Part 34 (2/2)

They stopped in front of a rather large, elaborate one and Talia felt her cheeks

flame yet again. ”I see the queen has a sense of humor after all,” she muttered

under her breath.The painting on the wall in front of them was a stunning rendering in oil, or what appeared to be oil anyway. The subject matter, however, was... explicit. A man and woman, both nude, both fully and quite graphically entwined, lay stretched out on a carpet of flowers. Delicate little fairies floated above, dropping red and white petals on the lovers. Talia couldn't tear her eyes away from the way the woman's slender back arched and the muscles in the man's shoulders bunched as he- ”I like the queen's taste,” Archer said, then made a small ooph sound when Talia dug her elbow into his ribs.”You would,” she said.”Your palms are sweating.”

She scowled and tried to slide her hand out of his, but he wouldn't let her.

He leaned down to her ear and whispered to her as the painting in front of them turned transparent. ”I wanted to make love to you in exactly the same

kind of bower. Maybe the queen can read minds, hmm?”Talia's only response was a tight swallow... and continued sweaty palms, as the queen's a.s.sistant motioned them to follow her. ”You will be safe here for the night. I will have a full supper sent to you shortly. Tomorrow the queen will send a summons. At that time you will have a full guard escort. Do not leave with anyone other than the queen's personal guard. Until then, please enjoy your accommodations.”

Archer smiled at her. ”And if we need anything?”

The small woman turned with a smile of her own. ”You won't.”

Archer stepped through the screen, pulling Talia with him. They both turned

in time to see the queen's guard take up stations along the pa.s.sageway.

Archer nodded in approval, then the screen turned solid and they were inside their chamber.

Prison, actually. Talia felt a sense of claustrophobia, of being sealed inside a

tomb or something. Until she turned around at Archer's urging.

”Look at this,” he said. ”Nice setup.”

Talia's mouth dropped open. It was like something from a sultan's fantasy.

Silk draped the walls and the carpeting was so thick it almost swallowed her sandals. The ceiling was a recessed dome, painted with scenes that Talia only glanced at, but already knew were likely produced by the same artist who had done the handiwork in the pa.s.sageway. She looked back to the room, which was dominated by a huge fireplace, and fronted by a sumptuous, wide lounge upholstered in opulent jewel-toned fabric and edged with thick, gold-colored fringe.

”It's... different.”Archer laughed. ”Do you think the queen is trying to tell us something?”

Talia tried to laugh, but it came out as a sort of rasp. ”Gee, I can't wait to see

the bedroom.”

Archer grabbed her hand and tugged her to one of two doors, framed in gold, on the far wall.

”I was joking,” she managed, but he was already halfway there. ”Archer!”

He looked over his shoulder. ”Aren't you curious?”

She stalled. She was curious, but she didn't think she wanted to tell him that.

She was still reeling from everything else she'd witnessed today.

”Come on. Dinner will probably be here shortly. If there is a bathroom behind that other door, you can wash up as soon as we're done exploring, okay?”

Now she did laugh. ”We're not at Club Med, you know.”

”Club what?”

”Never mind.” She lifted her free hand. ”Lead on, MacDuff.”

”And people say Aussies make no sense.”

She was smiling at his back when he opened the door and swept her through

in front of him. Her smile froze on her face. Oh. My. G.o.d was her first and only thought.

Archer crowded closer and nudged her farther into the room so he could see.

He whistled his appreciation. ”You know, I never understood why people threw money away on decorators. I'm rethinking my position on that.”

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