“I thought you were still in college,” Paige stated as she locked the door, her brows lifting as the burqa came off.

This was Chalah. White sneakers, her long legs just dark enough to give her a perpetually tanned look. Cutoff shorts and a snug camisole that shaped her full breasts and emphasized her tiny waist.

“All about covering yourself today, aren’t you there, Chalah?” she drawled.

Chalah rolled her eyes. “I hear the Matawa deserted this damned place about the same time the money left,” she snorted.

The Matawa, or religious police were the terror of any woman unlucky enough to draw their notice.

“How in the hell did you manage to get your ass in this situation?” Chalah propped her hands on her hips as she glared back at Paige.

Long black hair was confined in a thick heavy braid. Exotic, honey brown eyes, thickly lashed, were sparkling as her lips pursed in irritation.

“An argument with Khalid.” Paige admitted a truth she hadn’t even told Abram.

“It figures it was that oaf’s fault,” Chalah retorted as she crossed her arms over her breasts and tilted her head curiously. “Let me guess, he didn’t handle catching you in that tight, hot embrace with Abram very well? Did he scream incest?” She waggled her brows suggestively.

Paige stared back at her in surprise as she drew the scarf from her head and draped it over the back of the couch.

“How did you know about that?” she asked suspiciously.

She knew neither Khalid nor Marty would have told of the incident. To do so would have endangered Abram and further threatened Paige.

Chalah turned, glancing around the room before casting Paige an impish look from the corner of her eye.

“Where’s Abram?” she asked.

Paige shrugged. “He was gone when I awoke this morning. Now, tell me how you knew about Abram being at Khalid’s that night.”

Chalah shot her a dark look as she paced around the room as though looking for something. When she made her way back to Paige she shook her head, her expression pensive.

“Because Khalid either has one of Azir or Jafar’s spies, or a very gossipy employee on his payroll.” Chalah kept her voice low. “nd if you dare let anyone know I told you that, even Abram, then I may not survive long enough to return to the U.S. and finish my degree.”

Paige closed her eyes for a second before turning, her hand moving to rub at the side of her head wearily. Her temple throbbed with stress.

“Is it Abdul?” she asked as she turnd back, knowing it would break Khalid and Mary’s heart if it were the manservant betraying him.

“How simple would that be?” Chalah rolled her eyes expressively. “But, no such luck. I’m afraid all I know for sure is that it’s a female. A very vindictive one who’s either in the house or in the employ of the Conover security team. She’s been funneling information to the commander of the terrorist cell Ayid and Aman led for a while now.”

“I thought Jafar commanded those men,” Paige said as she watched the other girl suspiciously and wondered what the hell was going on.

Chalah gave a brief shake of her head as regret twisted her expression.

“No, Paige,” she whispered, her voice barely audible now. “Jafar has taken Ayid and Aman’s place as a mere leader, but they were never commanders. Even Jafar doesn’t know who the commander is, and he claims he enjoys living so he does not ask.”

Pain flashed in Chalah’s eyes at the admission of her brother actually being part of the cell.

“Does Jafar know anything about him?” Paige asked.

Chalah grimaced, grief flashing in her eyes.

“Jafar refused to discuss it with me,” she sighed. “After Anwar’s death he was so consumed with vengeance at first that discussing anything with him was impossible. Having him murdered as he was, and believing Azir was behind it consumed him.”

Anwar had been Jafar’s older brother by several years. A full brother that Jafar had idolized as a child. He had also been the heir to a third of the Mustafa province and had been petitioning the regime to reacquire the property with a vow that it would be run as the family of Mustafa had vowed to run it centuries before.

Paige knew both Khalid and Abram were still certain Azir and his sons, Ayid and Aman, were behind his death.

Chalah moved to the table and leaned against it as Paige watched her quietly for several moments.

“Why are you telling me this?” Paige asked her warily. “Wouldn’t Jafar be upset?”

Chalah’s expression sobered. “If he knew, then he would be very upset, and f Azir ever learned I told you anything, then he would most surely have me stoned,” she revealed heavily. “But I don’t think I have to worry about you telling anyone but Abram, do I?”

“Then Azir has known all along that Abram and Khalid weren’t estranged,” she whispered, her stomach pitching sickeningly.

“I don’t know how long he’s known, but Jafar has known for several years. Just as he’s known that Abram and Tariq have had a lover to share each time they’ve been to the U.S.” Chalah’s gaze was curious now. “Was it you?”

Paige nearly choked on her own mocking laughter. “Khalid had a cow when he caught Abram kissing me. Do you really think I could have gotten away with anything else?”

“Knowing Khalid?” Chalah’s brows lifted. “It is rather doubtful.”

And Chalah knew Khalid. Not as well as Paige did, and certainly not as a lover, but one of the young women Azir had bought Khalid years ago for a personal harem, attended the same college with Chalah, and the two girls had socialized often.

Chalah was considered a friend, as well as a cousin to Khalid, and he had made it plain more than once that if she ever needed anything then he had no problem helping her out.

Watching Chalah closely now, Paige still had a hard time believing the other girl was here, or that she seemed to be willing to help.

“Why are you telling me this, Chalah?” Paige asked wearily, not bothering to hide her suspicion now. “By your own words, the brother who has spoiled you all your life might allow you to be stoned, or murdered for giving me this information. Why would you risk that?”

“Because you would do it for me,” Chalah said softly, her honey-gold eyes filling with pain. “And Khalid would do it for me. But even more importantly, for Jafar. Because if anything happens to you and Abram, and Jafar ever realizes the mistake he’s made, then it will kill him. Protecting him from himself is the only way I can help him at this point.”

“Even if you have to face being murdered by your brother? By your uncle?”

Chalah sighed heavily. “It isn’t murder here, Paige, not to these people or to this land. And not to Jafar or Azir. Betrayal isn’t tolerated, especially by a woman, and Jafar and Azir both would see it as an unforgiveable betrayal.”

“And you would risk that for me, Abram, and Khalid?” Paige asked her again. “I’m having a hard time believing that.”

Chalah wasn’t lying to her. She knew too many truths, understood the situation too clearly. But was she really trying to help, or in someway lead Abram into a trap?

“Really?” Chalah drawled as she crossed one ankle over the other and tilted her head to the side. “Why else would I return to this sun-baked wasteland but to try to help your stubborn ass? Have you really forgotten how much I hate this place, Paige?”

Paige shook her head as she kept a careful eye on the other woman. “We’ve been friends for a long time, Chalah.” She sighed. “But Jafar is your brother, and I know you love him.”

“And I do love him.” Chalah nodded sharply. “But Jafar is wrong, Paige, and I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you because of him. And I feel guilty,” she whispered miserably. “I knew he was up to something when he called and asked me if I knew why you weren’t at your apartment any longer and if I had heard where you were staying. I should have called you then. I should have warned you he was looking for you.”