Between the Grapevines

7. Sab'a

The next morning found Riyad sitting beneath the grapevines' shade. He'd left the apartment in the earlier hours of the dawn when he found his eyelids growing heavy while sitting on the floor beside the sleeping girl's bed so Riyad had gone for a walk to keep himself awake. Once the threat of falling asleep disappeared, he made his way back up the third story apartment, careful to avoid the voices he heard in the nearby tent. If he saw him, Farhan would question why he was not with the wife he'd been tasked with monitoring.

He did not recognize anything unusual in the silence of the apartment. Riyad was becoming accustomed to the sound of only his breath and footsteps filling the peaceful space. Interestingly, he found the presence of another in utter silence rather enjoyable. He washed his face and arms in the sink of the bathroom, preparing for the morning prayer as the sun rose in the window across the living room and painted an awakening shade of orange over the space.

Moving past the closed door, Riyad laid out the rug in front of him and raised his hands to either side of his head, seeking solitude in the tranquility that fell over his mind when he lowered his forehead to the ground. It served as his daily meditation in the same way that his occasional morning walks with Ta'ira helped soothe his anxieties and chase away his worries. Without Kader to fumble around him, Riyad's focus remained sharp and cunning until he placed his hands on his knees and turned his head to either side, finishing the two segments of prayer before the girl woke.

Riyad folded the carpet and placed it on the chair's arm. His attention shifted toward the girl who continued sleeping in her room, wondering if he should wake her to eat or wait until she stirred on her own to make them breakfast. If she didn't wake up soon, he would be called down by Farhan then the opportunity would be missed.

He slowly pushed the bedroom door open to peek inside. Perhaps a quick look at her would give him an idea of just how much longer she planned on sleeping. But, when his cautious gaze caught on the empty bed, Riyad's worries returned.

She was not sleeping.

He whipped his head around in search of the girl in the empty apartment but he'd been here for thirty minutes and he'd seen every room except the one she was supposed to be sleeping in. Now, standing as the only person in the space, Riyad realized the girl had left the apartment before he'd even come up. It filled his chest with dread.

With a hushed curse, Riyad rushed down the steps to the door that peered out onto the soulless street in front of him. Farhan needed to know. If they all searched for her, they were much more likely to find the wandering girl than if Riyad took it upon himself. He rushed toward the camp to find Kader sitting boredly in his assigned position by the third tent.

At the sight of Riyad, he shouted a greeting. "Where are you off to in such a hurry at this time?" Kader asked, abandoning his post and chasing after Riyad curiously.

"She's gone," he replied, making a beeline for the second tent where he knew he would find Farhan and at least one another man of the group. He wasn't sure how long it had been since she escaped but surely they'd be able to catch up on horseback.

"Who's gone?" Kader questioned, struggling to keep up with him.

"The girl. I went out for a bit and the apartment was empty when I returned," he spoke quickly, unsure if the emotion that ground his teeth together was anger or worry. All Riyad knew was that he did not like it so he took it out on the entrance to the tent as he flew through it. "We need to find her before-."

Amer shouted in disappointment when the chess pieces in front of him tipped over from the powerful gust of wind that blew in with Riyad. "Come on, man!"

Riyad's voice trailed off when he saw the girl sitting across from Amer, flinching at the sudden appearance of the loud man. When she realized it was Riyad, her widened eyes relaxed and a softness overcame her expression before she returned her attention to replacing the chess pieces in front of her. A pile of white pieces sat on the floor beside her while only three black pawns stood next to a dedicated Amer.