Page 49 of The Treasure
"In a moment."
"Now."
"What a nagging wench you are." He turned and started down the slope. "There's nothing to fear. You should embrace new experiences."
"Like trying to find a way into an enemy castle to get that foolish box?" She fell into step with him. "When will you go?"
"Tomorrow night. Midnight. I'll scale the south wall."
"Alone?"
"I'm safer alone. Nasim was right in that."
"Then he should have come himself."
"I think he was afraid."
"What?"
"I've never known him to fear anything, but I think he was afraid to come here. Interesting, is it not?"
More chilling than interesting. "So he sent you to face this Tarik."
"Tarik . . ." He glanced over his shoulder at the castle. "Nasim told me little about him. That's odd in itself. He usually made sure I knew everything about a situation."
"You know that Tarik usually sends back Nasim's men in pieces. You've made no attempt to hide our presence here. What if he finds out there are strangers about?"
"He already knows."
She stared at him in astonishment.
"We've been watched since early this morning. It has to be Tarik."
"And you're still going to the castle tomorrow night?"
He nodded.
"Dear God, you're truly a madman." She tried to steady her voice. "Why?"
"He's waiting for me."
"Then let him wait."
"But that would be no challenge at all."
" Damnyour challenge."
He went on as if he hadn't heard her. "I'll tell Balkir and his men to wait for me near the south wall. He should leave only a token guard on you and Haroun. It may be the best opportunity for you to escape. Run to the woods and hide. I'll find you."
She was supposed to leave while he was in Tarik's castle? "No."
"It will be better for me not to have to worry about you."
"I want you to worry about me. You should worry. It's your fault we're here. Maybe if you worry enough you won't be so eager to take challenges from men who--" She broke off and drew a deep breath. "I'll wait to leave until you come back."
If he came back.
"I'll come back," he said, as if he'd read her mind. "There's something waiting here, but I don't think it's--" He shrugged. "But I could be wrong. Death has many masks to fool a man."
