Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 59308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
“Err, yes, I think it’s cute,” Rayyan said finally, thinking he was obliged to say so since Anisah was Hyacinth’s half-sister.
Tarif’s gaze narrowed. “While I appreciate your vote of confidence for my fiancée—-”
Khalil and Malik exchanged looks at the distinct note of possessiveness in Tarif’s tone. It was a familiar sound, one that was remarkably similar to how they spoke of their wives.
“I would rather none of you saw my woman cute in any way.”
Altair shook his head. “Are you aware of how unreasonably jealous you sound, brother?”
The doors to the security room opened, and Tarif was relieved to see the palace’s technician walk in, thus saving him from replying.
After bowing and apologizing profusely for making the king and his vassals wait, Andy quickly loaded the USB into the system and right away played the first video for the royal family’s perusal.
Tarif frowned when he saw that the video was of Anisah entering the royal library. “What the hell?”
“If you would just wait, Your Highness,” Andy began nervously.
“I pray you have a good explanation for this,” the king said coldly.
“I do, Your Majesty, I promise.”
“This is goddamn stupid—-” But the rest of Tarif’s words died when the video showed Anisah deliberately disabling the security cameras in the library. The screen went black and resumed a moment later, with the timestamp showing that about thirty minutes had been unaccounted for.
“It does not prove anything,” Altair said finally.
“That is true, Your Highness.” Andy was quick to agree. “But it must also be noted that...” He swallowed hard. “Lady Anisah has done this seventeen times in the past month—-”
Rayyan was visibly incredulous. “Seventeen times?” He glanced sharply at Tarif. “Do you have any idea why she would do this?”
Tarif slowly shook his head. “No.” He did not. But...he was starting to see that the reason might not matter at all.
Andy moved on to the next video. “This is the newest footage that we have acquired, Your Majesty, Your Highness. The timestamp for this video shows that it took place several minutes before the attack. As for the location—-”
Khalil caught a glimpse of the palace’s outer gatehouse peeking at the edge of the video, and his lips tightened in understanding. “You are going to show us who is responsible for providing access to the palace, nem?”
Andy confirmed the king’s words with a vigorous nod. “Yes, Your Majesty.” And now came the hard part.
The five sheikhs tensed when the palace’s outer gates slowly swung open, and the mob came rushing in like an unstoppable flood of violence. A moment later, the doors of the gatehouse opened, and the sheikhs tensed even more, knowing that whoever would come out was likely involved in the plot of forcing Khalil to give up the throne.
Finally, a woman came running out –
Tarif whitened.
And she was wearing a silver niqab.
Chapter Nineteen
“Professor? I think there are soldiers waiting outside our room.” The words, spoken with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, came from the student who had arrived fifteen minutes after the start of the class.
Wondering if this was just the student’s ploy to distract Anisah from giving her a tardy slip, she stood up reluctantly while gesturing for Vicky to take her seat.
Her students started chattering as she opened the door and poked her head out, and to Anisah’s surprise there was indeed a small number of soldiers stiffly lined up in the hallway, five of them in total, and the man who appeared to be their leader immediately stepped forward upon seeing her.
“Professor Kahveci?”
Anisah was startled at hearing the soldier speak her name.
How did this man know –
Her face paled. What if...something had happened to Tarif, and these men had been tasked to take her to wherever the sheikh was?
Clearing her throat, she tried to keep her voice even as she answered them. “Yes, I’m Professor Anisah Kahveci.”
“We have been asked to escort you to the palace as soon as possible, Professor.”
It was like having her worst misgivings confirmed, and Anisah felt herself going faint. “Is it Tarif?” she whispered. “Did something happen to him?”
“We are not at liberty to discuss, Professor...”
Anisah didn’t hear the rest of the soldier’s words. All she knew was that the man was stalling – and it reminded her of the way nurses and doctors tended to avoid answering a terminally ill patient’s question about his chances of survival.
“Please come with us peacefully, Professor.”
“Yes, of course.” Did the soldier think she was the type to fall into hysterics at the first sign of bad news? “I just need to ask the faculty for a temp to take over my class. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes—-” She stopped speaking when an alarming thought suddenly occurred to her. What if she didn’t have a few minutes to spare? What if Tarif needed her now?