The door opened slowly to reveal a beautiful woman in a turquoise silk dress. The woman's eyes dropped to the floor at the sight of Osman, and she shrank back to let them pass.
She, Samantha Bechtel, might be his guest here overnight, but she had no intention of showing such humiliating deference. And she kept a sharp eye on their baggage as the men carried it along another hallway lined with doors under pointed arches.
This place was huge, and she was pretty sure she recognized it from her research. "Is this the fortress of Al Kaur?" She turned to Osman, defying him to ignore her question or give an enigmatic non-answer.
"It is. First erected around four thousand years ago to defend my ancestors from the marauding efforts of the neighboring Azrib tribe. Rebuilt and expanded many times since. For the last four hundred years or so it has been the seat of the ruling family of Ubar."
She hadn't yet revealed that she knew who he was. Perhaps it was better to pretend surprise. "So you're royalty?"
"Indeed I am. "He looked infuriatingly smug.
As well he might if he was to be king.
Then again, who'd want to be king of this desolate stretch of rock-strewn desert?
He'd caught up and now his stride matched hers. Then he leaned in to whisper in
her ear. "And perhaps one day you will be too."