Chapter 336: Thursday. Vara's House, Damascus, Syria.

SHE WAS GONE.

Alec had known that the moment he stirred from sleep. It was just a feeling. An awareness of her that was hard-coded into his system, and she was not in the house. He'd gone to check right as the call for morning prayer sounded over the city. Her cold sheets were a testament to her having been gone a while.

He hadn't noticed her leaving.

Now here he was, almost two hours later, still watching the street.

Jules could hardly move. Yesterday had taken a toll on her body and she was currently curled up in bed hugging the hot water bottles he'd found in the kitchen. He didn't think he could move her on his own. Not without a plan or backup or something.

He couldn't believe Vara had left them without a note or any kind of warning especially since she knew the kind of danger they were in. Maybe she really was a cold-hearted smuggler. He'd thought she couldn't have changed all that much, but he was beginning to accept that he was wrong. Could she be setting them up? Selling