Chapter 33

Omar Al-Rashid stood before the centerpiece of Al-Badr Gallery, his eyes narrowing as they swept over the canvas of the *Symphony of the Oasis*. The air in the room seemed to thin. To the casual observer, the brushwork was exquisite, the aging of the parchment impeccable. But Omar was not a casual observer. He was the man who had personally handed the authentic masterpiece to Tariq Murad. With a single, lingering look at the texture of the dunes and the hue of the horizon, Omar knew. This...