"Why should I not just take you for my concubine, and then continue my siege?" the barbarian khan asked Zuleika.

"If all you desire is my body, my lord, it is yours to take now," she told him. "But I believe you would rather have your window on the sea. Is taking me to wife so high a price to pay?"

She roused him in a way in which he had never been stirred before. Her very presence was kindling a fire in his loins. His fingers closed gently about her slender throat. "I could have my way with you, princess of Dariyabar, and force your secrets from you one by one." The dark eyes blazed down at her, his handsome face stern. His strong fingers tightened just slightly.

Her lips curved into the hint of a mocking smile. "No, Amir Khan, you could not," she told him in a soft, assured tone. "You could take my body, but there is nothing that could pry my secrets from me if I did not wish to share them. Not passion. Not torture. Besides, if you should harm me then Kansbar will destroy you." Reaching up, she removed his hand from her throat. "You must not bruise me, my lord, lest I be asked questions that I shall not be able to answer."

"Who is Kansbar? Your lover?" He was shocked to hear the jealousy in his own voice, and he put an arm about her, pulling her close in order to reassert his dominance over her.

Again, her mouth twitched with her amusement. "Kansbar is the genie of the Golden Bowl. He is the guardian of Dariyabar. After my brothers were slain, my father gave the bowl to me as it was expected that Haroun and I would wed. My cousin does not even know the bowl exists. Kansbar, will be to your advantage if you wed me. He is a very powerful genie, and I will bring the bowl with me as part of my dower."

"If I agree to your proposal, princess, then you must give me your vizier's daughter for my general, Sabola. Such an alliance will make my position stronger."