The Sheikh’s Tempted Prisoner by Holly Rayner Page 0,41
guard walked out of a small booth to greet them.
The guard opened his mouth to ask about their identification, but when he saw Atnan, his jaw simply dropped in shock. Atnan greeted him in English, likely for Lily’s sake.
“Good morning, Ker. I trust you’ve been well?”
The man’s eyes were wide as he nodded and found his voice. He chose English as his eyes darted to Lily and then back to Atnan.
“Yes, Your Highness. It is good to see you again. Shall I alert the Sheikh to your presence?”
“No,” Atnan said, a bit too quickly. “I will find him myself. Thank you, Ker.”
The guard nodded, pressing a button to open the gates, which parted like the Red Sea before them, the smoothly paved road stretching out ahead. Lily saw Atnan take another bracing breath as he drove on and then parked the car in a small lot to the side of the main entryway.
“Do we go in through the front?” Lily asked.
Atnan shook his head.
“Usually the front is reserved for visiting dignitaries. It’s all part of the pomp and circumstance; I always just go in through the side door here.”
They exited the car, Lily wanting to grasp Atnan’s hand in support. He was already two steps ahead of her when he turned, remembering himself.
“Right this way,” he said, attempting a smile.
She did reach for his hand, then, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“It’s going to be fine. You’ll see,” she told him.
He nodded, though he continued to look unconvinced.
As they stepped inside, Lily was met with a tidal wave of spiced scents. She crooked her elbow and sneezed into it before looking back up.
They had entered into the royal kitchens. The staff was bustling around, busy preparing what would likely be the day’s luncheon.
“Atnan Shadid!”
The voice was slightly accusatory. Atnan and Lily turned slowly and found themselves face-to-face with a man in a large white hat. His hands were covered in flour, and his forehead was misted with sweat, presumably from kneading some kind of dough. He glared down at them for what seemed like an eternity before his mouth burst into a wide grin.
“I’ve been wondering when you’d be back to finish your cooking lessons,” the man said, patting Atnan on the shoulder, dusting him in flour.
“Ah, apologies. I forget that not everyone spends every day covered in food. Now, what brings you back here after all this time? Here to steal some treats, learn a new recipe?”
Atnan visibly relaxed, his smile genuine as he looked upon his old friend.
“I’ve returned to meet with my father, actually. Do you know where we might find him?”
The chef shrugged.
“Where else? You’ll find him in the gardens, as usual.”
Atnan nodded as though he had expected as much. He shook the chef’s hand, not caring about the ensuing flour, and headed out. Lily stopped and looked up at the chef.
“I have had the pleasure of trying some of your recipes, courtesy of the Sheikh. I’m grateful to you. The cuisine here is delicious.”
The chef placed a hand on his heart, smiling warmly at her.
“My dear, thank you. I’m glad to see my lessons were not wasted,” he said with a slight smirk.
She laughed.
“No. They most certainly were not. It looks like I might lose the Sheikh if I don’t get moving, though. Have a great day!” she called before moving forward.
Atnan was nearly around a corner before he realized she hadn’t followed him. He stopped and waited for her to join him before pressing onward.
They wound their way through a series of hallways. This palace was more modern looking than the other, with many updates and present-day touches. The furniture was clean and lightly-colored. In fact, nearly everything was either white or some variation of white. Lily wondered how they managed to keep everything so spotless.
As they approached a pair of glass doors, Atnan hesitated, his fingers on the handle. Lily placed her hand on his and pressed the handle down.
“You can do this,” she reminded him.
When they opened the door, the fresh scent of foliage and flowers met them, welcoming them into the vast and open gardens. While the gardens at the other palace had been enclosed like an embrace, these gardens were sprawling, with statues dotting the well-manicured landscape around the hedges that lined the area. Trees leaned over the borders as though trying to glean any kind of gossip from inside the walls.
In the distance, Lily saw an older man walking along the outer perimeter, his hands clasped behind his back as