THE DEMON'S LEGACY
Chapter 11
In her living room, Maysam rocked Henri in a comfortable chair, hiding her roiling emotions and concerns. The boy had been chattering a short while about the doll lady and Uncle Barsad in his underwear with his gun, but his words had slowed and finally ended as he drifted to sleep in her warm embrace.
Wearing a robe and slippers, Sanjana sat in a chair to her left, chewing her fingernails, gaze lost somewhere across the room.
"Aaron," Maysam softly called. "Please sit down."
"What's taking him so long?" Abrams muttered from near the door leading to the hallway.
"Sit down so you don't wake Henri with your pacing."
Abrams obeyed, sitting on the sofa across from her, gun still in hand.
"I knew something wasn't right about her," Abrams said. "I should have done something right away."
"Aaron, you can't just kill everyone you think might be a threat. You did the right thing by having Nyssa surveilled. Now she is out in the open and in our hands. I must say, though, I do feel bad for her mother; I know what it feels like to lose a daughter. That girl is Diya Panjabi's only family. She's helped Diya financially over the years, so there is at least that in the girl's favor. I must insist that Haris provides some sort of monetary compensation for Diya's loss. I can't imagine she knew anything about her daughter's plans, whatever they may be."
"What could this Nyssa woman want?" Abrams pondered. "She took a huge risk coming here tonight. Was she after you or Henri?"
"Why would she want to hurt Henri? No one knows who is he. If they did, we would have more to worry about than one mercenary."
"That's just it—what if she's just the tip of the iceberg? We need to find out who she's working for."
"I'm sure that is what is taking Haris this long. He will extract every bit of intel from her before…" Maysam frowned and smoothed Henri's cowlick, kissed the top of his head. Her embrace tightened at the thought of someone wishing harm upon the child. As much as she would regret Diya Panjabi's loss, nothing could compare to her own grief if harm came to her great-grandson. Her wrath would know no bounds, no one would be spared, just as the prisoners of the pit had been killed by Rā's al Ghūl after he and Maysam had learned of Melisande's rape and murder there. Maysam had demanded the slaughter, and he had readily agreed.
A knock at the door, followed by Bane's voice, "Abrams?"
Maysam sighed with relief. Though she felt safe with Abrams, no man alive could offer the feeling of complete security like Bane.
Abrams hurried to let him in, but before he could ask anything, Bane said, "Barsad is awaiting your assistance in the infirmary. He will brief you. Go. I will stay with Maysam until my brothers report that they have completed their sweep of the grounds."
Reluctant to leave, Abrams glanced back at Maysam, for ultimately his orders came from her. She nodded, and he rushed out the door.
Bane crossed the room, moving with amazing silence for such a large man, determined not to disturb his son's slumber. The couch protested his bulk as he sat. Sanjana shifted her weight, her attention glued to Bane.
"Have you disposed of her?" Maysam quietly asked.
"I fear that is not an option at this time."
"What do you mean? Is she withholding information?"
"No, she was quite forthcoming, actually."
"What did she say?"
Bane sighed, running his fingers through his short hair. "Nothing that is yet verified."
"What do you mean?" Maysam forced herself to be patient, to remain calm for Henri's sake, though Bane's hesitation drew her nerves to the breaking point.
"When Talia's father worked for your husband, did you know of him being involved with a woman from the village?"
The subject of Henri Ducard took her by surprise, caused her to falter as she searched her memory. "I…I didn't know of anyone. But Siddig's men did spend leisure time in the village when they were off duty. I suppose my son-in-law was no different, at least until he fell in love with Melisande. Why?"
"This Nyssa claims that he is her father, that he slept with Diya Panjabi."
Sanjana gave a small gasp. "She's Talia's sister?"
Speechless, Maysam stared at Bane.
"She suspected Henri's lineage after seeing him with you in the bazaar," Bane continued. "To investigate, she got into the palace under the guise of paramour for one of Nashir's men. It appears she wants to lay claim to the title of the Demon's Head as her birthright."
"But, if she's telling the truth," Maysam stammered, "why now?"
"I'm not sure. She wants to meet Talia. Perhaps her true reasons will be revealed then."
"You can't let them meet, Haris." With a glance at Henri, she sharply whispered, "Kill her."
"That is not my decision to make alone. I must discuss this with Talia."
"How do you know Nyssa's not lying?"
"We will conduct a DNA test. If it proves her false, then I will end her myself. But if she speaks the truth, Talia must be informed. It is only right."
"How long will it take to get the test results?"
"A day or two."
"What will you do with her in the meantime? She can't be allowed to leave."
"We will hold her here, in a room downstairs. My men will guard her. There is no need to worry."
Maysam glanced at Sanjana's pale, anxious face. Perhaps the girl should not be hearing all of this, considering her advanced pregnancy.
"Does she know that Talia no longer leads the League?" Maysam asked.
"It appears she does not. That in itself is encouraging; it shows that her intel is limited, hopefully limited only to what she has successfully guessed from Henri's appearance and presence here at the palace with his great-grandmother."
"If the DNA proves she's Talia's half-sister," Sanjana softly said, "will she really have claim to the League's leadership? She must be a little older than Talia, if we are to believe her story. Wouldn't that give her rights over Talia?"
"It would indeed," Bane said.
"But she is not initiated," Maysam protested. "She's simply a mercenary. She's not qualified to lead—"
"One can always be trained, and I believe she has it in her to pass initiation. She would automatically supersede me since I have no blood claim to the position."
"But Talia appointed you, and the League ratified her decision," Maysam insisted.
"Blood would supersede that as well."
"Talia must not allow this."
"It will be her decision…and the League's. Our brothers will have to be informed."
"You must convince her to get rid of this usurper. Nyssa can't be trusted. Regardless of her claim on the Demon's Head, she is an outsider who now knows that you and Talia survived Gotham."
"And John as well," Sanjana said. "Bane, please. I know I have no say in this, but please listen to Maysam. Maybe it would be best if Talia never knows about this Nyssa."
"I understand your concerns, ladies, but I cannot deceive Talia. If Nyssa is her half-sister, she has a right to know, and so does the League. Our brothers revere the memory of Talia's father. They will insist on proper succession, should Nyssa prove able to pass training and initiation. If we were to conceal this and our deception was discovered, it would be catastrophic. Our brothers would have the right to exile us or even to execute me."
Sanjana went back to chewing her fingernails, though little was left of them. Her other hand rested on her distended belly, as if to protect Barsad's child. Maysam tried not to be distracted by the memory of her recent conversation with Barsad.
"If she's so determined to lead the League," Maysam said, "what if she sees Henri as a future threat to her position? She might try to kill him." Maysam hoped this line of thinking would spur Bane on to execute Nyssa and end all of this.
"I believe her when she says she has no desire to harm Henri. Even if she considers his eventual rise, that is years down the road, and as the daughter of Rā's al Ghūl, she would have rights to the Demon's Head over a grandson."
Maysam made a small, frustrated sound.
"You must not worry, ladies. Be assured Talia will make the right decision, as will I and our brothers."
"When will you tell her?" Maysam asked.
"We will await the DNA results. Let Talia enjoy her time away. She would rush back here immediately, if she knew."
"She will be angry with you for not telling her right away," Maysam warned.
"Indeed. But, for now, I am in charge of this situation. While we await the results, we will continue with our daily plans, as will Talia."
"You can't mean to still go to Jaipur," Sanjana said, struggling to sit forward in her chair.
"I made a promise to my son. I plan on keeping that promise, my dear."
"Oh, Haris," Maysam said. "It could be even more dangerous now for you to leave the palace. We don't know who might be behind Nyssa's plans."
"My instincts tell me that she is here for the reasons she has revealed. I will have my men talk to Diya Panjabi. She will be easier to extract information from than her daughter, especially if she fears for her child's safety, which she will."
"She's recovering from illness."
"Indeed. All the more reason to speak with her now, while she is both physically and emotionally vulnerable."
"I hope you will have no need to harm her."
"That is my wish as well. But we must do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of everyone here."
Maysam nodded, then forced herself to turn to Sanjana. "Haris is right. We shouldn't worry. He will protect us."
Sanjana tried to smile, nodded once.
"Why don't you lie down, my dear?" Bane said to the young woman. "Barsad will be busy for a while. You should sleep."
"Use my bed," Maysam offered. "I'll put Henri down with you."
Sanjana's eyelashes fluttered in surprise. "Thank you. But I don't think I can sleep."
"Nonsense," Bane said. "Maysam, let me carry that sleepy cub to your room."
"Where will you sleep?" Sanjana asked.
"I will stay up with Haris. I can sleep on the way to Jaipur."
###
Not long after Abrams had left Maysam's suite, Hisham appeared at the door to tell Bane that Nashir wanted to see him. Bane sent Hisham away with the message that he would oblige Nashir as soon as he felt it safe to leave the women. Abrams returned some time later to report that the palace and compound had been thoroughly searched and all video surveillance reviewed, revealing no other intruders. When Sanjana retreated to her room, Maysam took her place in bed with Henri, who thankfully slept on. After putting on a shirt over his tank top, Bane headed downstairs to Nashir's suite.
He met the eldest El Fadil in what passed as a den, a windowless interior room with an abundance of rosewood furniture, handsome and highly polished—a large desk, an entertainment center, and several book shelves. Nashir never invited Bane to any other room. This space was for men conducting business. Though their relationship had never been warm because of the danger Bane's presence posed to the El Fadil family, Nashir did respect Bane, unlike Amir, and they had never quarreled. Grateful for Nashir allowing him to call the palace home, Bane always did his best to show the man deference in return.
Tall and slim, Nashir was somewhere around Abrams's age but looked younger than Abrams. Though not as handsome as his deceased older brothers had been, he had the same thick, raven-colored hair that, even now, had very little gray. As he gestured for Bane to sit in a leather chair, his mahogany gaze never left his guest.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"No, thank you."
Nashir nodded and settled into a matching black chair across the rug from his guest. He wore a maroon velvet robe with a dark gray satin belt and matching slippers, and though Bane knew he had recently been asleep, Nashir had taken the time to comb his hair. When he was younger, he had spent several years in the Indian army before attending university in Saudi Arabia. Those years had made him a disciplined, intelligent man, one less prone to fits of passion like Siddig or Amir. Sometimes Bane wondered what Melisande's fate would have been if Maysam had married Nashir instead of Siddig. Perhaps Melisande would never have been banished to the pit.
"I'm sorry this disturbance has interrupted your sleep, Nashir."
"How is my sister-in-law?"
"You know Maysam. She is unflappable," Bane said proudly.
"I have been told it was one of my men who brought the woman into the palace."
"Ra'id Tahan."
"Yes. I have sent for him. He should be here any minute."
"The woman claims he had no knowledge of her intentions other than sex."
"Nonetheless, he knows the only women I allow my men to fraternize with are those who live in the village. We have control over them. This mercenary you apprehended is an outsider."
"Her mother lives in the village."
"Yes. Diya Panjabi has never given us any trouble. I highly doubt she had any idea what her daughter was up to."
"My men will ascertain that. Two of them are on their way to her home now. I instructed them not to physically harm her. Fear for her daughter's safety will be motivation enough."
"I understand the mercenary told you of her reason for coming here."
"Yes." Bane hesitated. "She is claiming Rā's al Ghūl to be her father, and because of that, she wants to claim leadership of the League. That is why I have yet to dispatch her. If she truly is Talia's half-sister, then I feel Talia has the right to know. If a DNA test proves her false, then I shall kill her."
"And do you believe she is telling the truth?"
"My gut instinct tells me she is. Otherwise, why risk what she has risked, including her mother's life?"
"You will let her assume the title?"
"I will leave that up to Talia. I have no blood claim on my position."
Nashir thoughtfully stroked his close-cropped beard, a line of concern between his thick eyebrows. "Bane. You know how I and my family feel about you residing here. If this Nyssa woman is allowed to live, she may betray your presence, and that could have dire consequences for me, my family and my family's business operations."
"Of course, I understand. I know it's only because of Maysam that I and my men are allowed to be here. Is it more compensation you desire?"
"No, that's not what I'm getting at. I would just like you to consider eliminating this woman, regardless of her heritage."
"I would prefer to do just that. However, I feel it is Talia's right to know if she has a sister, and it is equally her right to decide Nyssa's fate. I may advise, but ultimately the decision is hers."
"Then I'm afraid I will have to ask you, Talia, and your men to leave the palace should Talia decide to let the mercenary live. We cannot be connected. And I cannot trust Nyssa."
"You will break Maysam's heart."
"Then perhaps the two of us can convince her to leave with you."
Bane paused. "I understand your concerns, Nashir, and I will certainly honor your request in exchange for allowing us to live here these past three years. It is Maysam I am concerned about. This has been her home nearly her entire life, and it is particularly difficult for the aged to make such a drastic change. You would also be sending her away from her nieces and nephews, whom she is very fond of."
"You and I both know Maysam is not a fragile old woman, Bane, and, yes, she does love my children and my siblings' children, but there is no one she loves more than you, Talia, and little Henri. She would choose all of you over my family, without hesitation. After all, in her eyes, it is my family who killed her only child."
Bane knew Nashir was right about all of it, but he would never voice that opinion to him.
"So," Nashir continued, "perhaps when Talia is contemplating Nyssa's fate, you will inform her of my directive."
"I most certainly will."
A tentative knock came at the door.
"Who is it?" Nashir called.
"Tahan, sir."
"Come in." Nashir's gaze flashed to Bane, and Bane saw contained anger. Unlike his older brothers, Nashir was not prone to rage, but his quiet wrath was just as deadly. He would not be soft on Ra'id Tahan, a fact that pleased Bane.
Tahan first poked his head inside, then the rest of his body followed. He had fully dressed for this audience, and though Bane easily sensed his fear, Tahan did his best to hide it, coming to stand at attention on the rug in front of his boss. He situated his body at a slight angle to keep Bane within his sight.
"You called for me, sir."
"Indeed, Ra'id. I've been fully briefed on what has occurred in my household tonight."
"Sir," Tahan's Adam's apple bobbed, "may I offer my sincere apology for—"
"No, you may not. Apologies are for mistakes. What you are guilty of is no mistake. You know my rules about women coming to your room."
"Yes, sir. But Nyssa was born and raised here. I've known her for—"
"But she lives here no longer, and you know her profession, do you not?"
"Yes, sir."
"Perhaps you knew her purpose for being here and aided her."
"Absolutely not, sir."
"You allowed her to leave your room."
"I fell asleep. I had told her to stay."
Nashir raised a mocking eyebrow. "And you thought that would be enough?"
"Yes. I didn't know she had any other reason for being here except to—"
"To fuck you?" Now Nashir's tone was mocking as well.
"Well…yes, sir. Looking back on it now, I—"
"You are a skilled soldier, Ra'id. However, your hubris has often gotten in the way of your judgment."
"It won't happen again, sir."
"No. No, it won't. Tell me, Ra'id, did the woman reveal anything to you? Perhaps something she said that you didn't think significant until now, after she's been exposed."
"No, sir. We really didn't spend all that much time talking."
Nashir gave a sad smirk. "I imagine not. She was too busy manipulating you with her feminine charms. And manipulate you she did. I cannot have such weakness in my men."
"Please, sir. I will make it up to you. I will kill her myself, if you want."
"If she were to reveal Bane's presence here, he and Talia are not the only ones who could suffer. What you did put my family in jeopardy."
"Please, sir, if you will just allow me to atone—"
"I am sorry, Ra'id." Nashir looked to Bane. "He has caused potentially more damage to you, Bane. Perhaps you would like to serve out his punishment in whatever fashion you feel appropriate."
Tahan's eyes widened, and he took a step backward. "Please, sir, I won't let you down again."
"I know you won't," Nashir said coolly as Bane rose from his chair.
Tahan started to retreat another step, but Bane's hand flashed out, his long arm easily covering the space between them. Tahan clasped Bane's wrist, tried to fight off his iron grip, but in seconds it was over with one powerful, crunching squeeze.
###
When Barsad returned to his room, he found Sanjana sitting up in bed, gnawing on her fingernails.
"Darlin', why aren't you with Bane and Maysam?"
"We had gotten the all clear, so I came back to wait for you. Bane went to talk to Nashir."
Barsad returned his pistol to the nightstand drawer on his side of the bed. "You shouldn't have waited for me. You should be asleep."
She frowned. "There's no way I could sleep after that, especially without you here."
He pulled off his shirt and pants and crawled into bed. Taking her in his arms, he kissed her. "There's nothing to worry about." He drew her back down beneath the blanket, his hand going to her belly. "Don't get yourself worked up. We've got it under control."
"Bane said this Nyssa woman is claiming to be Talia's sister."
"Yeah. Half-sister."
"Do you believe her?"
"Don't see why she'd make something like that up, especially knowing we can disprove it."
"Don't you think it best to kill her?"
"My, my, my," Barsad teased with a grin. "Aren't you becoming the ruthless one?"
"Oh, bunny," she said, using her pet name for him, one she inadvertently called him instead of honey when she had been learning English; she had been using it ever since. "I'm thinking of our child. He needs a father."
"His or her father isn't going anywhere." Barsad kissed her again. Her skin felt cold, and she trembled slightly. He pulled her close to share his warmth.
"Bane still plans to go to Jaipur tomorrow. I can't believe it."
"No big deal. I'll be keeping Nyssa company while we wait for the result of the DNA test. Let the big lug enjoy some time away with Jin."
Her chocolate eyes studied him. "It does not surprise me that you are unmoved by this woman being here, but Bane…I can't believe he didn't just kill her outright. She's a threat to Talia, and because of that, she's a threat to all of us."
"Let Bane and Talia worry about Nyssa. All I want you to do is rest and relax." The truth was Nyssa did worry the hell out of Barsad, but he would never let Sanjana know.
"What if she betrays you? We can't lose you. I can't raise this child alone."
Barsad kissed her forehead. "Stop worrying, Sanji. Everything will be fine. You'll see. Now turn off that light."
Reluctantly, Sanjana switched off the light on her nightstand, then snuggled back into his embrace. "Where is she now?"
"Downstairs, locked in a room that our brothers are guarding. And don't get any ideas about confronting her. You won't be allowed to see her. I don't want her knowing you exist, at least not yet."
"Do you think Talia will allow her to take over the League from Bane?"
"Hard to say. Guess we'll just have to wait to find out."
Sanjana's lips brushed against his neck as she murmured, "I hope she just gets rid of her. It is too dangerous to let her live. I think Maysam agrees."
Barsad chuckled. "Perhaps you and Maysam should be initiated into the League. Any man or woman with any sense should fear both of you."