And then Azadah knew.
She sat up and her head spun no more than it had since Mahmood’s earlier blow.
She had not been hit.
Chris had come.
He had seen her pleadings to the sky and he had come for her. Two C. was the soldier she held at a distance with his nickname, but now the man had come for her and earned his true name in her thoughts.
As her hearing recovered, she heard the sounds of gunfire.
So did Mahmood and the other guards. Groping for their weapons, they scrambled to their feet.
No!
She was convinced in that moment Mahmood would kill Chris and she would not let that happen. She swung her ladle and caught him on the side of the face.
He yelped, then turned to face her. Surprise shifted to anger as he struck out at her. Having regained her feet, she was able to duck his
