"Shiek" - читать интересную книгу автора (Connie Mason)

"We must leave," Youssef said, taking swift charge, "before we are discovered." They mounted quickly and rode off into the night, leaving the oasis and Sheik Jamal far behind.



Jamal's dream was not a pleasant one. He tried to rouse himself from the throes of a deep, troubled sleep but could not. He fought, but his arms would not move. Something was wrong, terribly wrong, but he was powerless to check the panic racing through his drugged mind. Then he felt hands upon him, shaking him, and he concentrated on the words being shouted into his ear.

"Master, wake up!" The shaking continued, more vigorously now. "Master, please, what has happened to you?"

Jamal's brow furrowed. With tremendous effort he raised one lid at a time. His eyes were gritty and unfocused, and several minutes passed before he recognized Hammet.

"Hammet? What is the meaning of this?" What had happened to his voice? It sounded hoarse and distorted.

"Allah be praised," Hammet said with a sigh. "You must try to rouse yourself, my lord. I fear you will not like the tidings I bring you."

"Water," Jamal said as he tried to push himself into a sitting position. He succeeded only with Hammet's help, gulping down the goblet of water the eunuch held to his lips. "What happened? Am I ill?"

"I've sent for your physician; he will be here shortly. Meanwhile, I fear I am the bearer of disturbing news."

"Disturbing news?" Jamal repeated, finding it difficult to concentrate.

Before Hammet could explain, a short, intense man sporting a beard and wearing a black skullcap upon his head bustled into the room.

"I will explain later," Hammet said, backing away to allow the physician room to attend his patient.

David ben Israel was a Jewish physician of some renown. He'd been Jamal's personal healer since Jamal's birth; had brought him into the world, in fact. He was an old man, but a wise one. His status was one of semi-retirement, for his duties at Paradise were light.

"Have you been ill, my lord?" David asked as he lifted Jamal's lids to examine his pupils.

"I am never ill," Jamal said.

"Stick out your tongue."

Jamal dutifully presented his tongue, wondering what it meant when David hummed in response to his examination.

"What is the last thing you remember?" David asked, rocking back on his heels.

Jamal closed his eyes and tried to recall last evening's events. He smiled when he remembered making love to Zara. Suddenly his smile dissolved into a frown. Zara. What had happened to her? Had she returned to the harem?

"Well?" the doctor said impatiently. "I can tell by your smile that you recall something."

"Aye. I was with Zara. I recall making love to her before everything went blank."

"Did you eat or drink anything?"

"Nay... oh, aye, I drank a glass of apricot nectar."

The humming sound grew louder as David searched the room for Jamal's glass.

Suddenly it dawned on Jamal what the physician was hinting at. "You think I was poisoned?"