Chapter 43
The council chamber smelled of ink and paper despite the windows being open to the morning breeze. The maps on the table blurred slightly the longer Tariq stared at them. He shifted in his seat and blinked twice, listening to the discussion taking place around him.
‘If the barracks are to hold more than four hundred men, we will need to extend them beyond the southern ridge,’ his mother was saying. ‘Unless we build up instead of out.’
‘Building up costs more,’ said Parveen, another of Tariq’s councillors, ‘and takes longer. Time is the issue here, because we have so many people eager to join.’
Jamil just listened, since this was not his area of expertise.
‘We can have the stone cleared by week’s end,’ Malik said. He was heading up the project. ‘If you sign off on it, Your Majesty.’
All eyes went to Tariq. He pushed back from the table and straightened. ‘Where are we with the water supply?’
‘We’re now diverting from the creek,’ Malik said. ‘Plenty to meet demand.’
Farrah said something, which Tariq missed, because his thoughts had drifted again. He was due to depart for Avanid the following day, and it was all he could focus on—laying eyes on his wife. He needed to see her more than he needed to breathe.
‘Your Majesty?’ Parveen prompted.
Tariq looked at him. ‘Sorry, what?’
‘I was asking if we should proceed.’
Tariq had no idea what he was agreeing to, but his mother appeared to be on board with it, so he nodded. ‘Yes, proceed.’
Parveen wrote something down.
A knock interrupted the meeting. Kaidon opened the door and stepped inside, red-faced and slightly breathless. ‘Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty, but a ship has arrived from Ukrocia.’
‘Ukrocia?’ Farrah said.
Tariq couldn’t remember the last time anyone had travelled from the small kingdom to Gruisea. ‘Do they have diplomatic papers?’
‘Yes, but there’s more than papers on board.’
Tariq walked around the table towards him. ‘What?’
‘Not what, but who.’
‘For goodness’ sake, Commander,’ Farrah said sharply. ‘Can we skip the riddle, please? Tell us who is on board.’
The corners of Kaidon’s mouth lifted. ‘Queen Aisha and her sister Princess Safiya.’
The room went still. Tariq thought he must have misheard. ‘What did you say?’
‘Your queen.’ Kaidon couldn’t hold back the grin. ‘Your wife is here in Gruisea, Your Majesty.’
Aisha.
He headed for the door, her name repeating in his mind. ‘Excuse me,’ Tariq said over his shoulder before bursting from the chamber at a near run.
He tore down the castle steps and across the cobbled courtyard, startling two servants who barely had time to bow.
A stable hand jumped aside as Tariq marched into the stables, untying the first horse he came across wearing a saddle. He mounted in one fluid motion and left the stables at a canter.
‘Wait!’ Kaidon called after him, gesturing to the stable hand for a horse.
But he wasn’t waiting for anyone.
Hooves struck stone as they headed for the castle gates, guards scrambling to clear a path. Then he was weaving through the city.
The moment he was free of it, he leaned into the speed, the wind cold on his face.
Trees blurred past, and the road stretched before him.
He rode like a madman until he caught sight of a group of riders ahead.
His eyes narrowed on a woman wearing a green cloak, and his horse slowed instinctively to a careful trot before stopping completely.
The group came to a halt as well, and the woman lowered the hood of her cloak and looked at him.
It was Aisha. Safiya rode beside her, and they were flanked by two guards.
Aisha eased her horse towards him, the details of her face growing clearer with each step.
The wind lifted strands of her dark hair as she came to a stop directly in front of him.
Neither of them spoke.
Tariq was overwhelmed by the sight of her. She seemed unsure, but she never looked away. She was close enough for him to see the rise and fall of her chest with each breath. His mind ran through every possible word he could say to her, but none of them seemed worthy.
To his relief, she spoke first.
‘I know I’m not welcome here,’ she began, ‘but I really need you to hear me out.’
The breeze carried her voice to him like a long-awaited prayer.
Dismounting, he walked towards her, and Aisha’s grip on the reins tightened. She was afraid, and he didn’t blame her.
When he reached her, he lifted her from the saddle and pulled her straight into his chest. She went rigid at first, startled, but when his arms closed around her, the tension melted from her frame.
Her arms slid around his waist, her face pressing into his tunic.
He closed his eyes, letting the closeness of her steady him.
The sensation of her grounded him. Undid him.
For a few blessed seconds, nothing existed but the shape of her.
A horse came to a skidding halt nearby. It was Kaidon.
‘What did I miss?’ he asked.
‘Aisha here was about to tell the king why we’ve travelled all the way to Gruisea—again,’ Safiya said.
Aisha slowly, reluctantly, drew back from Tariq and looked up at him. ‘Hello.’
His eyes moved between hers. ‘Hello.’
‘You haven’t even made it through greetings yet?’ Kaidon asked.
Safiya shook her head.
‘What did you come all this way to tell me?’ Tariq asked.
Aisha put some distance between them, and that’s when he realised it was serious.
‘There’s a fleet of Slevaborg ships coming to Gruisea,’ she said. ‘Many people are going to die.’
Tariq glanced back at Kaidon, who wore the same shocked expression he did.
‘So I came here to warn you,’ Aisha continued, ‘and help in any way I can. I know I’m probably the last person in this empire that you trust, but I couldn’t stay in Avanid knowing—’
‘I trust you,’ Tariq said with his entire chest.
Aisha swallowed. ‘Oh.’
‘Get back on your horse,’ he said. ‘We’re going to the castle.’ When Aisha didn’t move, he realised that she didn’t trust him. ‘You’re safe,’ he assured her. ‘You have my word.’
Aisha stared into his eyes, then turned back to her horse. ‘All right. Let’s go to the castle.’
Aisha couldn’t ignore the nerves in her belly as she entered the gates of Azura Castle. It was late in the afternoon, and the high walls cast shadows over them. She tried not to shrink in the saddle as she passed the curious stares of the guards and servants.
Once they had dismounted, they followed Tariq across the courtyard, through the great doors, and into the cool corridors of the castle.
Their boots sounded impossibly loud on the polished stone as they made their way to the council chamber looming at the end of the hall.
The heavy doors swung open at their approach, revealing a long table covered in maps, scrolls, and parchment.
Several faces turned in their direction.
One of those faces belonged to Queen Farrah.
Aisha froze in the doorway when their eyes met.
Farrah rose slowly from her seat. The last time they had been face to face, the queen had ordered her to be burned. The memory sat heavy in Aisha, threatening to break her apart from within.
Safiya stepped up next to Aisha, staring defiantly at Farrah.
When Tariq realised Aisha wasn’t behind him, he returned to her. ‘What did I tell you? There’s nothing and no one to fear. All right?’
She was melting under Farrah’s scrutiny, but nodded. Only as she entered did she realise that Jamil was there too. Double the bad memories and discomfort.
‘Right,’ Tariq said, looking around at his council. ‘Listen carefully.’
He then proceeded to tell them about the ships coming their way while Aisha watched the colour drain from their faces.
‘We should double the coastal patrols,’ Kaidon suggested.
Farrah nodded. ‘Agreed.’
Jamil looked over at Aisha. ‘Tell me, Princess, how did you learn of their plans?’ His tone was thick with suspicion.
Everyone in the room was now looking straight at her, waiting for her answer.
‘Come now,’ Safiya said. ‘You don’t actually expect us to reveal our sources, do you?’
‘And it’s Your Majesty when addressing the queen,’ Tariq said, staring the sectarian down. ‘You would do well to remember that.’
‘How much time do we have?’ Farrah asked.
Aisha shook her head. ‘I’m afraid I don’t know.’
‘It seems your source was a little light on important details,’ Farrah said.
‘I want patrols running day and night,’ Tariq told Kaidon. ‘And tell the harbourmaster that no vessel is to dock without approval.’
Kaidon bowed, then strode from the room.
‘The rest of you are dismissed,’ Tariq said.
Jamil and Parveen bowed and murmured their farewells before leaving.
Farrah looked between Tariq and Aisha, then turned to Safiya. ‘Princess Safiya, I would really value your thoughts on a portrait I had commissioned. I wonder if I might steal you away for your opinion.’
Confusion was Safiya’s first reaction, but then she must have realised the reason behind the invitation. ‘I’m full of opinions, Your Majesty. It would be my honour to judge your taste in art.’
The pair left the chamber, and the doors closed behind them, leaving Tariq and Aisha alone in the echoing chamber.
‘I see your sister hasn’t changed much,’ Tariq said.
A ghost of a smile came and went on Aisha’s face. ‘You mean at all.’
He studied her for a long moment. ‘I know you didn’t do it.’
‘Do what?’
His throat bobbed. ‘Kill my father.’
That explained the warm welcome. She went to speak but didn’t know what to say.
‘Tell me I’m right,’ he said.
At first, she couldn’t seem to find the words. Every instinct told her to tread carefully, to guard herself while in Gruisea. But his pleading expression melted her resolve. ‘Maryam saw Lilah’s arrest. She warned me. I did what I had to in order to protect my family.’
‘You sacrificed yourself.’
‘Not really.’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘Because I knew you wouldn’t let them do it.’
He wandered closer. ‘If I hadn’t got there in time—’
‘But you did.’