Read Online The Sheikh's Desert Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 8) by Cara Albany - Free Book Online
Authors: Cara Albany
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then they'd be off. Job done. Back to Qazhar.
And then?
She grabbed the reins of her mount. "We best be going, Azim. I think we must be almost there," she added lifting a querying brow toward him. He was her guide and she just had to accept that.
Azim nodded and took hold of his own reins. "You're right," he said a sudden sharpness in his voice. Was that disappointment on his features? Had she spoken too harshly to him, again?
He started off quickly and she raced after him.
She followed Azim and thought about what was awaiting her up ahead. She could have just high-tailed it out of these mountains with Azim, and left the site behind. But, she knew she would have regretted such a decision. She needed to know if the ancient statues had been damaged. The need to know was burning inside her. It meant too much for her to just turn her back on the truth.
She hoped that Jawad had been lying; wanted to believe that it had all been part of his attempt to stand up to Azim. Any defiance by Jawad had more to do with facing up to what Azim represented. Authority. Tradition. Strength.
The morning air was warmer now as they manoeuvred their way through the series of ravines and cuttings. The air was getting so warm now that Lucy had difficulty drawing a breath. Even with the movement of air it still felt like she was cutting her way through a wall of heat.
Of course, for Azim it was all business as usual, she thought as she tailed behind him. Watching his robes billow in the wind she got a real sense of how comfortable he felt in this harsh landscape. For him, this was entirely natural. It was his domain, the place where he felt truly at home.
Lucy gave a sudden sigh of relief when they at last emerged out of the narrow ravine and into a cutting in the cliffs that stretched ahead of them for about a hundred yards and about fifty yards in width. Azim pulled his horse to a juddering halt and Lucy's mount slid to a sudden stop on the sand-covered floor, hooves digging deep into the soft earth.
Lucy's heart started to hammer and her pulse raced with manic energy. Sheer excitement gripped her and she felt every nerve in her body quiver with a mixture of shock and awe.
What she saw in front of her literally made her gasp out loud. Tears welled up and her throat tightened. She raised a hand to her mouth to suppress the groan that leapt from her lips.
"My God!" she exclaimed.
Azim twisted in his saddle and smiled at her. Even he looked impressed, she thought. "Look at that, Lucy," he said pointing straight ahead. "Isn't that a sight to behold."
And, indeed it was, Lucy had to admit. She slid down off her horse, her boots sinking into the soft sand. Her legs felt weak, and she leaned a hand against her horse's flank to steady herself. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.
Lucy stood transfixed, staring in wonder at one of the most amazing things she'd ever seen.
Azim dismounted and came over to her side, gazing up at the enormous statues which were carved into the high cliff in front them. Lucy was barely aware of his presence by her side as she lifted her head to take in the sheer enormity of what she was looking at.
"It's intact," was all she could say in breathless tone.
Azim smiled at her. "Completely undamaged."
Lucy gasped and felt a tear race down her cheek. "I thought you said it had been destroyed," she said to Azim.
"Jawad was lying," Azim replied, disgust filling his voice. "Nothing surprising there," he added with a shrug. "But, look at it. Isn't it amazing?"
Lucy took a few steps toward the cliff carvings and tried to appreciate the awesome beauty of the object she was looking at.
There were cliff carvings all over this region. She knew that. But, this took the whole concept of ancient cliff carvings and statuary to a whole new level.
Lucy turned to Azim. "Can you believe it?" she said.
Azim smiled at her. "I can believe it, Lucy. I'm just so pleased that its intact. Just like it has been
And then?
She grabbed the reins of her mount. "We best be going, Azim. I think we must be almost there," she added lifting a querying brow toward him. He was her guide and she just had to accept that.
Azim nodded and took hold of his own reins. "You're right," he said a sudden sharpness in his voice. Was that disappointment on his features? Had she spoken too harshly to him, again?
He started off quickly and she raced after him.
She followed Azim and thought about what was awaiting her up ahead. She could have just high-tailed it out of these mountains with Azim, and left the site behind. But, she knew she would have regretted such a decision. She needed to know if the ancient statues had been damaged. The need to know was burning inside her. It meant too much for her to just turn her back on the truth.
She hoped that Jawad had been lying; wanted to believe that it had all been part of his attempt to stand up to Azim. Any defiance by Jawad had more to do with facing up to what Azim represented. Authority. Tradition. Strength.
The morning air was warmer now as they manoeuvred their way through the series of ravines and cuttings. The air was getting so warm now that Lucy had difficulty drawing a breath. Even with the movement of air it still felt like she was cutting her way through a wall of heat.
Of course, for Azim it was all business as usual, she thought as she tailed behind him. Watching his robes billow in the wind she got a real sense of how comfortable he felt in this harsh landscape. For him, this was entirely natural. It was his domain, the place where he felt truly at home.
Lucy gave a sudden sigh of relief when they at last emerged out of the narrow ravine and into a cutting in the cliffs that stretched ahead of them for about a hundred yards and about fifty yards in width. Azim pulled his horse to a juddering halt and Lucy's mount slid to a sudden stop on the sand-covered floor, hooves digging deep into the soft earth.
Lucy's heart started to hammer and her pulse raced with manic energy. Sheer excitement gripped her and she felt every nerve in her body quiver with a mixture of shock and awe.
What she saw in front of her literally made her gasp out loud. Tears welled up and her throat tightened. She raised a hand to her mouth to suppress the groan that leapt from her lips.
"My God!" she exclaimed.
Azim twisted in his saddle and smiled at her. Even he looked impressed, she thought. "Look at that, Lucy," he said pointing straight ahead. "Isn't that a sight to behold."
And, indeed it was, Lucy had to admit. She slid down off her horse, her boots sinking into the soft sand. Her legs felt weak, and she leaned a hand against her horse's flank to steady herself. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.
Lucy stood transfixed, staring in wonder at one of the most amazing things she'd ever seen.
Azim dismounted and came over to her side, gazing up at the enormous statues which were carved into the high cliff in front them. Lucy was barely aware of his presence by her side as she lifted her head to take in the sheer enormity of what she was looking at.
"It's intact," was all she could say in breathless tone.
Azim smiled at her. "Completely undamaged."
Lucy gasped and felt a tear race down her cheek. "I thought you said it had been destroyed," she said to Azim.
"Jawad was lying," Azim replied, disgust filling his voice. "Nothing surprising there," he added with a shrug. "But, look at it. Isn't it amazing?"
Lucy took a few steps toward the cliff carvings and tried to appreciate the awesome beauty of the object she was looking at.
There were cliff carvings all over this region. She knew that. But, this took the whole concept of ancient cliff carvings and statuary to a whole new level.
Lucy turned to Azim. "Can you believe it?" she said.
Azim smiled at her. "I can believe it, Lucy. I'm just so pleased that its intact. Just like it has been
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