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CHAPTER ONE

SHE WAS FRAIL And pale Her blond hair pulled back into a tight and elegant bun, the long sleeves of her dress and the he her European skin from the full brunt of the Taharan sun

It would not do A few moments out in the environment he’d spent his past decade in and she would perish

Nothingon the sand until she returned back to the dust, sent away on the next dry, hot breeze

Whatever advisor had iined she would make a suitable wife for the Sheikh of Tahar was clearly yet another man he needed to have removed from his position

When it came to his staff, Tarek’s needs were not Malik’s As was beco clearer and clearer every day

A political alliance That hat this potentialof politics he’d been ate the possibilities of the union

But no Seeing her now It would not stand

“Take her away froht,” Tarek said

She looked up, her expression sh with steel “No”

He arched a brow “No?”

“I cannot leave here”

“Certainly you can The same way you cao back and seek the solace of the desert

He, who had been kept in isolation for most of his life, who now had to find a way to rule a population of millions

She tilted her chin upward and he could see her regal bearing, the aristocratic lines of her profile And he realized he had not bothered to hold on to her name

He was certain he had been told when, teeks previously, he’d been infor to offer herself in h and retained sos, but not others

Her name was not essential, and therefore it had been dropped

“You do not understand,in the vast throne room

He rather liked this room It was very like a cave