Kingdom of Gold — Kay Hadashi

They say you can never go back. Maybe this time it's worth trying.Part of a diplomatic mission, Maile Spencer reluctantly returns to the tiny Middle Eastern nation where she found so much trouble in the past. No sooner are they there that threats come from dark places, untrustworthy characters invade their lives, and more trouble than ever lurks around every corner. Then things get worse.When Maile and her friends flee for the safety of a remote oasis hidden in the desert dunes, an unexpected traveler accompanies them. In many ways, this new friend is an ally, but she also brings a few problems of her own, and life and times at the oasis turn nutty.With the head of the mission imprisoned in his hotel suite, their plane on lockdown and pilots in custody, and the executioner's sword being honed to razor sharpness, Maile and her friends are in deep trouble. It isn't long before she realizes it might be better to hide at an oasis that doesn't exist on any map, a place filled with magic and legends, than return home.