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)
“Forget I said that,” she heard herself say. “Just give me five seconds.” Rushing back inside, Anisah started stuffing her things back into her bag while informing the students of her emergency. “Therefore, I’m dismissing you early. If you have any questions about today’s lecture, please refer them to Professor Thorne—-”
Hands suddenly shot up in the air while those who were unable to restrain themselves simply started asking her questions.
Has something happened at the palace?
Was it Sheikh Tarif?
Could they do anything to help?
Although her students’ curiosity was palpable, so was the genuine concern in their eyes, and her eyes stung as she sought to reassure them. “Thank you for your concern, but there is no need to worry. I promise to keep everyone posted,” she said gruffly.
Anisah was whisked into a waiting vehicle outside the university as soon as she left the classroom, and the ride back to the palace was spent in silence. Anisah closed her eyes and started to pray. Heavenly One. Please. Let him be fine.
Anisah expected the soldiers to take her straight to the palace’s in-house health clinic or the sheikh’s private chamber, but instead she found herself escorted all the way to the security room. There, she found all five sheikhs waiting – all of them looking handsome and powerful – but the truth was, she only had eyes for one man.
She rushed unthinkingly to Tarif as he rose to his feet. “I t-thought something happened to you.”
The sheikh only pulled a chair out for her in answer. “Please take a seat, anisdi.” His tone was cold, his gaze inscrutable, and confusion swirled around her even as she found herself doing as he bid.
“Tarif?”
The sheikh’s jaw clenched, but he did not even look at her as he reclaimed the seat next to Anisah.
“Thank you for joining us, Lady Anisah.” The king’s words gave her an excuse to look away, and she seized it gratefully, turning to Khalil while her body grew rigid in her struggle to keep her emotions in check. Why wouldn’t he look at her? Why couldn’t she stop feeling something was wrong? Why?
“We have invited you here to clarify certain matters.” It was the kingdom’s army commander who spoke this time, and Anisah forced herself to concentrate on Altair’s words. “Our technician will be playing several videos, and we would appreciate if you could answer a few of our questions afterwards. Do you agree?”
“Yes, of course.” Her fingers laced with each other on her lap. She still didn’t know what this was all about. The only thing she knew was that Tarif was not looking at her.
A technician stood up to play the first video, which showed Anisah fighting against those who tried to attack the queen.
“Is this you, anisdi?”
“Nem, alshaykh.”
The second footage showed the palace’s outer gates swinging open and thus allowing the mob entry to the royal family’s residence. The person taking the video suddenly swung his camera towards one side, and this time she saw the gatehouse’s doors bursting open.
Whoever came out that door, she thought faintly, was likely involved in the plot to destabilize the kingdom’s government –
A woman finally came running out of the gatehouse, her body covered completely, her hair concealed from sight. She made a completely nondescript figure...except for that silver niqab.
Horror rose inside of her as she realized how that one piece of clothing could implicate her.
“Is that you, Lady Anisah?”
“N-no.”
Beside her, she heard Tarif hiss in disbelief, and the sound made her feel violently sick. She clumsily rose to her feet, and the sheikh lunged to his full height as well. “Tarif—-” She tried to reach for him, but then she saw the look on his beautiful face, and her arm fell to her side.
He was looking at her...like she had turned into the same monster as his mother was.
“I k-know how bad things look,” she whispered, “but please believe me when I say I have nothing to do with the attack. The woman you all saw in the second video was my friend, Joanna. I bumped into her later on, and I b-borrowed her headdress to hide my identity. I didn’t want myself recognized, in c-case anything happened. I didn’t want Hyacinth to be affected—-” Her voice trailed off.
Tarif still hadn’t spoken a single word.
“You believe me, don’t you?”
“There are also videos that show you disabling the security cameras in the royal library for a total of seventeen times in the past month alone.”
Anisah paled.
“Do you have an explanation for this?”
“I c-can’t—-”
Tarif’s voice hardened. “What do you mean you fucking can’t?”
She looked at Andy. “I don’t want him to hear—-”
“For fuck’s sake – right now I trust him more than I trust you.” A stricken look crossed her face at his words, but Tarif steeled himself against it. “Tell us what you were doing in the library, anisdi.”