The Prince of Darkness!
Jane woke with her heart pounding, her breath coming in gasps.
It was only a dream, she told herself desperately.
The same dream that had come every night since that last afternoon Ruel had visited her. The same dream and the same shameful lingering physical evidence when she awoke. Her nipples were hard and acutely sensitive as they touched the sheet, and there was an aching emptiness between her thighs.
No, it was not quite the same.
She was bathed in sweat.
Strange, it had been cool in the tent when she went to sleep, but she was burning up now.
She got up from her cot, went to the washstand, and splashed cold water on her face. She was still hot, her skin dry and burning to the touch. She had gone through this before, and the symptoms were clear to her.
The fever was back.
The knowledge came almost as a relief. She was ill. She had an excuse for those erotic dreams that had been plaguing her.
It wasn't Ruel, it was the fever.
Chapter 14
“ A railroad?" Abdar's nails dug into the satin- padded arms of his chair. "How far along?"
"Medford's branch is near completion, but the line from the mountain was started only seven weeks ago and is in the initial stages. The girl has laid the track from the mining camp down the mountain and into the jungle, but it will—"
"How long?" Abdar snapped.
"My man in Medford's camp says it will be at least four months before the tracks are joined."
"Four months! And in the meantime the Scot is storing gold ore and will be ready to ship as soon as the line is completed. My gold." He stood up and moved toward the wall where his latest mask shimmered in the candlelight, powerful, intense, a testimony to his greatness. "I need that gold."
"There is other news." Pachtal paused. "News that will please you. Kartauk is on Cinnidar."
"What?" Abdar whirled to face him. "You are sure? He is not dead?"
"I saw him myself. He is not even in hiding. He lives in the palace and moves freely about the island."
"Because he feels himself safe. He thinks I cannot take him on that cursed island." Abdar scowled. "And he is right. I can do nothing until I am maharajah."
"And when will that be? Has your father's condition worsened since I left on my journey?"
He shook his head. "He may linger on until summer."
"The Scot will be in a much better position to defend himself by that time. The island can be conquered only by an assault on the harbor, and if he has the means to fortify it, we may not—"
"I know. I know," Abdar said impatiently. "Do you think me a dullard? He must not be allowed that time." He turned and moved toward the statue of Kali. "How much love do you have for me?" He could sense Pachtal's sudden tension, and his tone became wheedling. "Will you not help me in this small matter?"
"What do you wish me to do?" Pachtal asked warily.
"He is old and sick. He is going to die anyway."
"He is the maharajah," Pachtal said hoarsely. "You know what the punishment would be if anyone learns I did such a thing. They will burn me alive on his funeral pyre."
"No one would suspect anything if he died a little sooner than expected. Who would have reason to kill a dying man?"
"It is too dangerous."
"I'm not suggesting a dagger. There are other, less obvious methods. Perhaps poison administered over the period of a week or two." He turned to smile at Pachtal. "You have such a talent for poison. Why else were you given such a gift if not to use it?"
"I don't know if I—"
"I need that gold to serve Kali. If you have love for me, you will do me this service." His index finger caressed the golden dagger of the statue. "You will do Kali this service."
"I will . . . think about it."
"You have never failed me before." He added with soft emphasis, "I have faith you will never do so."
Abdar heard the pad of Pachtal's departing footsteps as he hurriedly left the chamber.
He was frightened, Abdar realized. He had never known Pachtal to rebel against his will, but it might take further efforts to persuade him to do this deed. However, he had no doubt Pachtal eventually would comply with his demand.
Kali always prevailed, and had he not been appointed Kali's guardian on this earthly plane?
"Ruel is here." Li Sung nodded at the tent several hundred yards from the track. "He's come to check on our progress."
"Again?" Jane wiped her perspiring brow on her sleeve. "He'd do better to tend to his own concerns and leave us to get on with ours."
"It's only the fifth time he's come since we left the mountain and started through the jungle," Li Sung pointed out mildly. "It is to his interest to make sure his investment is flourishing."
"Or not flourishing. Well, he'll be disappointed. We're ahead of schedule."
"Why should he be disappointed that we are doing so well?"
She hadn't meant to blurt out that thought, blast it. Her nerves were so raw, Ruel had only to appear to make her tense and defensive. Li Sung knew her too well not to pick up on any careless word, and he was already suspicious. "He loses a good deal of money if we reach Elephant Crossing on time."
"I don't think money is that important to Ruel."
She suddenly exploded. "Are you mad? If you think that, then you don't know him. Why do you think he wanted to own his own kingdom? Of course money is— what are you doing?"
His hand was on her forehead. "Hot. You have the fever again. I thought you looked unwell."
She stepped back. "Not much."
"Enough," he said grimly. "How long?"
She avoided the question. "It doesn't come every day."
"And at night?"
She didn't answer.
"Every night?"
"I take the quinghao and it goes away."
"And for how long do you think you can keep it at bay with you working yourself into exhaustion?"
"Until the damned railroad's finished."
He shook his head doubtfully. "Ruel is a fair man. He would allow you more time if you went to him and told him you were not well."
"No!" Good God, all she needed was to have Ruel know she was ill. He was waiting for a weakness in her defenses. "I'll be fine. You're not to tell him. You're not to tell anyone." She started for the tent. "Ask Dilam to check that last quarter-mile track I started to measure."
"No need, I will do it."
She should have known Li Sung would insist on taking over the task and he had already used his leg too much today. "This shouldn't take long. I may be able to do it myself."
His jaw set. "I will do it."
After almost two months of working day and night, she was too bone-weary to argue with him. "Suit yourself."
Ruel glanced up from the survey map he was studying as she came into the tent. "You're making very good time." His finger tapped a circled area on the map on the table. "Four miles from Elephant Crossing."