“I had some help from a little friend.”
Leila followed him down the stairs, placing her feet softly onto each step. He stopped at the bottom and held a palm toward her. She didn’t dare breathe as he inched toward the corner and eased his head around the edge. Shouts and footsteps drifted through the foyers. Despite the commotion, Xander slinked into the hallway.
Leila crept after him but couldn’t resist a glance toward her room. A small crowd had gathered at the door. People shouted and waved their hands at each other. One person leaped against the door to break it down, Amir’s furious screams coming in a muted tone from the other side.
Xander grasped her wrist and dragged her into the next hallway. He led her down a large staircase to the ground level of the villa where they ducked into another corridor, the same one lined with doors Leila had walked down earlier that day. A small head peeked out from behind a door. The boy gestured them into the room with a fervent wave.
Once inside, Leila glanced around the small room, furnished with a child-sized bed and bookshelves stocked with colorful hardbacks. Aisha waited for them by the window, wringing her hands in front of her. The boy shut the door, and Xander ruffled his dark curls.
Aisha rushed over to them and drew Leila into an embrace. “Everyone heard the screams. I was sure he’d kill you,” she said, her voice muffled as she buried her face into Leila’s hair.
“I’m fine,” was all Leila managed to say as she stared blankly over her shoulder, unable to return the affection. This person may have brought her into this world, but she was still a stranger.
“We don’t have much time,” Aisha said breathlessly, releasing Leila from her arms. She wiped at her cheek as she continued, “At nine the gates will open as servants go home for the day. I will cause a disturbance so you can run through while the guards are distracted. It’s the best I can do.”
Leila glanced over at Xander, and they nodded at each other in silent agreement. The plan wasn’t foolproof, but it could work.
Aisha went to the door and opened it a crack. “I’ll take you a way to avoid the cameras.”
The three of them, with the boy trailing behind, followed her into the hall then outside into the gardens without running into anyone else. Aisha veered off the path and waded through the greenery until they came to a stop behind tall, rectangular boxwoods. She motioned for them to hunch down as they joined her behind the bushes.
Leila peered around the corner at their goal, a side entrance. One guard leaned against the wall next to the gate, his face illuminated in the darkness by the soft blue glow of the smartphone in his hand. She ducked back behind the bush as her mother began to give them more instructions.
“You wait here,” Aisha whispered. “As soon as the gate is cleared, make a run for it. The guards are all armed, but it’s dark and there is a lot of undergrowth—that should give you enough cover.” She then faced Leila, sadness glistening in her eyes. “We’ll see each other again. I promise.”
Leila said nothing as Aisha pulled her into her arms once again. Her throat closed shut, preventing her from speaking even if she wanted to.
“Goodbye,” her mother choked out. She got to her feet, grasped the boy’s hand, and led him away.
The comforting pressure of Xander’s hand settled on Leila’s shoulder. She shrugged him off. She appreciated the gesture, but she wasn’t ready to show it. Not when they had to run. Her throat was burning from the need to cry, but she forced it back. It would slow them down.
They waited in silence behind the bushes, each second feeling like years. The rough gravel bit into Leila’s palms and knees. There was no sign of a disturbance.
Curses. Did we miss our chance?
A man walked up to the gate, and the guard straightened at his approach. Leila stiffened, wondering if this could be it. He unlocked the gates and held them open as the man went on his way.
She let out a soft sigh and relaxed. With a glance at Xander, he shook his head. Not yet. A few minutes passed until two more servants approached the gate. She held her breath as the guard unlocked the gate again. The two servants were about to go through as the scent of gasoline met Leila’s nose. The fumes grew stronger within seconds, and the guard and servants turned their heads in confusion.
A warm orange glow lit up the gardens, casting dancing shadows against the wall. Flames crackled and licked up the posts of a wooden trellis. Gold sparks floated in the air. The servants cried out for help while the guard put his phone to his ear. The three of them ran toward the garden, leaving the gate forgotten as the flames grew.
Xander threw a glance at Leila. Now or never. She nodded. Xander shot out from behind the bushes. Leila leaped into a run behind him, keeping at his heels.
She ignored the shouts following them, unable to tell if they were shouting about the fire or if they had been seen. The crack of gunshots confirmed her suspicion.
Bullets pelted the earth at her feet. Her heart pumped a hot rush of adrenaline through her veins. Without looking back, they passed through the gate and continued to sprint down the extensive gravel drive.
Something whizzed by her cheek, missing her by mere inches. She suppressed the urge to scream and gunshots cracked behind them. The echoing claps stopped as they ran deeper into the night.
They ran. And they ran. Down a dirt road along a wheat field lined with the black silhouettes of palm trees. Across a creek that cut through a moonlit orchard.
Leila struggled to breathe, each inhalation sending a burning pain across her abdomen. She was grateful when Xander stopped and placed his hands on his knees, his shoulders rising and falling.
She leaned against a tree, trying to breathe evenly to lessen the stitch in her side. Their break came to an end as headlights appeared down the street. Not wanting to wait to find out who it was, the two of them left the road and made their way through the undergrowth.
Keeping his head low, Xander led her through the brush, not following any particular path. Her arms and legs were covered in cuts and scratches by the time they reached the banks of the Nile.
Xander held up a hand for her to stop. He slinked closer to the water, peering through the towering papyrus reeds. When he seemed to have found what he was searching for, he waded knee-deep into the river, brushing aside the reeds as he went, their tufted flowers bouncing and fluttering above him.
Leila waited on the soggy bank, her heart rate slowly decreasing as he uncovered a boat. Water sloshed softly around him as he lugged it into an opening among the reeds. He waved for her to get in.
Once she was seated, he gave the four-seater boat a sturdy push and sprang inside behind her. Paddling only with their hands, they made their way to the other side of the river. As soon as they were over knee-deep water, Xander jumped out and hauled the boat the rest of the way to shore.
Leila climbed out, her feet sinking into the mud on the bank. Freedom. A smile broke out across her face. She was free.
Before she could truly begin to enjoy the moment, a motor rumbled to life a few yards ahead of them. She froze as two square, red eyes appeared in a sea of black. Two yellow beams illuminated the tall grass around them.
“Xander?” Leila’s voice quavered. Her gaze oscillated between him and the vehicle.
“It’s all right,” he answered gently and took her by the crook of her arm. “That’s our ride.”
As they approached, the driver slid out of the truck, his thick arms outspread. He gave Leila a wide, toothy smile, partly hidden by his bushy mustache.
Leila gasped, relief sweeping over her. “Uncle Hani?”
“We weren’t expecting to see you until after the dig,” he boomed as he drew her into his arms. “But we’re happy for an early visit.”
“How did you…?”
