THE DESERT ROSE | ONGOING

When She Ran Out Of All Luck

An easy, professional smile eased upon Kais's lips as he brushed his sleek hair back. He mumbled something in a low voice which Inara was sure was a cuss.

"Now," he smoothened the lapel of the caravan leader's shirt. "we don't want this night to end in a brawl, do we?"

"Is this place really an inn? First, this wench and now this bastard..." the leader spit blood with malice, "I can just crush you lots like insects."

"C'mon," Kais crooned like the leader didn't just threaten him, "your men touched my girls and I touched you. It doesn't sound all that unfair to me. And it looks just a scratch to me. Don't be petty man..."

"Then kneel and beg for my mercy," the leader growled as his companions with him in unison.

Kais scoffed at this. "You seriously...

Immediately, Inara's gaze shot up to Baha for some indication. Baha shook her head vigorously, gesturing that they were still not done loading the gold.

The princess groaned. Everything went astray, at this rate they'll be caught sooner or later. Even though she appreciated Kais' actions, she'd have to stop him before things go completely out of their hands.

She slipped closer to Kais and clutched his bicep, "Kais stop!" her voice was a bare whisper as she spoke into his ear.

"Don't worry," he assured, sparing a mocking glance at the leader's direction, "I'll handle this."

"There's nothing to handle here bastard. You kneel or you die." The men around them howled like hungry wolves.

This idiot... Inara hissed. Either he is really stupid or he is really confident in himself to provoke them like this. But anyway, their plot was going to be doomed at this rate. She squeezed Kais' arm much harder this time, hoping that he'd get her message.

"What?" he replied, a bit vexed this time. "You want me to kneel in front of them?

"No!" These dogs definitely didn't deserve a single word of apology, forget about kneeling. But... "Can you take this more gently?"

One of the caravan's men grabbed a Spada's mercenary disguised as a servant by his collar, swearing profanities of all sorts. Soon their fit spread among the others just like fire spreads upon dry hay.

Before she could even stop it, things went out of her hand. She searched for Baha with desperate eyes, who was nowhere perched near her decided place.

"Now what?" she asked from Kais, not bothering to hide her words anymore.

"Now azizam," he said, adjusting his bracelets around his wrist, "you take all the girls and run."

Run. Of course, that was what they planned to do in case of emergency, but everyone was supposed to run, not just girls.

"And you?" she asked, already on her feet to escape from the place.

Kais cracked his knuckles, "don't mind me. I'll just have my share of fun."

Then as she gathered around all the girls and help them exit through the backdoor, she heard him shouting the names of his friends and others letting out a roar of fury. She didn't stay behind to watch what happened next, although.

The backside was equally chaotic as the inside of the inn. Then men were still not done loading all the gold, but fortunately, some had already ridden back with more than half of it. As soon as Baha saw Inara and the other girls, she barked for them to mount on the horses. While Inara went straight to Aydin.