someone I knew he wanted very much. And, yes, I knew it would also keep me from being hurt again. There’s nothing wrong with that. I thought I could tell him all the rest about Madam later, when it would be safer for me.”
“No, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Jill said. “I can understand how you might feel you had to protect yourself any way you could.” She paused. “As long as it didn’t hurt anyone. Because I realize what you went through. We’re alike in many ways. We’ve both been victims.” She added, “I believe you know that, don’t you? You said Zahra had to go to Varak to help her. You heard exactly what Zahra asked Varak to do to me when she couldn’t get what she wanted from Wyatt.”
Silence. “She was very angry with you. He told her it would be better to kill you, but she said that would be…awkward, and that they should just hurt you.” Another silence. “I knew what that meant. I was very sad. You should have done what she wanted.”
“No, that would have been the wrong thing to do.” Jill hesitated, then said deliberately, “Because that would have made me the slave she’s tried to make you, Dalai. You know that if you don’t fight, that’s what happens. I was hurt, but I healed, got to my feet, and started to fight again. I’m fighting now. And that’s what you’ve got to do.”
“Do I? Even though she said she’s like Kiya, and I was meant to be her slave?” Jill realized there was actually a trace of sarcasm in Dalai’s words, and it only showed how far they had come toward honesty in these last minutes.
“Bullshit. How do you know that you’re not the one who’s like Kiya? You can be whatever you want to be. Look at you. You’ve already started to fight.” She added dryly, “Though definitely in a manipulative manner. I’m afraid we’re also alike in that quality, and lately, I’ve become very aware how destructive it can be. I’ve sworn off it myself unless it’s an emergency.” She changed the subject. “But it’s time to admit that the only way you’re going to get rid of Varak is through using everything you know about Zahra. Zahra’s the key. It’s too deadly going after Varak. There are too many traps. So you’ll have to give me a way to use Zahra to bring Varak to us.”
“There’s no way to do that,” she said quickly.
“I believe we’ll think of a way. We’ll talk, and something will come to us. It probably won’t be as slick and efficient as what you were planning to have Gideon do. But we’ll get there.”
“You don’t know her.” Her voice was suddenly harsh. “Stay out of this. Let me handle her. I know how she thinks, how she reacts. You could spoil everything. You don’t know what she’d do.”
“No, but you do. You know everything about her.” It was time to stop pushing. She had to step back and let the decision come from Dalai. “If you’re ready to help us, then find a way to call me. I don’t want to put you at risk again. Let me know, and I’ll somehow find a way to get you out of there so that we can talk more freely.” Her voice took on an urgency that could not have been more genuine. “But we don’t have much time. People will die.” Now add the single plea that might change the story. “Gideon will die.”
She cut the connection.
Jill drew a deep breath. It was done.
Now all she could do was sit here and wait for a call that might not come.
* * *
The call came three hours later, when the sun had just started to go down.
Her heart jumped as she saw the presidential palace ID on her phone. Yes.
“I will help you.” Dalai’s voice was intense and angry when she came on the phone. “I have no choice. Though you’ll probably be like all the rest of them who care only about themselves. But you mustn’t be stupid or careless. Do you hear me? I won’t be put in that…place again.”
“Hopefully, I won’t be either of those things,” Jill said. “How can I help you? Should I send someone to the palace to get you?”
“You’re already being stupid. You’d spoil everything if you did that.” Dalai drew a deep breath. “Besides, I’m already here.”