“Let me take you out to lunch.” Abhijat smiled and pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against, as Ruqaiya stepped out of the meeting room alongside the new ministers of finance and urban development. Both their predecessors had lost their positions because of the corruption scandal that had given Fasih the premiership. They nodded at him and continued down the corridor, leaving Ruqaiya alone with Abhijat.

“How sweet,” she smirked, handing him her coat as she rummaged in her handbag for a scarf. “Where’s your charge?”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Locked up in a meeting with the Maralanese delegates. Been in there for the last two hours. Doesn’t look like he’s coming out anytime soon.”

“Well, shouldn’t you be keeping an eye on him?” Her tone suggested she expected him to do more than just ensure Fasih’s security.

“There isn’t much I can do with him in a closed-door meeting and cameras around every corner. Besides, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.”

“Is it, now? More urgent than my mid-day salad?”

“My sister’s back from university. Permanently.”

Ruqaiya stopped mid-stride and stared at him. “Oh,” she said at length. “I guess lunch it is, then.”