Page 59 of Tashama
“Leave us,” the prince said to his cousin.
“Of course, Your Highness.” Listra hurried out of the room.
The prince walked back and forth in front of Tashama. “The gardens are to be always guarded. If I have to, I’ll chain you to your bed at night.”
Her lips turned up slightly as she ran her fingers over her braid. “You mean I won’t be sleeping on the pillows in yourchambers any longer? Last night’s dreams seemed most vivid only…”
“Only?”
She frowned. “When I woke, I could not recall them.”
The prince studied her as his brows furrowed, then he folded his arms across his chest. “Was the thief to rendezvous with you last night?”
“Of course, Your Highness. It was awfully inconsiderate of me to have stayed with you last night instead.”
The door opened, and Carissian walked into the room. “I’ve been informed about the thief.”
“Cannot keep any secrets around a court, I always say.” Tashama leaned into the sumptuous pillows of her chair.
“Do you think, Carissian,” the prince asked, “he had planned to ferret the prisoner away, but by her staying in my chambers last night, he was thwarted?”
Tashama faced the window. “Quit trying to read my thoughts.”
Carissian rubbed his chin, then, as his eyes followed her gaze, he hurried out of the room through the window.
“What is it?” The prince watched Carissian lean over the blue-flowered shrub.
“A piece of paper caught here in the branches.” He pulled the paper from the branch, then unfolded it.
Tashama jaw dropped.
Carissian refolded the paper. “The guards’ concern was warranted, Your Highness.”
The prince nodded, then as Carissian walked back into the guest chambers, Tashama stared at the note he still grasped in his hand. The sorcerer handed the message to the prince. His brow wrinkled while he read the message. He handed the paper to Tashama. “Seems the communique was for you, Princess.”
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Tashama stared at the strange symbols, then smiled. “Possibly, but I cannot read what it says.”
The prince turned to Carissian, who nodded. “She sees unrecognizable symbols she cannot seem to decipher.”
“But we all use the same language. If she is Tashama…”
“She has been living in Texas these past ten years, Your Highness. Our written language was consolidated after she left the region.”
“I see.” The prince smiled at her. “Seems you couldn’t have followed these instructions, nor could you have left a message for this band of thieves after all.”
“Now why would I do that, sire?” She laid her hands in her lap. The prince shook his head. “We’ll leave a decoy in her place tonight, and when the thieves come to steal her away, our guards can catch them in the act. As for the lady, she would be safer in my chambers. There she’ll remain for the night.”
“Devil won’t like it, Your Highness,” she said. “She already is pretty incensed that I promised to teach you to swim. She didn’t like the idea that I would have to have you stripped,” she added, then paused her speech. Both he and his sorcerer hung on herwords, and she continued, “…to the waist so I could float you on my hands until you got used to the feeling of floating in the water.”
“You said this to the lady?”.
“Why? Did I do the wrong thing?”
Carissian shook his head. “She’s still dangerous.”
“Devil?” Her brows arched with the question.
