Chapter 29
Aisha failed to find Maryam anywhere. The other servants had confirmed sightings of her throughout the day, but no one knew where she was. Exhausted, Aisha gave up the search and went to speak with Zara about her encounter with Farrah.
She sat on the edge of a low settee with her hands clasped tightly in her lap while Zara sat opposite folding a piece of linen with absent-minded precision. Omar and Yasmin were now in their own beds in the adjoining room.
‘I think you need to leave as soon as possible,’ Aisha said quietly.
Zara set the linen down. ‘Abandon you with this mess to clean up?’
She shrugged. ‘It’s technically my mess. And I just don’t trust the queen right now. She’s clearly grieving and desperate for someone to blame.’
A look of resignation settled on Zara’s face. ‘You’re right. I’ll send word to the ship’s captain. I doubt anyone will question the urgent departure given Baba was absent from the wedding feast.’ Her expression softened. ‘I wish you were coming with us.’
‘Can you imagine what people would say if I left now?’ A faint smile came and went. ‘Baba won’t survive the weight of all this. A quiet departure is best. No ceremony or elaborate farewells.’
Zara searched her eyes for a moment. ‘I—’
The chamber door swung open, and two guards marched in. The women shot to their feet.
‘What’s going on?’ Zara demanded, moving to block their path.
‘A search, Your Highness,’ said one. ‘You need to step aside.’
The other had already flung open Zara’s trunk and was now searching through her belongings.
‘What search?’ Aisha asked, stepping past her sister. ‘On whose orders?’
Omar wandered into the room, rubbing his eyes. ‘What’s going on?’
Zara gestured for him to come to her, never taking her eyes off the guard in the process. ‘You both need to leave—now.’
‘We’ll be as quick as we can,’ the guard replied calmly.
Aisha walked over to the man going through the trunk. ‘Did Queen Farrah order this?’ If she had, Aisha would go directly to Tariq, and he would put a stop to the craziness.
‘The king ordered the search,’ came a voice from the door.
Aisha turned to see Kaidon standing in the open doorway, looking remorseful. ‘He ordered a search of my sister’s chamber?’
A nod. ‘All of the chambers.’
Aisha looked at Zara, whose shocked expression mirrored her own, shaking her head in disbelief. Tariq would never… Except he had. Kaidon was no liar.
One of the guards passed by her, going into the adjoining room. He lifted the lid of Omar’s chest and began pulling clothes out. Aisha felt sick.
She made up her mind to go and speak with him and headed for the door. ‘Where is he?’ she asked Kaidon.
‘Aisha…’
She stilled. ‘You will address me correctly.’
His nod was almost sad. ‘Your Majesty, he’s in the west gallery with one of the foreign envoys. He said he would—’
She was out the door before he could finish, and to his credit, he didn’t try to stop her.
Moving quickly through the winding corridors, still in her wedding garment, she focused on the conversation ahead. She needed to see his face and hear his voice so she could try to understand what was going on. They would talk, regroup, and move forwards together—just like they had planned.
As she rounded the corner of the guest wing, a figure emerged from the far corridor. It was Maryam. The attendant paused when she caught sight of Aisha. The kind of pause someone makes when they’ve been caught doing something wrong.
Aisha waited in her path for her to stop and look at her properly. ‘Where have you been?’ The question was choked by tears. ‘The king dies, and you’re nowhere to be seen.’
The shame in Maryam’s eyes made Aisha uneasy.
‘I know about the Miraji root you’ve been putting in my tea,’ she said, testing the waters.
Maryam nodded. ‘I know. I… saw it.’
Neither of them moved.
‘I saw a lot of things I wish I had not.’ She practically whispered that part.
Aisha swallowed. ‘I trusted you.’
‘I know.’
An impulse gripped Aisha. Lunging forwards, she seized the attendant’s wrist and mentally reached for anything she could get. Maryam flinched, her mouth parting in shock. Then the world slipped sideways.
Aisha’s vision slammed her senses. Maryam stood before Zahvik, her shoulders hunched in defeat and tears pouring down her face. Zahvik appeared unmoved, fingers steepled like the villain he was. Maryam’s knees buckled, and she collapsed to the floor.
The vision shattered.
Aisha stumbled backwards as the corridor came rushing back around her. The cold stone and poor light. The weight of her own body. Maryam rushed forwards and caught her around the waist.
‘Come with me,’ she said.
Aisha pushed her off. ‘Let go of me.’ She then lost her balance because she hadn’t had enough time to recover.
Maryam caught her—again—and looked her straight in the eye. ‘You cannot let them see you like this. Not now.’
Aisha didn’t push her away this time.
Maryam led her to a nearby unoccupied room, ushering her inside and closing the door behind them. Aisha collapsed onto the floor, careful not to take her eyes off the attendant.
‘You have to be more careful than that,’ Maryam said. ‘You have some very difficult challenges ahead of you that require you to keep your cool and be smart. That was not smart.’
Panting, Aisha said, ‘Don’t stand there and pretend to be my friend.’
‘I am your friend.’ Maryam’s throat worked, and her eyes glistened. ‘But I am also a covenweaver trying to survive this world.’
With everything that was happening, all Aisha wanted to do was lie down and cry, but she needed to get to Tariq and protect her family. ‘I have to go to Tariq.’
‘Not like this. If they see you—’
‘I’m not listening to you anymore. You drugged me. You drugged me, and I saw you with Zahvik. I…’ A sob rose up her throat, but she forced it down. ‘What is going on?’
Maryam’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Because he told me to.’
‘Who told you to?’
She blinked, and a tear escaped. ‘Zahvik.’
A loud ringing sounded in Aisha’s head. ‘What?’ She shook her head, rejecting the answer.
Maryam brushed tears off her face. ‘They have eyes everywhere. Everywhere. You had not even arrived in Gruisea yet, and they were at my family’s door.’
Aisha took a hurried breath.
‘He wanted insight into your intentions, your thoughts,’ Maryam said. ‘I was instructed to extract whatever information I could.’
Aisha stared at her in horror. ‘And you did it.’
‘I did what I had to and nothing more.’
Aisha covered her face with her hands, trying to steady her thoughts. ‘He knows you’re a covenweaver.’ Her hands fell away. ‘And he knows about me.’
‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘He suspects, but I have never confirmed it. I swear to you.’
Silence pulsed between them.
‘I can’t believe you agreed to help him,’ Aisha said, feeling utterly broken. ‘Why? He’ll dispose of both of us.’
Maryam closed her eyes. ‘I did not have a choice.’
‘Of course you did.’
When Maryam opened her eyes, they were full of pain. ‘No, I did not.’
A realisation dawned on Aisha then. ‘What did he threaten you with?’
Maryam swallowed audibly. ‘He has men watching my family. All the time. Every day.’ She paused. ‘He knows what side of the bed my sister gets out of. That she sings when she does laundry.’
Aisha felt her body slump.
Maryam sniffed. ‘You know better than anyone the lengths one will go to in order to keep their family safe.’
She did know better than anyone.
‘The gods know I never wanted this,’ Maryam said. ‘I thought I could keep everyone safe.’ She continued to wipe at the tears falling down her cheeks. ‘Even you.’
Aisha watched her a long moment before asking, ‘Did you… kill King Hamza?’
‘Gods, no.’
Slowly, Aisha got to her feet. ‘They’re pointing the finger at my family.’
Silence.
‘But I bet you already know that. All that tea to raid my mind.’
Aisha’s question was met with sympathy. ‘It does not matter who did it,’ Maryam said. ‘It matters who they say did it.’ She paused. ‘Tariq must uphold Gruisea’s laws.’
Aisha searched her eyes. ‘You know something.’
‘I know he loves you and will protect you with his life.’
‘Did you see that in a vision?’
A sad smile came and went on her face. ‘I do not need a vision to tell me that.’ She moved closer to Aisha. ‘I know you do not trust me at this time, but please listen to what I have to say before you leave this room.’
Aisha fought the urge to flee and slam the door behind her.
‘You need to take the blame for King Hamza’s death,’ Maryam said.
Of all the things she guessed her attendant would say, that wasn’t among them. Aisha blinked, stunned. ‘Have you lost your mind?’
‘No,’ Maryam said sadly. ‘I saw Lilah marched into the courtyard by the guards.’ She released a shaky breath. ‘Your sister will stand accused of the king’s murder.’
Aisha felt like she had been struck. Her mind seemed to freeze for a moment. ‘That’s impossible. She had nothing to do with it.’
‘I know.’
Lilah. Sweet Lilah.
‘I’ve no reason to believe what you’re saying,’ Aisha said, despite sensing the truth in her words.
Maryam looked even more sympathetic. ‘If you confess, Tariq will find a way to protect you, and your family will be free to return home. I cannot think of another solution that keeps you all alive.’
Aisha looked away. ‘This is all getting out of hand. I need to go find Tariq.’ She smoothed down her hair and dress, then stepped past Maryam.
‘If I am exposed for cooperating with Zahvik, I will be labelled a traitor and sentenced accordingly,’ Maryam said.
Aisha stopped, her hand hovering over the door handle.
‘I deserve that,’ Maryam continued, her voice softening. ‘But my family will pay at the other end of this. And they do not deserve any of it.’ Her voice cracked when she said that last part.
Aisha’s throat tightened. ‘I have to go.’
She left with no plan.
No power.
And no idea what was ahead of her.