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p; A military truck crammed with armed soldiers led the way out of the airport and Polly’s nervous tension increased as a big crowd of people surrounded the convoy when it slowed down to leave the coainst the blacked-out s, hands thureat deal of shouting Soripped Polly’s slender frahtly and prayed while the car pulled away slowly and then mercifully speeded up

The car drove down a s and lots of people standing around, apparently there to stare at the car she was travelling in There were eneral holiday ly friendly and enthusiastic fashion as the convoy passed by

They left the city of Kashan and the crowds behind to travel into a desert landscape empty of human habitation Flat plains of sand ornamented with rocky outcrops stretched in every direction and in the distance she could see giant dunes There was soht blue sky and the burning sun that made her want to paint in a medium different from her usual dreah giant gates into a startlingly green and lush spread of gardens dotted with trees and shrubs and colourful flowers

Ahead looe and small don

The door beside her opened and Polly eased back out into the siht trousers and tee shirt instantly sticking to her daure stood beneath the huge entrance portico and as Polly approached she bowed very low and motioned a hand in silent request that she follow her

Clearly, she wasn’t under arrest, Polly reflected with intense relief, her curiosity flying as high as her ier at the fearful uncertainty she had endured re and very broad hallway lined with ornately carved stone columns Her sandals squeaked as she trekked after the wo They traversed a shallow staircase and crossed a scantily furnished large room towards French s that stood wide open

Oh, dear, Polly thought in dis burn of the midday sun

She walked hesitantly out into a walled courtyard and her co by palround forht into the shade by the fountain, desperate for the cooler air

A young wo fashionable dress appeared and dealt her a s a hand helpfully at the table and two chairs sited in full sun Suppressing a groan, Polly moved closer just as quick steps sounded fro woman immediately dropped down onto her knees and bowed her head Polly blinked in astonishment and slowly turned round

A very tall man with blue-black hair and eyes as keen as a hawk’s surveyed her The hunting analogy was apt, she conceded, because she felt cornered and intier like a force field He was also, very probably, the best-lookingadvert and she kneho he was, thanks to her Internet research on the country of Dharia He was the recently crowned ruler of Dharia, King Rashad She sed hard, thoroughly disconcerted and shaken that she was being granted a personalwith such an important individual

Herto think of soot there before her

‘I a came into your possession’

I aht, as if there were only one Rashad in the whole world And looking at hiht well only be one man quite like hile-handedly united his country’s different factions to bring about peace and as universally and quite slavishly adored for that commendable achievement

‘The truth is…there’s not much I can explain,’ Polly admitted shakily, for the instant she connected with those striking dark brown eyes as luht she could barely breathe, never mind think and vocalise

CHAPTER TWO