“They can’t—” she started to protest before she shook her head. Donovan and the others already knew about her. It was pointless to conceal that she wasn’t normal. She felt frustrated. She didn’t know how to fight in this new world. The rules had changed.
Musad crossed to the bedroom, tapping out a message on his own device. “I’ll speak with Raja. We’ll need safe passage out of Simdan.”
Harlem nodded. “That is smart. Raja will help you. Get her to Narva. You’ll have more protection there.”
“What about you?” she asked, staring at Harlem.
Harlem chuckled, walked over to her, and ran his hands along her arms.
“I have powerful friends in this world who know how to fight fire with fire. It is you that I worry about,” he quietly replied.
The weight of his words pressed down on Dalla’s chest. She understood, suddenly, how tightly connected all the warriors on both sides of this conflict were, how quickly more warriors could be brought in on either side.
She did not have the slightest idea how to strategize to account for that.
Standing near the sofa, Dalla wrapped her arms tightly around herself and felt the men around her gathering power through their modern devices as if they were Njord gathering a storm to stir the sea.
It’s happening again. My time here will be short.
The knowledge seared through her. Her gaze flicked between them—three powerful men moving as if they were already under fire. And it was her fault. All of it.
Because I existed. Because I returned.
Harlem’s eyes met hers, and something in his expression softened.
“Why did I return if I can’t protect them?” she asked.
“Perhaps they were meant to protect you this time.”
She gave a shaky laugh. “You know that isn’t how it works. At least, it never has in the past. I thought I was only meant to save the child, but…”
She watched the emotions flashing across Musad’s face as he spoke to the man on the other line. In the background, she could hear Nasser’s quiet voice as he answered questions and gave instructions to Donovan.
She turned toward Harlem, her voice barely audible. “What are we, Harlem? Why me? Why am I cursed to keep coming back? Why—why would any God give me a chance to find love only to rip it from me?”
Then he looked at her—really looked at her. “I’ve spent centuries asking that question. I still don’t have the answer. Have you thought it might not be a curse, but a way of timelines correcting themselves? Perhaps you were meant to find your place in time. You just haven’t yet.”
Her heart stopped. “And if I do? If this is my time, what happens?”
His hesitation was her answer.
“Perhaps you’ll find love… and peace. I don’t know. There—” He stopped and shook his head. “I don’t want to give you false hope.”
Indecision tore at her. She could see that he was holding something back. She bit her lip and nodded, her throat tightening.
“I just wanted to know if there was a way that I could stay,” she whispered, “here, with them, this time, instead of… dying.”
“Do you love them?” Harlem asked softly.
She didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“Maybe I can give you an answer,” he said, “in a few days. Let me look deeper. If there’s a way, I’ll find it.”
She blinked back tears and nodded. Her hand drifted toward him, resting briefly on his arm. “Don’t lie to me. You said youdon’t want to give me false hope. Whatever you do, don’t lie to me. No matter what you find out.”
