When you have a pure-bred hunting falcon, you must never allow him to think he is untethered, even for an instant, Abdul Sa’ad reminded himself.

“Am I a Hteymi that you dare look at me that way?” Abdul Sa’ad snapped. He stared Bandar down, allowing a moment for Bandar to remember who he truly was.

Bandar’s eye blinked. He looked away.

“You are the Mahdi, the Chosen of Allah,” Bandar mumbled hoarsely.

First the rod, then the reward, Abdul Sa’ad thought. He petted Bandar’s head as he would a faithful dog and smiled.

“Ya habibi, I think you’ll like this,” Abdul Sa’ad began. Just then the eunuch came waddling in, his chest puffed out with self-importance. Four paces behind him came a demurely veiled Kelly. Not even the heavy veil and robe could disguise the lithe grace of her movements. She stood before them, her head bowed as modesty required.

“It seems an American agent with the colorful name of ‘the Scorpion’ has been sent to rescue you,” Abdul Sa’ad said in English and was rewarded by seeing a spark of hope flare in her eyes, only to be immediately extinguished as she realized that if Abdul Sa’ad already knew about it, any rescue was doomed to fail.

“I believe you may know this Scorpion,” Abdul Sa’ad said to Bandar.

Bandar’s good eye narrowed slightly as if over a gun sight. He nodded.

“Behold the lure for my Scorpion-trap,” Abdul Sa’ad said, gesturing languidly at the woman. Even behind the veil and robe he could sense her stiffening.

“If I kill him, sire, what is my reward?” Bandar uttered coarsely, never taking his good eye from the woman.

“Name it,” Abdul Sa’ad said, smiling as he plucked a handful of almonds and dates from a silver bowl.

Bandar’s good eye wandered over the veiled outline of Kelly’s breasts and hips. A shiver rippled through her shrouded body.

“Give me the woman,” Bandar muttered, his voice dry and cracked.

Abdul Sa’ad’s eyes flashed angrily. Were there no bounds to the man’s insolence? Still, what price a kingdom? he thought. By the time he gave Bandar his toy, the one-eyed snake would be expendable. Besides, a brief spell as Bandar’s slave would no doubt make the Americani woman more appreciative of him when he reclaimed her. Then too, she needed a lesson. With her pathetic female cunning, she thought to lull him; but he knew her spirit remained rebellious.

“She’s yours—after the Scorpion is dead,” Abdul Sa’ad said.

Bandar bowed and touched the tip of Abdul Sa’ad’s nose with his lips. He had chosen well, Abdul Sa’ad thought. Yes, Bandar would kill the Scorpion. And he would smile as he did it.

But Abdul Sa’ad had to be sure there really was a blood feud between them.