By the time they returned to the yacht, they were exhausted. After a light lunch of fruit and fresh-caught fish, the two had showered, then met at the spa. The helicopter was already on the upper deck waiting to take Kamal to the airport in Victoria later this afternoon. From there, his private jet would take him away to places Saad was neither aware of nor cared about.

Once the massages were complete, the two men wrapped their towels around their waists and moved to the steam room. Opening the door, Saad was met with a hot wet blast that smelled of cedar and eucalyptus. After walking in, he ladled some water onto a pile of hot rocks. The heat and humidity in the state-of-the-art room was fully regulated by a thermostat, but he still liked the feel of making his own sizzle and steam.

They each took a seat in the back corners.

“Tell me, Ali, how your plans are progressing,” Saad said. All the necessary preliminaries were over, and he could now finally address the reason he’d invited Kamal to his boat.

“The numbers are growing. I have five other members of the royal family, and seventeen key business leaders. Most important of all, I have three generals who, although they have not committed, are at least listening.”

“That seems like a lot of people in the know for a cabal. Aren’t you risking someone turning on you?”

“Habibi, you don’t know the depth of the hatred that exists in Saudi Arabia for the royal family—and particularly for the crown prince.”

Saad shook his head as he leaned back to let the heat envelope his whole body. “I know that hatred. You forget my family history.”

“I am aware of your history, and that is why I say you cannot fully understand. You are one generation removed from the fear and humiliation that can be wrought by the kings and their sons. Your father may know the hatred. You cannot.”

As much as Saad resented the man’s statement, it was true. His pain was of someone who had watched a loved one beaten down by the regime. He was, as Kamal had said, one level removed.

Kamal broke the silence. “The crown prince holding his own family members prisoner in that hotel was beyond the pale for any twenty-first-century ruler. It’s like he thinks he’s some modern-day Saladin. All-powerful, with complete autonomy to do whatever pleases him.”

Saad looked at the other man, who was leaning back with the fingers of his hands interlaced behind his head. “Was it as bad as everyone says at the Ritz Carlton?”