Read Online Daughter of Nomads by Rosanne Hawke - Free Book Online Page B

destination.
    Just as she thought she’d fall, Azhar gave the call to halt. Still, Jahani didn’t move. She barely registered Azhar taking Anjuli from her arms, and then returning to carry Jahani to a blanket. She stretched out on the ground in aching but welcome relief.
    When Jahani woke she was alone. There was little light, but she could see that she was surrounded by dirt walls. Was she trapped in a cave? Her heart beat faster until she saw Hafeezah and Anjuli’s blankets neatly folded and Azhar’s carpet rolled up against the wall.
    She stood to unroll the carpet a few inches and her breath caught in surprise. The border had all the red richness of a beautiful Persian design and yet it looked thin and ancient and threadbare in one corner. Azhar must have paid a lot of money for it. Hafeezah was too poor for fine carpets like Sameela’s family’s. Jahani’s own little prayer rug must have come from her parents as she couldn’t remember a time she didn’t have it. But why did Azhar possess such an expensive carpet?
    She touched it with her finger and felt a tingle as if she had run an iron comb through her hair.
    Just then she heard a footfall behind her.
    Azhar.
    She quickly put the carpet back and turned to face him. His eyes flickered. What did he think – that she would steal it?
    â€˜You are awake,’ he said.
    â€˜So it would seem.’
    Azhar hadn’t yet wrapped his turban and Jahani couldn’t help noticing his brown hair: the way it fell softly below his ears and the tight curl touching his forehead. It made him appear younger, more approachable, but she felt as if she’d caught him undressed.
    He tilted his head and smiled and she lost her sudden embarrassment.
    â€˜Where are we?’ she asked.
    â€˜Close to the Kaghan Valley.’
    â€˜We passed into the Kingdom of Kaghan during the night?’
    He nodded. ‘This cave is only a day from the fields of Shogrun.’
    â€˜Can I see them?’
    His amiable smile disappeared. ‘It is best we stay hidden during the day. We will keep travelling by night.’
    â€˜But Shogrun is reported to be beautiful.’
    â€˜Awa, and you’ll see it tonight by moonlight.’ His words were firm as if he anticipated further objection.
    â€˜Where is my mother?’
    He hesitated. Could he know that Hafeezah wasn’t her true mother? She wondered if Hafeezah had told him when Zarah and Baqir had said to tell no one.
    â€˜Come,’ he said. ‘We are eating in another part of the cave.’
    Anjuli ran to Jahani as she entered a cavern. There was a hole in the roof where sunlight streamed through. To the side their horses stood, eating grain from cloth bags.
    â€˜I like this place,’ Anjuli said. ‘My brother Shaan would have liked it, too.’
    Jahani gave her a hug. It was the first time Anjuli had mentioned her family since the night they’d fled in the forest a few weeks ago. ‘Will you tell us more about him?’
    â€˜He was thirteen summers, almost a man. He always looked after me …’ Her voice trailed away. It made Jahani think of Sameela. She should talk of her more, to keep her alive in her heart.
    â€˜It’s difficult to lose a loved one,’ Jahani said. ‘But there is no shame in feeling sorrow.’
    â€˜Jahani bai—’ Anjuli said. Then with the changeability of a child, ‘Could I see the fields of Shogrun? Hafeezah says there are flowers as far as the eye can see.’
    Jahani smiled, but Azhar repeated what he had told Jahani. ‘We cannot venture out until dark. We must stay safe.’
    The word ‘safe’ dried up Anjuli’s sudden chatter and a shadow darkened her eyes.
    Jahani took a cup of chai from Hafeezah, sat by Anjuli and said, ‘You’ll have to tell me a story, Anjuli.’
    But the girl shook her head.
    It was Hafeezah who told a story instead. ‘I’ll tell you