Narla's face turned white with fury. "Not even a sadat would say such a thing!" She jerked free of Craig's hand, beat her small fists on his chest. "Go, you rabble! Leave me! Go back to the scum, the Baemae!"
Craig reached for her hands.
She jumped back and slapped his face.
The sting of her palm was like a trigger. With a curse, he lunged for her and caught her to him, still struggling and flailing.
"Is this what you want?" Savagely, brutally, he kissed her.
Her lips were like ice. Her eyes blazed grey fire. "Is that quite all, Earthman?"
Craig sucked in air. "No. Not quite." Pinioning her arms, once again he glanced down at the cordon of guards in the street below. "You see ... you're going with me."
"No!"
"Yes." He flashed a tight, hard grin. "Without a knowledge of how to use Tumek's crystal, the Baemae will need a weapon against your father. And what better could they find than you, his daughter, as a hostage?"
Shoving her aside, he lifted the great disc from the rooftop; spun it.