The Harem Master Read Online Free PDF Page A

him, and approached the trunks, his men on his heels. "Let's see what we've got."
    Demir moved out of the way as they picked and pawed through the trunks. He ducked his head to hide a smile when Kitt lifted up a diaphanous length of fabric. "How does one wear this, exactly?"
     "It's meant to wrap around the hips. There is a pair of pants in there that goes under it."
    Kitt shook his head, grinned, and went back to looking.
    "I like what Lord Demir wears," Haluk said. "I always have." He smiled, and Demir smiled faintly back. He faintly recalled Haluk now. He was five or so years older than Ihsan, and if Demir remembered correctly, had been assigned as his bodyguard when Ihsan was fifteen. Loyalty, indeed. Beautiful. To say nothing of his appearance, captivating in its own right.
    Sabah and Kitt both turned from their hunting to regard Demir. "Yes," Sabah said. "The Harem Masters have always dressed beautifully, subtle but no less seductive and powerful for it." He gave Demir a brief sweep, approving without being lewd, as was Bulut's habit. "I agree, we should emulate the esteemed Harem Master. Certainly we will stand out from your father's harem, as you wanted."
    "Thirded." Kitt dropped the silk scrap he'd held up to his face to stare through. "Are we allowed?"
    "There's no law against it," Demir replied, "though I cannot recall it ever being done. My clothes are plain, so as not to distract from the jewels. I am only the caretaker."
    Kitt's brows rose. "If you're 'just' the caretaker, what do the jewels look like?"
    "Enough," Ihsan said firmly, though a faint smile tugged at his mouth. "Kitt, I think there are books in here about manners. Read them."
    Making a face, Kitt nevertheless fetched the books. "I hope someone will help me. My reading comprehension still needs a great deal of work."
    "You know I will," Sabah said with a fond smile that widened when Kitt leaned up and pressed a quick kiss on his mouth.
    Demir turned away, bowed slightly to Ihsan. "If my plain wardrobe is what Your Highness desires then I will see it done. I can fetch extra sets from my room and tomorrow I will see your men are measured and their own sets made."
    "That will do, thank you, Lord Demir."
    "My honor to serve, Your Highness." He dipped into a deeper bow, then departed, mind spinning as he returned to the harem hall.

Two
    "Holy Dragon, do you get that as a present when you become king?" Kitt demanded. His face soured. "Please tell me that your stupid father does not have that now."
    Ihsan managed a laugh, setting down the necklace he had pulled out to admire. Nearby, Sabah and Haluk laughed with him. "No, my father does not 'have that' now, nor do I 'get it' when I become king. You have such peculiar turns of phrase, Kitt. No one in the royal family 'gets that.' The Harem Master oversees the harems, but he is never part of one. That would be a gross breach of conduct, and an abuse of power in several ways."
    He went back to staring at the jewels, but their sparkle was no longer enough to distract him. Dead. Zehra was dead. How could his little sister… he closed his eyes, pressed the heels of his hands to them, tried to breathe.
    Sabah's arms wrapped around him, a soft kiss pressed to his throat. "I'm sorry, Ihsan."
    "I should have taken her with me, let her stay with Euren."
    "Your father would have definitely hunted you all down and imprisoned you, then," Haluk said quietly. "It is not your fault, Ihsan. Do not let that thought encroach."
    Ihsan nodded, hugged Sabah tight, then forced thoughts of Zehra to the back of his mind. Focus on the present, on all the problems he needed to fix. He would mourn Zehra when he had taken care of his father and Tavamara no longer had to fear their king. "At least Captain Fatih is still here." They had done their best, he and Euren, to make it clear when they left that her father had played no part in their misbehavior. Had managed to confirm, after a few months, that he was fine, but Ihsan had never