Page 13 (1/2)

Against the crisp white bedding, his bronze skin glistened even more than usual and I couldn’t help but notice the definition of his armI could practically see the individual striations in theand forced myself to take a deep breath He certainly had an effect onat ely and I realized that I hadn’t answered his questionHis bulging biceps had distracted aze away from them and back to his faceNot exactly a hardship

"I’hed as I sat on the edge of the bed next to hi silky strands of his hair away from his faceHe closed his eyes and leaned intomy skin

"I wish you could stay,"heat et lost in eyes like that, so I pulled aith another sigh

"Trust me, so do I,"I aze penetrating my back as I stripped off my clothes and hurriedly dressed in a cotton day shiftI quickly brushed my hair and twisted it into a si it with slender ivory pinsBending quickly, I brushed my lips across Hasani’s brow

He used my off-balance stance as an opportunity to pullon top of hi the henna phoenix tattooed on ht and warhit easy for hed into his soft lips

"I wasn’t trying to,"he replied as he kissed the side of oose bumps forroaned as I pushed his hands away and stood up

"Trust me, I would rather stay here with you, but I need to see what the queen needs It ly released me, but I could tell froeneral in Antony’s army, after allHe understood loyalty- it was in every strand of hishis head deep under a buckwheat pillow as I was slipped out the door

Making my way hurriedly to Cleopatra’s cha for uards stationed outside of her door were nonplussed at my early appearance and see- whatever the issue was et to her just in caseThey didn’t have all of the infornorance was bliss

As I threw open the doors, my rushed entry was anti-climacticCleopatra’s chamber was completely silent as I entered itHer bed was ruainst the cool azed around the darkened roo seehtExcept that Cleopatra wasn’t here

"Cleopatra?"

As I called for her, Ithe castor oil sconcesShe had let them burn out and there was no reason for the room to be so dark

"I’m here"

Her voice was so tiny that I barely heard it I followed it and found her huddled on the floor next to her bed with her knees clutched to her chestHer face was pale in the darkness, her eyes dull and tired froht?"

She nodded, but I rushed to her side anyway and gave her a quick once-overShe appeared to be fineHer hair was uncouessed that it was because she had never gone to bed

"Where’s Antony?"I asked as I slid down to sit next to herShe scooted over toht and slept in his own chambers,"her voice was small and sad and I instantly felt sorry for herShe didn’t like sympathy, however, so I took pains to hide it

It wasn’t unusual for Antony to succumb to melancholy, in fact, it was the very reason Cleopatra had his own palatial addition built… so that he had a vast private place to surround himself hile he mopedI knew she wasn’t upset that he had chosen to sleep alone--she was only sad because of the tith so she could led to make my voice devoid of syhed"But I’m concerned because Iras hasn’t returnedIf she wasn’t able to find Annen, she would have come back and reported that to , Char has happened to her?"

"Cleopatra!"I gasped "That’s horrible- don’t even think that!What could possibly have happened?She probably returned to the palace too late and didn’t want to wake you"

But even before I had finished speaking, Cleopatra was already shaking her head dejectedly

"She didn’t couards check her rooh I tried to hide it from the queenIt wasn’t like Iras not to co if not obedientIf she could’ve returned to the palace, she would haveI had a sick feeling that where ever she was now, she didn’t want to be there

PothinusShe’s with PothinusAhmose’s raspy voice appeared inaround me

I hated it when he did thatIf he wanted to talk to s in ht bad newsJust as I had feared, Pothinus was hereSos down and turned back to Cleopatra

"What do you think we should do?"

I was i and calm I soundedCleopatra would have no idea that an to throb, the tell-tale sign that everything rongI needed to fix it, but I wasn’t sure how