“You can’t outwit and outmaneuver me,” Zoe said, sneering.
“I’d rather not fight at all,” Alex said truthfully. She had the uneasy feeling that Zoe was right. Because Zoe had been raised in Tripoli, she was a product of the harem with all of its infernal, eternal intrigue, and she was a prime Joan Collins-Alexis Carrington kind of bitch. Alex knew that she herself did not have the right mentality to go up against Zoe and win.
“It’s too late,” Zoe said with another smile. “The moment you arrived here and somehow turned Jebal’s head, we became enemies, my dear little sister.”
“I did nothing to entice Jebal.”
Zoe stared. “So where is Murad?”
“He is getting me something to eat.” What little had been left of Alex’s appetite was now gone.
“Really? I was under the impression that he was outside of the palace tonight.”
Alex stood very still, her pulse positively rioting.
“Did you send him on an errand, sister dear?”
Alex thought frantically. “No.”
“No? Then did he leave without your permission? He should receive the bastinado for that. And wasn’t he outside of the palace another night recently, as well? With another slave?”
“Murad was with me all night tonight,” Alex said harshly. “He is always with me, and no one—I repeat, no one—shall punish my slave.”
Zoe’s smile widened. “My, how protective you are of him. But then, the whole palace has remarked how close the two of you are.”
Alex realized she was hugging herself and she forced herself to drop her arms. “What’s the point?”
“Is he your lover?”
“What?!” Alex gasped, genuinely shocked. “He’s a eunuch.”
“Eunuchs often make the very best lovers—you didn’t know?”
Alex could only stare.
“So the two of you are not lovers—what a shame. He is so very handsome. Hmmm. But you are friends—and you don’t want him harmed. See—I have already discovered another one of your weaknesses, sister dear.”
“Leave Murad out of this.”
Zoe laughed. “Perhaps. Perhaps not.”
“What do you want?”
“I want to know what you are hiding.”
“I’m not hiding anything.”
“You are an accomplished liar, are you not?”
“Get out.”
“Don’t you want to know what I am referring to?” Zoe said slyly.
Alex did—and she did not. “I think you had better leave.”
“Fine. But not without telling you that I know aboutallof your lies, Zohara.” She sauntered to the door.
Alex stared after her. Perspiring. “What are you talking about?”
