THE DEMON'S LEGACY

Chapter 9

Nyssa tried to pay attention to the old romance novel she was reading, something her mother had bought years ago and had stored in a box with other books—some fiction, some non-fiction. Her mother sat at the other end of the sagging sofa, squinting as she embroidered one of her scarves, occasionally glancing at a British sitcom on the television, chuckling at the program's absurdities.

"You shouldn't stay up so late, Maji," Nyssa chided. "You're feeling better, but you should still get plenty of sleep."

Her mother glanced knowingly at her before concentrating again on her needlework. "You can't fool me, betee. I know why you want me to go to bed, and it has nothing to do with sleep…for either of us."

Though Nyssa realized the gossip from the bazaar had reached her mother, stubbornness kept her from conceding. "I'm just concerned about you, Maji. You still look a bit pale."

Her mother dismissively waved her hand. "You want me in bed so you can sneak off with Ra'id Tahan."

Nyssa feigned surprise. "I'm not going to sneak off anywhere."

"I may be old, Nyssa, but I'm no fool; don't try to make me one."

"Maji…" Nyssa's words died. There was no fooling her mother. She might as well own up to it. Well, at least some of it. "Okay, fine. Yes, I'm planning on seeing Ra'id tonight."

Her mother set aside her needlework. "Seeing him? I'm also not naïve, betee."

Nyssa shrugged one shoulder. "I don't have any plans. We just got talking in the bazaar today and thought we'd see each other. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd jump to conclusions."

"Are you trying to tell me my conclusions are wrong?" She muted the television.

"Yes. I mean, I don't know. I'd just planned on talking."

"Well, Ra'id has more planned than that. Look at him. A good-looking man like that with no wife. If he was worth anything, he'd quit living off the El Fadil teat and become something more respectable."

"I'm not looking for a husband, Maji. I've had enough of husbands."

"Then what are you looking for?" Her eyes narrowed, and Nyssa had to look away in the pretense of setting her book aside. "Trouble. That is what my daughter is looking for."

"Can't a girl just have some fun?" She tried to sound unappreciated. "I think I deserve it by now."

"Fun is not what you will find with Ra'id. And it's not all you're looking for, is it? Your curiosity about that little boy from the palace is going to get you killed. Is that what you want for me?"

"Little boy? Ra'id is no little boy."

"Don't be coy with me; you know I'm talking about the child, Henri, who came to the bazaar with Maysam El Fadil. Leave that alone before you get us both in trouble."

Nyssa tried a softening smile. "Maji, you know I'd never put you in danger."

"You may think you aren't, but I know the palace better than you, remember. And I know men like Ra'id."

"Really, Maji, I'm not a little girl anymore. I can handle myself. I've killed men, you know."

Her mother grabbed up the scarf to anxiously wad it. "I know what your work is, Nyssa, but that doesn't mean I have to like it or excuse it."

"What I'm saying is that I can handle men like Ra'id."

"I'd rather not find out if that's true. Stay away from him and the palace. That place has brought us nothing but misery."

"Maji." Nyssa decided upon another tactic. "Don't you get lonely, all these years without a man? I do. I'm afraid I don't have the morals you do. I'd like to have a little fun now that I'm back on my own again." She reached for her mother's arm. "I'll be careful." With a winning smile, she leaned closer and added, "I promise."

"I can see you aren't going to listen to me. Very well. Far be it from me to see my daughter 'lonely.' Go about your business with Ra'id, but promise me you won't talk to him about that little boy. And promise me the whole village won't know about my daughter's loose morals."

Nyssa kissed her mother's cheek and grinned, but no smile came back, only a dark look. "I'll be discreet, Maji."

"Humph." She picked up her needle again. "You have your father's willfulness. I never should have allowed that man into my bed. I'm still paying for it to this day." Then she begrudged a tiny smile and sidelong glance to assure Nyssa of her love and thankfulness to have her.

###

The ringtone buzzed on the other end of the line as Bane waited impatiently for Talia to answer. Beside him on the sofa, Henri knelt, dressed in pajamas, staring intently at the phone as if commanding his mother to pick up. He bit his lower lip as he squirmed, fingers kneading his father's thigh.

"Mama," he whispered in anticipation.

Bane offered him a smile of reassurance and absently smoothed his son's cowlick.

"Hello," the beloved voice finally answered.

"Hello, habibati."

"Mama!" Henri cried.

Bane held up a shushing finger. "I hope we are not interrupting anything."

"No," Talia said, "I'm just reading. I'm a bit sleepy from the time change."

"Yes, it will take you a couple of days to adjust. But nothing should press you. Lounge by the pool and do nothing but relax, my dear. Everything was in order when you arrived, I take it? Our brothers awaited you?"

"Yes, but I really don't think a detail is necessary here. Yemi is enough."

"I beg to differ, and I refuse to debate this."

"Of course you do," she said with a hint of amusement. "How is Henri?"

"He is right here, eager to speak with you. But first I must tell you that he received a spanking today."

"No, Papa Baba; secret." Henri sank back in disappointment, chewing his lip harder now.

"You spanked him?"

"Yes. He was being disobedient and obtrusive while Barsad and I were sparring."

"Oh, Haris," she said, avoiding the use of his true name, as they always did with one another while on the telephone. "You must have broken his heart. Is he okay?"

"Of course he is."

"Don't be too hard on him these first couple of days. He's never had to endure this separation before. And it was so abrupt."

"All to good purpose, my dear. Don't worry about our cub. I think he has learned a valuable lesson. Haven't you, son?"

Henri nodded and spoke loud enough for Talia to hear, "I be good."

"Let me speak to him."

"Very well. Let me put you on speaker." Bane pressed the button. "Talk to your mother, Jin."

The boy's face lit up, and he pushed close to the phone in Bane's hand. "Mama!"

"Hello, my sweet boy. How are you?"

"Come home, Mama."

"In a few days. Your papa told me you were a bad boy today."

"I sorry. I fight. Beat up Papa Baba."

"You did?"

"Yes. Unca John told me to."

Talia laughed. "Sounds like Uncle John. Did you win?"

"Yes."

"Good boy. You will be a great fighter, like your father."

"You come home, Mama?"

"Soon, baby. Now tell me what you did today with your papa."

Henri clambered into Bane's lap and settled against him, keeping his face close to the phone. "Go to garden; play hide and seek. Went swimming. Papa Baba gonna let me ride elephant."

"An elephant?" Concern pitched her voice. "A real elephant?"

"Yes! Tomorrow."

"Haris?"

"Don't worry, habibati. We are just going to Jaipur for overnight. I will take him to the Amber Fort and teach him some history."

"Oh, Haris. I wish you wouldn't."

"Our son has been wishing for this since he could talk. I think it will be a productive father/son outing."

"Is John going with you?"

"I would never ask him to leave Sanjana at this time. And I insist you not ask him either, habibati. I will take two of our men, and I think your mother will be coming, too, so that means Abrams will be along as well." Bane chuckled. "Of course he will be displeased about leaving the palace because of his concerns over that Nyssa woman. But we will make sure Davos will continue his surveillance of her. If she tries to follow us, he will move in and seize her. But no doubt she will be staying here with her mother."

"Don't discount Abrams's intuition."

"Never, my love."

"I ride elephant, Mama," Henri grinned.

"You must be careful, sweetheart. Elephants are much larger than the ones at the palace gates."

"I not scared."

"Of course, you aren't, but you must be careful all the same. Promise me."

"I promise." His grin never faded as he gave his father a reckless look.

"Haris, please think twice about this. Maybe wait until I return. We can go as a family."

"By the time you return, it will be close to Sanjana's time, and we will all remain close to home. And I would like Henri and I to do something special together."

"I understand, but—"

"I will keep my face covered."

"You are a huge white man, Haris, in a country of small, dark people. Even with your face covered, you will stand out."

"I will not linger in public places."

"The Amber Fort? There will be tourists as well as locals there."

"You must trust me, my dear."

Talia made a small, worried sound.

"Now, tell us about your day, habibati, and let us not squabble over Henri's adventure."

By the time Talia had related her flight to France and how she had spent the day touring the vineyards with Chateau Blanc's vigneron, a strident knock sounded at Bane's door. Expecting Hisham, he was surprised to see Abrams answer his invitation to enter. The plum color shading Abrams's cheeks revealed his anger over something. Bane had a good guess exactly what that was.

"Unca Aaron's here, Mama," Henri announced.

"Should I let you go, Haris?"

"Oh," Abrams said, coming to an abrupt halt just inside the door. "Didn't mean to interrupt. Sorry. I can come back."

"That won't be necessary," Bane said, setting the phone down on the coffee table in front of him. "Habibati, Henri will keep you company while I speak to Abrams, if you don't mind."

"Is something wrong?"

Bane grinned. "I'm sure it's nothing worse than your grandmother vexing him again."

Talia chuckled. "Probably."

Bane sat Henri in front of the phone, then stood, beckoning for Abrams to follow him to the far side of the room. There, Bane sat in his desk chair and motioned Abrams to another chair.

"There's no guard outside your door," Abrams said, frowning with concern.

"No. Nor will there be until Talia returns. It's time my men had some relaxation. With myself and Barsad both here, there's little need for them in such a close capacity."

Abrams gave him a skeptical side glance before muttering, "If you say so. It seems security has flown out the window on all levels around here today."

"I'm assuming Maysam has told you of her plans to accompany me and Henri to Jaipur tomorrow."

"Yeah. And I'm assuming when you told her you were going, she didn't bother to tell you how she had earlier agreed to stay inside the compound until that Nyssa woman is gone."

"She did mention it, actually. And when she did, I told her that she should always listen to her head of security."

"Obviously she doesn't listen to you any better than she does to me."

"She has her heart set on seeing Henri's dream of riding an elephant come true. What great-grandmother wouldn't want to witness that?"

"One with some sense in her head. We need to take this Nyssa woman seriously. She's a killer, Bane."

"I do take her very seriously. But I also trust you and your men to handle her. It is my faith in you and your forces that allows me confidence in our travels tomorrow."

Abrams sat up a bit straighter, his square jaw set with pride. But that pride failed to remove the storminess from his brow. "She said we'll be staying two nights."

"That is correct. It is too long of a journey by car to make the trip there and back in one day."

"Well, at least promise me we won't be there any longer than that."

"You have my word."

Abrams studied him with skepticism.

"We will stay at our League safe house," Bane said. A hint of a smile played in the corners of his lips. "Perhaps you should share Maysam's room to ensure her safety."

"Christ, Bane. You sound like Barsad."

"Our brother is on the right path."

"Yeah? Well, I think you're both full of shit, so drop it." Abrams got to his feet. "I came here in the hopes of changing your mind about letting Maysam go with you, but I can see I'm wasting my time."

"Indeed you are." Bane smiled indulgently.

"Does Talia know about this craziness?"

"Yes."

"I bet she feels the same way I do."

"Perhaps."

"Shit." Abrams shook his head and started for the door.

"Good night, Abrams," Bane called, then chuckled at the man's mutterings before he left the suite. Bane returned to Henri. "That's enough, Jin. We must let your mother go now so you can take a bath."

"No bath," Henri whined.

Bane sat on the sofa and swept his son into his lap, squeezing him back against his chest, drawing further protests and squirms.

"Henri," Talia scolded. "Listen to your father."

The boy whimpered and went limp in surrender.

"Say good night to your mother."

"Come home, Mama."

"Soon, baby."

"Jin…"

"I sleep with Papa Baba."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Talia said. "He will tell you a story and make you feel safe."

"Jin," Bane growled.

Henri whined again before relenting. "Night-night, Mama."

"Good night, baby. I love you."

"Love you, too."

"Be good for your father, and we'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Mama."

"You can tell me all about your adventure with the elephants."

Henri clapped his hands and laughed.

Bane picked up the phone and took it off speaker. "Good night, my love. Get some rest, and enjoy yourself."

"Please be careful, Haris. Call me when you get to Jaipur."

"As you wish."

###

Nyssa had warned Ra'id that she would not see him until late, after her mother—and most of the village—had gone to bed. She half expected the man not to wait for her, but there he stood in the night, a couple of doors down, out of sight of her mother's home. The glow of a full moon illuminated his cocky grin.

"Took you long enough," he chided.

"You know what they say, Ra'id—good things are worth waiting for." She drew one of her mother's handmade dupattas close around her shoulders, its dark gray cotton draped over her head in an attempt to hide her identity from prying eyes.

He chuckled and kissed her. When she returned his ardor, he put his arms around her and kissed her deeper, tongue probing.

Nyssa pulled back. "Not here."

Ra'id glanced at his watch. "We can go to my place, but not for another ten minutes. Have to wait for them to change the guards at the gate. The two who are coming on won't give me any shit about bringing you inside the palace. I've done the same for them."

"The palace?" Nyssa did her best to hide her excitement at the prospect; this was more promising than she had expected. "Won't Nashir be pissed?"

"As long as his men are discreet, he looks the other way. Now, Amir was another story. No way could I bring a woman to my room. He had one guy castrated who did that."

Nyssa leaned against the corner of the building, a bakery that was closed. Ra'id relaxed against it as well, close to her. He smelled clean, freshly showered.

"So," she said, "did they ever find out who killed Amir?"

"No. Still a mystery. Professionally done, though; not some crazy villager with a grudge."

Nyssa shrugged one shoulder. "Live by the sword, die by the sword, right?"

"We should know," he grinned. "Or are you out of the business now?"

"Girl's gotta eat."

Ra'id nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe you could come work for Nashir. I could put in a good word. He doesn't use any females for security, of course—his wife wouldn't approve of that, especially a beautiful female," he winked, "but he does use female operatives in the field."

"I prefer to free-lance, Ra'id."

"Still, huh?" He shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try."

So many questions pushed at Nyssa, begging for her to ask, about Maysam and that little boy. But all she needed to do was remain patient. Soon she would be inside the palace, and if she could slip away from Ra'id after he fell asleep, she might be able to get some answers without tipping her hand to him.

After a few more minutes of chitchat, they started through the narrow, dusty streets toward the palace. Nyssa kept the dupatta close, concerned that the man who had been watching her all day was still lurking somewhere in the shadows. If he was, surely he would never let her enter the palace. That is, if he was indeed under palace orders and not someone connected to her line of work beyond her mother's village. She nearly asked Ra'id if he had made inquiries at the palace about the mysterious man, but she feared spooking him and taking his mind off his lust. She needed him completely distracted, and so she slipped a hand into his pants pocket as they walked along, passing no one except an occasional dog or cat slinking in the alleys. Traditional Indian music played from one house, and now and then voices were heard in conversation from open windows, but other than that the village had settled down for the night.

Soon the pale walls of the palace loomed alongside them, and light from the main gate bronzed the pair of stone elephants and the two men standing guard. Years of training and practice in the field allowed Nyssa to betray no physical reaction, no unease or excitement.

"Don't say anything," Ra'id murmured close to her ear.

"You sure this is a good idea?"

"Well, we can't go to your mother's, can we?" He chuckled.

Nyssa drew the dupatta even closer, veiling all but her eyes.

At the gate, Ra'id exchanged only a couple of words with the guards. The two men's predatory gazes raked her over, lewd grins flashing from dark beards.

"Where did you find this one, Ra'id? She's not fat like the last two."

"I'll keep that a secret, brother," Ra'id said. "You know I don't like to share."

They all chuckled lewdly, then Ra'id put an arm around Nyssa and quickly ushered her through the gate.

The palace loomed above Nyssa. She felt its presence as much as saw it. There was something foreboding about the building that she did not feel during the day when the sun shone on its bright walls. Now most of the windows were dark. She counted the floors, found the one that Maysam occupied. That was where Henri would be, and that was where she would find her answers, though she truly had no idea why she felt so confident about this. This could be a fool's errand, and she could very well get herself killed in a most unpleasant way by the El Fadils. Yet she couldn't shake the odd feeling she had had since seeing Maysam and Henri, especially when she considered the man who had been shadowing her since then. If there was nothing to discover, then why would Maysam have her watched? If it was indeed one of her men…

As expected, Ra'id avoided the palace's main door. Two more guards there. Ra'id waved to them in acknowledgement before turning right and ushering Nyssa to a side entrance. There, he punched in a four-digit code on a keypad to unlock the door. Stepping inside, Nyssa was faced with a dimly lit, unadorned corridor that appeared to stretch the length of the building. No surveillance cameras that she could see. She guessed the kitchen was somewhere down the deserted corridor, for she could detect a very faint whiff of a long-ago meal having been cooked. And buried in that scent was a hint of chlorine. She remembered hearing about the Olympic-sized swimming pool when she was a girl. On broiling hot days, she would sit in the shade of her home, close her eyes, and imagine swimming, though at the time she didn't even know how.

Ra'id gestured for quiet as they headed down the hallway. Music—rock n' roll—played from behind one closed door, a man's voice quietly singing along. From another came the blare of a television, and from yet another, several men speaking in rapid Arabic. Judging from their words, they were playing cards. Nyssa kept the dupatta close in case one of those men stepped from his room. She didn't want to run into whomever it was that had been surveilling her.

At last they came to Ra'id's room and hurried inside. The space was cramped with only a single window, one which was small and set high, for this level of the palace was partially below ground. Its subterranean quality gave it a coolness, though a gentle flow of air conditioning also blew from a vent. The room was without character, furnished only with a full-sized bed, a tiny table with two chairs next to a small refrigerator, and a television stand with a thirty-two-inch flat panel. No bathroom. The men probably shared one down the hall.

"Care for a drink?" Ra'id asked as Nyssa tossed the dupatta over one of the chairs.

"Sure." She hoped her companion had plenty to drink; she needed him to sleep deeply tonight.

He produced two bottles of German beer from the refrigerator and popped the caps before bringing them to the table. Sitting across from Nyssa, Ra'id tipped back the bottle, his attention never leaving her.

"What shall we talk about?" he asked.

Nyssa offered a sultry smile. "Did we really come here to talk?"

Ra'id grinned. "I'm trying to be a gentleman."

"Don't make me laugh," she said, doing just that. "We're not the romantic type."

"Fair enough." He took another long drink. "But let's finish these while they're cold."

Nyssa gave him a challenging look. "Very well." Then she raised the bottle to her lips and proceeded to drink the bottle dry. Not to be outdone, Ra'id did the same, and they raced to see who would finish first. Nyssa, with a slight head start, won. They broke into laughter, then Ra'id took her face in his hands and kissed her wet mouth.

The kiss grew passionate, Ra'id's fingers threading through her hair, his scent filling Nyssa's senses, firing her. They nearly knocked the table over, breaking apart only long enough to start stripping off clothes. There would be time for more alcohol later to lull her lover to sleep. For now, she would give him what he wanted; she would wear him out completely, then seal the deal with another round or two of drinks. She had a purpose, a mission, yet there was no harm in enjoying herself first.

###

Ra'id's stamina proved greater than Nyssa had expected, even after several beers. He nearly outlasted her, but finally, deep in the night, he drifted off into heavy snores. She cursed herself for drinking so much. Sleep called to her, pulling at her heavy lids, but she fought against it as she lay beside Ra'id, waiting for him to slip even deeper into sleep. She would have one chance. If he woke up and found her gone, he would never bring her back here. And Nyssa knew she might need to return to find answers.

After half an hour of impatient immobility, Nyssa extricated herself from the bed, halting every couple of seconds to make sure Ra'id remained asleep. Then she carefully pulled her clothes on, again pausing often to make sure she was undetected. Ra'id's snores grew louder as the alcohol did its work well. Nyssa smiled to herself and tiptoed to the door.

Only a couple of dim hall fixtures, distantly spaced, lit the deserted corridor. She started in the direction of the kitchen, expecting to find stairs or an elevator. Wanting to move as silently as possible, she was barefoot, the cement beneath her feet chilly, jolting away her veil of fatigue. She slipped past several closed doors, the smell of chlorine rising as she neared then passed the swimming pool's door. Keeping to the shadows, Nyssa listened for any late-night insomniac but heard no one, as if she were the only person in the entire palace.

Soon she came to a stairwell and an elevator. She debated for only a moment on which to take. There could be cameras in either place, but on the elevator, there would be only one, no doubt in the control panel. Her dupatta would shield her face, and she hoped that if there was a camera, whoever was supposed to be watching was too tired to pay much attention.

Within minutes, she was on Maysam's floor. As the elevator doors opened, she steeled herself for a confrontation but relaxed when she found the carpeted hallway empty, stretching away to either side of her. After the elevator doors had closed off the light, she turned right and edged along the near wall, barely breathing, heart drumming in her ears. Excitement motivated her and overpowered any fear. Coming to the first door, she listened for movement within. Nothing. Ever so slowly she opened the door and crept inside.

Nyssa remained just inside the door, blending with the darkness, waiting for her eyes to adjust. A hint of light came in from an adjoining veranda, helped her to see her surroundings. A modest-sized room. She frowned. If she didn't know better, it appeared she was in a hospital room. There was what looked to be a hospital bed pushed against the far wall, neglected. An IV pole and other medical equipment were clustered in a corner beyond the bed. The space had the scent of disuse. Though she wondered why the palace had such a room, especially on Maysam's floor, she retreated to the hall, knowing none of the answers she sought were in this room.

Once she had closed the door silently behind her, something caught her eye and froze her to the spot—a sliver of light beneath a door across the hallway, about seven meters away. When had that light come on? She couldn't remember seeing it before she had gone into the hospital-like room. Had she been detected? Should she hurry back to the elevator?

Then the voice of a child reached her, coming from that room. Her breath caught. A boy's voice. Familiar. She drifted toward the door, paused there to crouch low and listen.

"Want Mama," the child said, sounding as if he was crying.

"Mama's not here, Henri. Remember?"

The man's voice startled Nyssa. She had expected a woman's voice, probably Maysam's. And she had expected to hear Arabic in this household, not English. Had there been an accent? She pressed her ear to the door, blood racing.

"You had a bad dream, little one. Let me cover you back up. I'll leave the light on until you fall back asleep."

"Promise, Papa Baba?"

"Yes."

"When Mama come home?"

"In a few days, Jin. Now hush and try to sleep."

The man had a distinctive voice, one with a very slight English flavor, annunciating each word clearly. Not an El Fadil, then. But who?

The steel of a gun barrel pressed against the back of Nyssa's head, freezing her. Her heart dropped.

A voice as cold as the pistol said, "Don't move."