Page 17 of Dark Shaman: Love Found (The Children Of The Gods #99)
ELUHEED
T he scent of strong coffee and fried eggs permeated the hotel's sprawling lobby, where breakfast was being served.
It was the same fare as yesterday and the day before, but he wasn't complaining.
The hotel's kitchen was trying to feed many more people than it was used to, so it was no wonder that they were sticking to the basics.
"Are you going to eat that?" he asked Tony, who was pushing his scrambled eggs around the plate.
The guy lifted his head as if startled to find Eluheed sitting across from him. "Do you want it?"
"If you are not going to eat it, yes. I don't like seeing food go to waste." He'd been hungry too many times to take food for granted.
Tony pushed his plate toward him. "Enjoy. I'm not a big fan of eggs. "
Eluheed pulled the plate the rest of the way. "You should eat more. Wasting away while pining for what you can't have is not a good strategy. You need to remain strong."
"It's been almost a week since the flood," Tony said. "They should have made some progress by now." He glanced around the nearly empty restaurant. Even here, even among the displaced servants who had their own worries, walls had ears, and they couldn't talk freely.
Eluheed was about to offer some platitude about patience when he noticed one of Navuh's guards approaching their table. His stomach tightened. A summons from Navuh this early in the morning? What happened? Did the despot have a bad dream?
"Come," the guard said. "Both of you. The ladies are visiting the harem to inspect the restoration progress. You are to accompany them."
Tony's entire demeanor transformed. He went from slumped dejection to barely contained excitement in the space of a heartbeat, dropping his coffee cup on the saucer instead of putting it down gently.
Fortunately, it was empty, so nothing splattered, and it also didn't break.
The guard's eyes narrowed at the reaction, suspicion flickering across his face.
"I know you are eager to check the herb garden," Eluheed said quickly, affecting an air of deep concern as he turned to the guard.
"Tony and I have been terribly worried about it.
All those medicinal plants, some of them quite rare and difficult to cultivate.
The thought of losing them to water damage.
.." He shook his head mournfully. "It would be terrible if they are beyond salvage. "
The guard looked bored by the explanation, deeming it unnecessary, and glanced at his watch. "The vehicle picking you up will be in front of the hotel in five minutes. Hurry up. Don't make the ladies wait for you."
Thankfully, both of them were dressed for the day and didn't need to return to their room to get changed.
Eluheed could use a hat to shield his head from the scorching sun, but his hat was still in Tamira's room in the harem, and he didn't know if they would be allowed in there.
He and Tony made their way through the hotel lobby, past several other displaced harem servants who watched their departure with varying degrees of curiosity.
Three black SUVs pulled up to the curb a few moments after they walked out the hotel's front doors, and it was impossible to see who was inside through the tinted windows.
One of the drivers opened the window on the passenger side and gestured impatiently for them to get in.
As Eluheed opened the back passenger door, he was hit by Tamira's scent, the unique combination of jasmine and something indefinable that was purely her.
She sat in the middle row beside Lady Areana, wearing one of those too-short dresses that the modern world seemed to favor, her dark hair pulled back in a simple style that emphasized the elegant line of her neck.
Their eyes met for a fraction of a second before he forced himself to look away, to maintain the facade of professional distance. He slid into the third row, leaving space for Tony, who practically dove into the vehicle.
Tula sat on the far side of the third row, and the moment Tony settled beside her, their hands found each other.
It was a risk, even with the tinted windows and their position making it impossible for the driver to see in his rearview mirror, but Eluheed understood the desperate need for connection.
He felt it himself, wanting nothing more than to reach forward and touch Tamira's shoulder, to feel the warmth of her skin under his fingers.
"Good morning, Elias, Tony." Areana's voice carried its usual gentle authority. "Thank you for joining us."
"The honor is ours, my lady." Eluheed was proud of how steady his voice remained. "I'm eager to assess the damage to my herb garden, as is Tony."
"Yes," Tamira said, turning in her seat. "We're all concerned about what we might find."
Her tone was perfectly neutral, but he heard the layers beneath—worry, anticipation, and something else that made his chest tight. She looked tired, he realized. Beautiful as always, but there were shadows under her eyes that her expertly applied makeup couldn't quite hide.
During the short drive, Tony and Tula maintained their grip on each other's hands, hidden in the shadow between their seats, and Eluheed envied them even that small connection.
As they neared the harem grounds, Eluheed was jolted by the sight of the two gates standing open.
In all his time in the harem, he'd never seen them open simultaneously.
The security protocol had been absolute.
One gate always remained closed and locked while the other was in use, creating an airlock of sorts.
Now both stood wide, like gaping mouths, with construction vehicles and workers passing through freely.
Areana made a small sound of distress at the sight. "Oh, my. I did not expect the harem grounds to be so exposed. No wonder Lord Navuh was so concerned about our safety and assigned so many guards to us."
They disembarked near the pavilion that served as the harem's main entrance. The beautiful structure that had once seemed so permanent now showed signs of damage, with water stains on the walls and debris still piled in corners.
The other vehicles carrying the rest of the ladies and the guards assigned to them stopped right behind theirs, and a moment later, Raviki, Beulah, Rolenna, Sarah, and Liliat emerged, all wearing the same style of modern dresses that Tamira and Tula were wearing, and bearing the same expression of hope tinged with trepidation.
They were afraid of what they were going to find, and hopeful that their belongings hadn't been damaged .
Hassan was waiting for them at the entrance. The man looked exhausted but satisfied, the expression of someone who had faced catastrophe, emerged victorious, and was making progress on repairing the damage.
His expression gave Eluheed hope.
"Lady Areana." He dipped his head. "Ladies. I was told to show you the progress we have made. I'm pleased to report that the upper levels have been cleared for brief visits. The library and the floors above it escaped water damage, so they are safe."
"That's wonderful news," Areana said, and the relief in her voice was palpable. "What about the rest of the structure?"
"The first and second levels are fine, but the air circulation systems are not yet operational, so it's not safe to be there for an extended period of time."
Areana frowned. "What about the men who work on those systems? How are they breathing down there?"
"They must wear masks and take frequent breaks. In addition to the bad air circulation, the humidity is quite oppressive."
"I can imagine," Areana said. "We won't stay long. The ladies and I want to collect a few belongings, and then we will stay out of your way."
"Of course." Hassan gestured toward the entrance. "I must warn you, the emergency lighting is all we have at the moment. It's quite dim in there. "
"We will manage," Areana said. "But before we go down, I want to thank you, Hassan." She touched his arm lightly. "You and Nabin saved many lives with your quick thinking and even quicker action. We are all in your debt."
The engineer's face flushed at the praise. "We did what was necessary, my lady. I'm just grateful we were able to prevent loss of life." He looked at Eluheed. "Elias helped. I'm not sure everyone would have made it out safely without him."
"Yes." Areana smiled. "We are grateful to Elias as well."
As they descended into the harem, Eluheed understood Hassan's warnings.
The air was thick, almost syrupy with humidity, carrying the musty scent of water damage, mildew, and the acrid undertone of industrial fans working to dry the space.
Emergency lighting cast everything in harsh shadows, making the familiar corridors seem alien and unwelcoming.
"It's like breathing soup," Liliat muttered, pulling at the neckline of her dress.
They took the stairs down to the second level where the concubines' quarters were located, and as they entered the familiar hallway, it didn't look the same. It felt oppressive, the beautiful tapestries removed, the walls showing water marks despite this level having escaped the direct flooding.
"I want to go to my room," Tamira said. "To see what survived and grab a few dresses."
"The air is terrible." Areana was breathing shallowly and fanning herself with her hand. "Make it quick. Gather what you need and come out as soon as you can. We shall meet at the gazebo."
As the ladies dispersed to their respective quarters, Eluheed followed Tamira. Tony had disappeared with Tula, seeking their own moment of privacy.
Tamira's door stood open, and she paused at the threshold. "It looks so different," she said softly. "And yet the same."
Eluheed moved to stand beside her, wrapping his arm around her. They were safe here; the other guards, those who were not part of the harem personnel, had remained outside, guarding the entrance to the pavilion.
The workers used the staircase, and they had no reason to enter the second level.