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A secret memo had circulated among the palace’s staff this morning, and it was through it Harper had learned of the terrorist threat that had kept the sheikh away from her bed the previous night.

Khalil:Still waiting for verification.

Harper:Keep me posted?

Khalil:I will. Are you done there?

Harper:I need to stay here for about ten minutes more if I don’t want Ms. Snape to get mad.

Khalil:You know she’ll make you pay for that, don’t you?

Harper:She’ll only know if you tell her.

She paused then started typing again.

Harper:DON’T tell her, okay. Promise me!

Because he likely would, knowing how much the sheikh liked seeing her in hot water.

****

HELL OF A WAY TO CELEBRATEthis his birthday, the sheikh thought wearily as he put aside the latest report sent by the defense department. As for now, last night’s rumblings about terrorists finding a way to enter their kingdom hadn’t yet been completely confirmed but even so, the palace remained on high security alert. He and the other sheikhs had also stayed up the entire night, monitoring all the reports, their instincts telling them not to take anything lightly.

Where there was smoke, there was fire.

And his birthday celebration, where the world’s most powerful figures had convened, would definitely make a great place to light up the bloodiest type of fireworks. And if today wasn’t the target, then there was also tomorrow’s council, where all 120 sheikhs of Ramil would be meeting, his first time to address them as their king.

His phone buzzed, and the tension in Khalil’s form slightly eased. If not for his beautiful Harper, his mood would have been a lot worse, and it was never a good thing for the kingdom to see their leader tense. It was just one of the many little things in which his queen was of help to him, and his mood further lightened when he read her reply.

DON’T tell her, okay. Promise me!

Ah, his queen knew him so well.

Khalil:I should be done here in about the same time. Come join me then.

He was about to put his phone away when it buzzed again.

Harper:As you command, Your Majesty.

The sarcasm was so palpable in each word that Khalil’s lips twitched.

Harper:And FYI, I see what you did there.

The sheikh was about to reply when a knock sounded on his door.

“Enter.”

An aide stepped inside. After bowing to his king, the younger man informed him nervously that the Sheikh ofFarighawished a word with him.

Khalil frowned. Mahmud was one of his grandfather’s old cronies, and he had only invited the older sheikh out of respect for his title. “Let him in,” he said after a moment. He couldn’t see Mahmud saying anything of import, but it wouldn’t hurt to hear him out first.

When Mahmud came strolling in, he rose to his feet, and the other sheikh bowed in greeting. Or at least he tried, with Mahmud’s huge middle preventing him from bending too much.

The aide prepared refreshments for two sheikhs before leaving, and as soon as they were alone, Khalil asked, “What may I do for you, Mahmud?”

“Actually, Your Majesty, it is more of what I would like to offer to you. A birthday gift, so to speak.”

“I see.”