Read Online Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. Lafevers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: R. L. Lafevers
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hauled him to his feet.
126
***
Chapter Seventeen
Nate dangled three feet from the ground. An angry dark gaze met his. "What have we here? A camel thief?"
"No!" Nate cried out, shocked someone would think such a thing. "I've just come for my aunt."
The Bedouin looked from Nate to Shabiib, his expression unreadable. "We will see what our sheik has to say about that." He set Nate's feet on the ground but kept a firm grip on his collar as he marched him toward the largest tent. Everyone stopped to stare. One girl raised her hand to her mouth in surprise. It was Fadia. She quickly looked away.
127
As he was propelled toward the tent, Nate glanced around frantically, trying to locate Greasle. This would be the perfect time for her to appear and do her jinni routine. But she was nowhere in sight.
The Bedouin threw open the tent flap and shoved Nate inside. He barely managed to keep from stumbling.
Five men looked up and their conversation came to an abrupt halt. Nate blinked, trying to adjust to the dim light.
"What have you brought us, Khalid?" asked an older man wearing a fancier robe than the others. The sheik, presumably.
"Another trespasser. Possibly a camel thief. Possibly a spy. Perhaps our honored guest knows something about it." It was then that Nate saw Aunt Phil seated regally on a floor cushion, watching all of them. "Does he belong to you?" Khalid asked.
"Yes, he does."
"Actually," Nate said, speaking for the first time, "I'm here to offer a trade."
"A trade?"
"Yes." He wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers and cleared his throat.
128
[ Image: Nate, Aunt Phil and the five men.]
129
"In, um, appreciation for your hospitality toward my aunt. I've come to offer a gift for her return."
"I am listening," the sheik said.
His heart beating fast, Nate slipped his hand into his pack and closed it around the smooth, perfect phoenix egg. He dreaded giving it away, but he had nothing else to offer.
"Well? What do you have?" the sheik asked, growing impatient.
Nate pulled the egg out. "I have a rare phoeni--" Aunt Phil gasped. "Nate! No!"
The sheik stared at it, his face expressionless. "You offer me a rock?"
"No, no. It isn't a rock. This is a phoenix egg! The phoenix gave it to me after it emerged from the ashes."
The sheik's face grew stern. "The phoenix is a creature of myth and belongs to the old tales. Your rock is of no value to me. Now, go sit with your aunt while we decide what must be done about you."
Nate couldn't believe his ears--couldn't they tell this was no ordinary rock? He opened his mouth to argue, but Khalid caught his eye. "Go," he said. "Arguing will do you no good."
130
With the bitter taste of failure in his mouth, Nate went to sit beside Aunt Phil.
"May I see it?" Aunt Phil asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Sure." Nate pulled the lustrous egg out and handed it to her. At least she understood how special it was.
"Extraordinary," she murmured, turning it over in her hands. She looked up at Nate, her eyes shining. "Excellent work."
"Well, thanks. But fat lot of good it does us."
"Don't worry." She handed the egg back to him. "We'll think of some--"
There was a mad howl, and then something crashed into Nate's shoulder.
Greasle! he thought as the gremlin raced past him on all fours. Nate hoped these men were as afraid of jinn as Fadia had been.
131
***
Chapter Eighteen
Greasle barely spared Nate a glance as she ran by him, headed straight for the door.
"What was that?" the sheik asked.
"A jinni?" Nate offered hopefully. The men got to their feet and followed the gremlin out of the tent. Nate and Aunt Phil hurried after them.
"What is your gremlin up to now?" Aunt Phil whispered.
"Don't worry. It's all part of our plan." But Greasle wasn't acting the least bit jinnilike. In fact, she was acting more
132
like a hound on the scent of a tasty bone. She was still on all fours, sniffing at the ground. After a moment, she began digging furiously.
Warily, the
126
***
Chapter Seventeen
Nate dangled three feet from the ground. An angry dark gaze met his. "What have we here? A camel thief?"
"No!" Nate cried out, shocked someone would think such a thing. "I've just come for my aunt."
The Bedouin looked from Nate to Shabiib, his expression unreadable. "We will see what our sheik has to say about that." He set Nate's feet on the ground but kept a firm grip on his collar as he marched him toward the largest tent. Everyone stopped to stare. One girl raised her hand to her mouth in surprise. It was Fadia. She quickly looked away.
127
As he was propelled toward the tent, Nate glanced around frantically, trying to locate Greasle. This would be the perfect time for her to appear and do her jinni routine. But she was nowhere in sight.
The Bedouin threw open the tent flap and shoved Nate inside. He barely managed to keep from stumbling.
Five men looked up and their conversation came to an abrupt halt. Nate blinked, trying to adjust to the dim light.
"What have you brought us, Khalid?" asked an older man wearing a fancier robe than the others. The sheik, presumably.
"Another trespasser. Possibly a camel thief. Possibly a spy. Perhaps our honored guest knows something about it." It was then that Nate saw Aunt Phil seated regally on a floor cushion, watching all of them. "Does he belong to you?" Khalid asked.
"Yes, he does."
"Actually," Nate said, speaking for the first time, "I'm here to offer a trade."
"A trade?"
"Yes." He wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers and cleared his throat.
128
[ Image: Nate, Aunt Phil and the five men.]
129
"In, um, appreciation for your hospitality toward my aunt. I've come to offer a gift for her return."
"I am listening," the sheik said.
His heart beating fast, Nate slipped his hand into his pack and closed it around the smooth, perfect phoenix egg. He dreaded giving it away, but he had nothing else to offer.
"Well? What do you have?" the sheik asked, growing impatient.
Nate pulled the egg out. "I have a rare phoeni--" Aunt Phil gasped. "Nate! No!"
The sheik stared at it, his face expressionless. "You offer me a rock?"
"No, no. It isn't a rock. This is a phoenix egg! The phoenix gave it to me after it emerged from the ashes."
The sheik's face grew stern. "The phoenix is a creature of myth and belongs to the old tales. Your rock is of no value to me. Now, go sit with your aunt while we decide what must be done about you."
Nate couldn't believe his ears--couldn't they tell this was no ordinary rock? He opened his mouth to argue, but Khalid caught his eye. "Go," he said. "Arguing will do you no good."
130
With the bitter taste of failure in his mouth, Nate went to sit beside Aunt Phil.
"May I see it?" Aunt Phil asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Sure." Nate pulled the lustrous egg out and handed it to her. At least she understood how special it was.
"Extraordinary," she murmured, turning it over in her hands. She looked up at Nate, her eyes shining. "Excellent work."
"Well, thanks. But fat lot of good it does us."
"Don't worry." She handed the egg back to him. "We'll think of some--"
There was a mad howl, and then something crashed into Nate's shoulder.
Greasle! he thought as the gremlin raced past him on all fours. Nate hoped these men were as afraid of jinn as Fadia had been.
131
***
Chapter Eighteen
Greasle barely spared Nate a glance as she ran by him, headed straight for the door.
"What was that?" the sheik asked.
"A jinni?" Nate offered hopefully. The men got to their feet and followed the gremlin out of the tent. Nate and Aunt Phil hurried after them.
"What is your gremlin up to now?" Aunt Phil whispered.
"Don't worry. It's all part of our plan." But Greasle wasn't acting the least bit jinnilike. In fact, she was acting more
132
like a hound on the scent of a tasty bone. She was still on all fours, sniffing at the ground. After a moment, she began digging furiously.
Warily, the
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