Empire of Dreams

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I stepped back as he advanced, fear making me irrational.

Your husband is not a forgiving man.
Your husband is not an easy man.
He'll skin us alive.

"We have to go now!" Ali barked out, his eyes hard, his fingers around my wrist. I nodded, panic robbing my ability to speak. My heart thrashed like crazy when I felt the strength and anger in his grip.

Misreading the situation, a young man leapt from behind a stall to wrap me in a cloth of bright orange silk. "So beautiful!" he sighed. "You must buy this. It suits you so," I flinched back just as Ali whipped out his sword, its silver edge glistening with menace, the promise of death lurking in his eyes.

"Get away from my wife," my eyes widened at the extreme reaction and I instinctively placed my hand on his arm. His head whipped to the side, and I gave him a calming albeit questioning glance.

The young man's face turned white and he stepped back, mumbling apologies.

Fear licked at my throat, and warmth tickled the skin on my arms. Gone was the compassionate man who'd entertained my requests. I was facing a General, a war veteran, a hard man.

He didn't spare the boy a glance. He put the sword back in its Niyam, and tugged me along, dragging me to the back alleys, below the cool shade. He was making sure to stay near the walls, his body alert, and his eyes scanning his surroundings.

I decided to open my mouth. "What's wrong? Where are Ayesha and Haleema? Hamza?"

"Waiting," came a curt reply.

Cold fear skittered down my back. This wasn't good. For the first time, I started to regret my actions. I was ready to face the consequences but what about Sanaa? Ayesha? Haleema? Even poor Hamza. They didn't have to suffer. Shame spread through my body.

I'd been thoughtless, reckless, and selfish. I should've told him the truth. The worst he could have done is said no. I could have found a way around that.

Ali paused. His eyes, which were usually vigilant, appeared even more watchful than before. He moved us to the wall, making sure to keep me covered behind him.

My eyebrows shot up. We were hiding from someone.

An arrow zipped past my shoulder and I screamed. Ali cursed and tugged me along, trying to find a shelter. A sharp burn sang its way through my body and I stumbled from the unexpected pain.

"Get out of the way!" I cried as we dodged past a vendor's cart, my sandaled feet flying above the dirt.

The sound of our pursuers only spurring me faster, especially with Ali's broader strides propelling us along the narrow thoroughfare of the Bazaar.

Suddenly, he yanked me down a small side alleyway, making sure to cover my body with his. He wrapped his right arm around me and pressed our bodies together in between a shadowed alcove.

I was caged in with his body.

"What is..." he shoved his index finger onto my lips, glaring at me. I glared back, seeing my reflection in a mirror behind him.

The hood of my scarf had fallen away, and my hair was in disarray, tumbling around my shoulders, gleaming in the sunlight. My chin was thrust forward in a universal sign of defiance, my shoulders stiff and straight, and my chest rising and falling with fear swelling beneath my cloak.

My left shoulder sported a small cut, blood seeping through the fabric. Ali's eyes narrowed and he untied his turban, using it to cover the wound, binding it to stop the flow of blood.