Page 9

For several heartbeats he regarded her, then took another step back.
“Good. You’ve bought yourself a few days’ respite with your colleagues.” His gaze drifted to the bed. “I’ll ask you to make good on your promises before long, so rest while you can.” With that, he turned on his heel and left the cave.
Shaking with relief and a letdown of adrenaline, she sank to the rough ground, her breath coming in ragged heaves as silent, grateful tears filled her eyes.
She was in the same position an hour later, staring unseeingly into the gloom, when he returned, followed by two soldiers who marched Edda, Hendrik, and Father Tom into the cave.
One look at her face, and Edda burst into hopeless tears.
Twenty-Four HoursLater
Belle staredat the chessboard in front of her, fighting to keep terror from taking over.
“Your move,” Mwana said, his tone as cordial as it had been since his return to the cave with the other captives yesterday.
Since then, Mwana had treated them more like roughly housed guests than captives, but a knife-sharp instinct warned her it was all a carefully balanced act that rested solely onhercooperation. Cooperation that had included being separated from the others and accommodated in yet another hollowed-out space in the dark cave.
And chess games like this one, interspersed with long, endless conversation.
At his raised eyebrow, she moved her bishop.
His brow rose higher. “A curious move. If you hadn’t won two out of our last six games, I’d think you were in a hurry to sacrifice this game.”
Her fist clenched. “Sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. I believe that’s one of your tenets.”
His very genuine smile lightened his usually flat eyes. “I’m flattered you’ve been paying attention to my ramblings, Belle.”
“Of course I paid attention. I told you, Nawaka is a special place to me. And your plans for it— I find them…interesting.”Horrificwas a more accurate term. In the last day he’d offhandedly named several prominent,unworthygovernment members he planned to get rid of in order to secure his rise to power. That he’d chosen to share such information with her made fear pound through her heart with every breath.
In one smooth move, he took her bishop and brought the game one step closer to completion. She hid her relief.
“So you agree with me that Nawakans need to control their destiny and choose their path wisely, even if it means a quantitative sacrifice of a few?”
“I agree with Nawakans choosing their destiny, but perhaps the sacrifice you speak of isn’t necessary.”
He shook his head. “Our oppressors must be dealt with in such a way that neither they nor their descendants will ever be in a position to sully Nawaka’s sacred heritage.”
Belle swallowed carefully around the need to scream.
Her skin tingled unpleasantly with the knowledge that this monster was waiting for her agreement, for herapproval.
“I can’t really speak to that. I think the Nawaka I’ve come to know is special the way it is.”
He leaned forward and ran one finger down her cheek. She locked her muscles in an effort not to recoil.
“If you really think that, then I look forward to showing you
Nawaka’s true potential once I am in power.”
“When— When do you intend all this to happen?”
He sat back with a satisfied smile. “Soon. I have a few more manoeuvres to perform first.” His focus shifted from the board to her face. “Although some of them will be achieved sooner than I thought. You love Nawaka as much as I do, don’t you?”
The warmth and caring of the people she’d come to know before she was captured rose to her mind. Some of them were people Mwana planned to slaughter. “Yes, I do.” Her voice shook.
“Good, Belle, very good. We can achieve incredible things together, you and me. I was worried that your marriage would prove a hindrance, but since that is no longer an issue…” He laughed and shook his head. “I’m getting ahead of myself. Unexpectedly, we have more time now. That is enough for me.”
Ice numbed her from head to toe as he continued. “The last pieces of the game are almost in place for the final battle.” He smiled with chilling relish. “And we will be victorious, Belle. I count on it. Another game?” He indicated the chessboard. “I might even consider letting you win again.”