Chapter Ten
That night I dream I’m walking toward a lush oasis, just over the horizon. I walk and walk, but no matter how many steps I take, it never seems to get any closer. Then I start sinking into the sand…
I wake on my own to the sun of a bright new day and the sight of Nabida and Raima setting up breakfast.
“We planned to let you sleep in,” Nabida says when she sees me sitting up in bed.
“No Zahir,” I guess, and silently curse my p***y for tightening at the sound of his name.
Raima’s eyes widen at my use of his first name without the title but answers, “No, he will not come to you today.”
I think about that. Breathe…and push through the semi-permanent l**t haze to ask, “Did his secretary say when he’d be back?”
“No, we were not given this information,” Raima answers.
“But I’m
