The Sheikh's Diamond (Sheikh's Wedding Bet Series Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Leslie North
as she took a giant swig from her glass. Her eyes widened, as she must have realized that it wasn’t water and coughed.
“That’s a very expensive bottle of Chateau du Pont,” Masoud said dryly. “It’s usually enjoyed in small amounts.”
“Right,” she spluttered. “Sorry. I get so wrapped up in Solomon sometimes.”
“Yes, his tales of wisdom and saving babies are legendary,” Masoud said absently. He hadn’t brought her down here so she could talk incessantly about a dead legend. Leaning over to refill her glass of wine, he tried to think of a way to steer the conversation to what he wanted to talk about. Her. And whether she was here alone.
“It’s not just his wisdom,” Fleur continued, as she ignored him. “There is a tale that talks about Solomon’s Seal. In most legends, it’s a seal given to him from God and probably his most cherished possession. In some legends, it even says that the ring was gifted to him so that Solomon could control demons. Now, keep in mind that I said control and not just banish. It’s possible that we’re talking necromancy here. Quite a few people believed that the ring could raise the dead and control the Devil’s army. Imagine the kind of power people believed that ring could wield.”
“Fleur.” Masoud frowned.
“Hm. Yes?” she asked as she finally focused her attention on him.
“How is the food?” he asked patiently.
“The food? Oh, it’s great. I’ve pretty much just eaten airport food and whatever breakfast the hotel served this morning. I’m famished, so thank you. Anyways, back to my story. Solomon isn’t the first case where tales of mysticism and acts of magic have cropped up in the Bible.”
Realizing that he wasn’t going to distract her, Masoud leaned back and listened to her talk. Even as she babbled on and on, he realized that he enjoyed the sound of her voice. He enjoyed listening to her. It was nice to have a conversation with someone that wasn’t just wrapped up in wealth, fame and gossip.
“And we’re not just talking about miracles or acts of God’s wrath. Moses parting the Red Sea with the staff is certainly impressive, but that’s apparently God’s power. Moses’ opponent, the Pharaoh, had a sorcerer at his command. In fact, he had several. At the Pharaoh’s command, Moses threw down his staff, and God turned that staff into a serpent. Not to be outdone, the sorcerer did the same thing. Of course, Moses’s staff snake thing ate the other staff snake thing, but the point is that it was done without the power of God. That implies that magic still existed in Biblical times. Now, in Europe, the pagan religion is running rampant with blood and sex magic, so the fear that magic is the tool of the devil was still very real to the narrators of the stories within the Bible. But if God created a ring to give to Solomon to control demons, that meant God himself could not control the Devil’s work. Solomon wasn’t just a wise man. He was a general in the battle against evil, and not just the theoretical idea of evil but actual true evil.”
Fleur stopped and took a deep breath. “Tell me you don’t find that fascinating.”
“From your mouth, I find all things fascinating,” Masoud said with a smile as he sipped his wine. “So how are you going to prove that this man existed?”
“Solomon’s Diamond.”
Masoud nearly choked on his wine. Most people still believed that the diamond was a myth. Certainly academics weren’t here looking for the blasted thing. “Excuse me?”
“I’m sure you’re familiar with Solomon’s Mines. Filled with veins and veins of gold and diamonds, they were the source of his never-ending wealth. Of course, people have searched the Timna Valley and other rumored areas without success. The closest that anyone has come to finding it was a mine that reportedly belonged to the Endomites, a neighboring village that was always at war with Solomon. Chances are very good that the mines
“That’s a very expensive bottle of Chateau du Pont,” Masoud said dryly. “It’s usually enjoyed in small amounts.”
“Right,” she spluttered. “Sorry. I get so wrapped up in Solomon sometimes.”
“Yes, his tales of wisdom and saving babies are legendary,” Masoud said absently. He hadn’t brought her down here so she could talk incessantly about a dead legend. Leaning over to refill her glass of wine, he tried to think of a way to steer the conversation to what he wanted to talk about. Her. And whether she was here alone.
“It’s not just his wisdom,” Fleur continued, as she ignored him. “There is a tale that talks about Solomon’s Seal. In most legends, it’s a seal given to him from God and probably his most cherished possession. In some legends, it even says that the ring was gifted to him so that Solomon could control demons. Now, keep in mind that I said control and not just banish. It’s possible that we’re talking necromancy here. Quite a few people believed that the ring could raise the dead and control the Devil’s army. Imagine the kind of power people believed that ring could wield.”
“Fleur.” Masoud frowned.
“Hm. Yes?” she asked as she finally focused her attention on him.
“How is the food?” he asked patiently.
“The food? Oh, it’s great. I’ve pretty much just eaten airport food and whatever breakfast the hotel served this morning. I’m famished, so thank you. Anyways, back to my story. Solomon isn’t the first case where tales of mysticism and acts of magic have cropped up in the Bible.”
Realizing that he wasn’t going to distract her, Masoud leaned back and listened to her talk. Even as she babbled on and on, he realized that he enjoyed the sound of her voice. He enjoyed listening to her. It was nice to have a conversation with someone that wasn’t just wrapped up in wealth, fame and gossip.
“And we’re not just talking about miracles or acts of God’s wrath. Moses parting the Red Sea with the staff is certainly impressive, but that’s apparently God’s power. Moses’ opponent, the Pharaoh, had a sorcerer at his command. In fact, he had several. At the Pharaoh’s command, Moses threw down his staff, and God turned that staff into a serpent. Not to be outdone, the sorcerer did the same thing. Of course, Moses’s staff snake thing ate the other staff snake thing, but the point is that it was done without the power of God. That implies that magic still existed in Biblical times. Now, in Europe, the pagan religion is running rampant with blood and sex magic, so the fear that magic is the tool of the devil was still very real to the narrators of the stories within the Bible. But if God created a ring to give to Solomon to control demons, that meant God himself could not control the Devil’s work. Solomon wasn’t just a wise man. He was a general in the battle against evil, and not just the theoretical idea of evil but actual true evil.”
Fleur stopped and took a deep breath. “Tell me you don’t find that fascinating.”
“From your mouth, I find all things fascinating,” Masoud said with a smile as he sipped his wine. “So how are you going to prove that this man existed?”
“Solomon’s Diamond.”
Masoud nearly choked on his wine. Most people still believed that the diamond was a myth. Certainly academics weren’t here looking for the blasted thing. “Excuse me?”
“I’m sure you’re familiar with Solomon’s Mines. Filled with veins and veins of gold and diamonds, they were the source of his never-ending wealth. Of course, people have searched the Timna Valley and other rumored areas without success. The closest that anyone has come to finding it was a mine that reportedly belonged to the Endomites, a neighboring village that was always at war with Solomon. Chances are very good that the mines
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