Chapter 39Harrat Al’ UwayridIt was our first opportunity to be alone with
Bal’Ashtu since our meeting in Riyadh. There were questions I was dying to
ask her, but Leah beat me to it.
“We thought you were at the Ministry of the
Environment in Baghdad. How did you pull this off?”
“Leah, you of all people should know I am a Bedu. I
once told you my world is the desert. It has no boundaries. Such
demarcations are made by men with little vision. My homeland is what was
once Asia Minor… lands my forebears walked freely. I still hold to that.
Going where I please, doing what I feel is for the best…”
Leah interjected, “But how did you persuade the
Department of Antiquities and Museums?”
“I knew you’d have to seek permission for the
archaeological team to visit the country. I offered my
