My Belly Dancer

Chapter 43

Watch your back around me. I am as sneaky as a fox; as quick as lightening and as witty as an owl hooting at night. It'll be too late when you notice the knife in it."

"We are here," she said as guards approached us. This place was huge, almost as big as the palace and as heavily guarded.

"I am Zin's spy, Raelyn," she introduced herself and they eyed me. "I have brought him the queen in exchange of her brother."

They helped us down and followed us to the stairs of his home.

"Are you sure about this?" she turned to me and although my heart was thumping loudly, I nodded. "I have to try."

I licked my lips, removed my cloak and stood as proud as any queen would.

They opened the doors and I felt all eyes on me.

"Ah!" a woman approached us and kissed Raelyn. "She has returned, as I knew you would. And she is not alone," she smiled and turned to me. "My queen," she began laughing and I ignored her. "Leave us, Monica, where is Zin?" she asked and the woman rolled her eyes. "You are no fun. He is in the meeting room. They are discussing war topics and boring stuff. He was losing faith in you."

"Quiet," Raelyn pushed her and we began walking again.

"Do you know where Memphis is?" I asked and she nodded. "He is kept where all the prisoners go." "If this man is lying to me, can you still get to him?" I asked and she bit her lip. "I can try." "No, you promised me. If Zin goes back on his word, I need to know that Memphis is safe."

"I will try my hardest. If I save him, then I can never show my face here again. You will be alone again, Amina." "I am used to that."

We turned back to the door and I took a deep breath as Raelyn knocked on the door.

"Come in," a voice commanded us and she opened the door as we walked in.

"Raelyn," a tall man approached us.

"Kames," she smiled and bowed as I stood defiant. I didn't need to be proper and I was bowing to no one.

"You have returned with the queen," he looked at me and walked around. "She is definitely unique. I wonder what about her is so special that both Rafa and Caleb risked their lives?" He touched my face and I pulled away. "She is definitely feisty. This may be fun."

"Where is my brother?" I demanded and he began laughing.

He was tall, eerily tall and thin. He had long, sleek hair that was pinned. His face had a small cut above his eye and he looked terrifying. I hated to be on the receiving end of his anger. I was suddenly glad Caleb marked me.

"I don't know," he smiled, "Zin saved him somewhere special." "Fine, where is Zin?" I folded my arms and he laughed.

"I am not funny," I snapped and he turned to Raelyn. He grabbed my arms and pinned them above my head, causing me to yelp in pain. "Let me go!" I screamed. "You have no power here," he leaned in and licked my cheek and I pulled away. "You're ours to toy with as we please."

"I don't think Zin would appreciate you doing this," Raelyn spoke up and he backed up, letting me go as I fell. She helped me up and I had to control my breathing. It had been so long since I felt so powerless. It made me think of my belly dancing days.

"She's boring anyway, he's in his room now. You know where that is right?" he winked and Raelyn's cheeks reddened. "Quiet!" she fussed and grabbed my arm as we left the room and towards a dark hall.

"Where are we going? And what did he mean by that?" "I was his whore, Amina. Nothing more, nothing less. I got him to trust me and I became other men's whores. His enemies' whores of the night and after I did what he wanted me to, I killed them when they became vulnerable. Men are always easy targets." "I'm sorry," I bit my lip. "I was branded," she removed her cloak and lowered her dress, exposing her shoulder. There stood a proud Z. "He wanted there because I was meant to recruit women. If they saw an unblemished arm they would trust me."

I rubbed my arm as we were faced with another door.

Raelyn knocked and we entered.

"You're back," a stocky man approached. She bowed and I looked at the man. He was scary looking as well.

He had short hair, his face covered with facial hair; his eyes were a bright green. Even in the dark they shined and I found myself staring at his face. He wasn't bad looking all things considered, but I couldn't hope he was understanding.

"You have returned with the queen as well," he grabbed Raelyn and kissed her. She looked uncomfortable, but terrified. "I knew you had it in you."

He turned to me and looked around. "You are the one that has caused all this turmoil?" he stated more than asked and I stood with my chin up.

He grabbed my face and pulled around. "It seems as though you have your own scars," he said, touching my burns and I felt my heart drop. Was he going to show off his power as well.

"Where is my brother?" I asked and he let me go.

"Let him in," he yelled and a guard appeared with Memphis.

"Memphis!" I screamed, rushing to him until Zin grabbed me. "Let me go," I thought as deja vu hit me. My dream?

He pushed me back and Memphis tried to charge him.

"Let her go!" he screamed as they pushed him to his knees and held him there. "Please," I begged, "I came on my own free will. Let him go like you promised."

"I never promised to release him." He looked confused and turned to Raelyn.

"You were going to release him?" he asked and she looked down. "No sir," she lied and I turned to Memphis. He looked terrified and I felt my heart break. What was going on?

"You little fucking liar," he pushed me away and strode to her, striking her down. The slap was loud and the room grew quiet. 

"I knew you were going to crack. What you felt bad for her?" he laughed, "she doesn't give a damn about you. If I made her choose between you and her brother, do you think she would honestly choose you?"

"Don't hurt her, she tricked me," I stood and tried to defend her.

"Amina, shut up!" my brother tried to stand but they pushed him down again.

"Who gave you permission to speak?" Zin turned to me, but I didn't back down. "I am Queen of Egypt, I may be alone now and I may not be alive by tomorrow, but I will not lie down and not defend the people I love."

"Is that what you think this is?" he turned back to Raelyn and grabbed her by her hair, as she screamed. "What are you going to do?" he asked and I looked at her. "Please just stop," she begged.

"I'm giving you me, let them go. I am not returning to the King. You have his weakness and you're not playing it up. You piss me off or hurt anyone I love then you lose everything."

"Threatening me?" he asked and I nodded. "You hurt me or him or even her, then Caleb will storm down and kill everyone one of you. But if you let them go, I will tell him to move on."

"Why would I want him to move on?" he asked, "you have the crown. I want that crown."

"You kill them, you kill me you get nothing."

He pushed Raelyn away and grabbed my brother by his shoulder, a knife and placed it against his throat. "You have no power here."

"That's where your wrong," I lowered my body to my shoe and grabbed my own knife, placing it against my neck. "I'm the only one with power here."