Finally, they emerged into the mouth of a short tunnel, and the smell of grain greeted them. Tariq paused at the edge of the tunnel, eyeing the watch gate ahead.
‘When the outer bell chimes, the sentries will change posts,’ he said. ‘Then we go.’
Kaidon stepped up beside him. ‘I thought all ships to Avanid had been suspended.’
Tariq nodded. ‘They have.’
‘Then where are we sailing to?’ Aisha asked.
‘We are not sailing anywhere.’ Tariq finally looked at her. ‘You are sailing to Montia. From there, you can make your way inland to Avanid.’
Of course he wasn’t going with her. Why had she said ‘we’ like an idiot?
Before she could ask anything more, the bell rang. One sharp clang echoed across the quiet grounds.
‘Make sure you stay close and keep your head down,’ Tariq told her.
She nodded.
The trio slipped from the tunnel, weaving through the edge of the orchard and past the grain bins. The watch gate loomed ahead, partially open. The guards inside moved slowly, exchanging banter. Tariq led the way through, his posture calm but commanding. The guards barely noticed them as they griped about the cold. Aisha held her breath as she passed by them.
A few moments later, they were out.
Tariq didn’t slow down. He continued around the stone wall and down the embankment where the ground turned from stone to dirt. At the base of the slope, covered by trees, waited two horses. It was a short walk to reach them, and Tariq mounted the closest one, then immediately reached for Aisha, lifting her up behind him. She had barely landed on the horse’s back before it lurched into a canter.
Aisha kept her head down as they rode, using Tariq’s back for protection from the wind. She wondered if she was too close for his liking, for his state of mind. She soaked up those final moments with him, memorising his shape, scent, and the exact rhythm of his breath. There would be no more moments once she boarded the ship to Montia.
The harbour appeared below them, a single narrow dock curling into the bay. Two ships sat at anchor, but only one flew Montia’s flag.
They rode down to the edge of the dock, and Tariq lowered Aisha to the ground before dismounting. A man wearing a thick cloak and a sun-bleached scarf approached, hand over his heart as he bowed before them. ‘Your Majesties.’
Plural. Even as she was being expelled.
‘Everything in order?’ Tariq asked.
The man nodded.
‘This is Captain Harun,’ Tariq told Aisha. ‘He’ll see you safely to Montia.’
The captain’s weathered face seemed stuck in the same expression. ‘Wind’s in our favour,’ he said. ‘If all goes well, we’ll dock at Virelin in two days.’
Aisha lowered her scarf so she could speak. ‘I appreciate you taking me on your ship, Captain.’
He bowed his head. ‘Your attendant is waiting for you.’
‘Attendant?’ Aisha looked past him.
‘Told her to put that animal in a cage, but she insisted on holding it.’
Aisha’s gaze landed on Maryam, standing at the base of the gangway. The hem of her cloak was lifting in the breeze, and in her arms was Mira. Aisha was painfully conflicted about having Maryam as a travel companion while simultaneously thrilled that Mira would be going with her. She knew her relationship with the attendant couldn’t be salvaged, even if her reasons for the betrayal were justifiable. Aisha had only kept quiet about the treason for the sake of Maryam’s family. But silence didn’t equate to forgiveness.
‘No one else would care for the leopard,’ Tariq said. ‘We have enough problems.’
Aisha looked at him, knowing that wasn’t the only reason he had sent her along. ‘I understand that doing this is going to create more problems for you. I’m sorry you’ll have to wade through the mess alone.’
‘Are you?’ His eyes were like two dark storms—grief, confusion, and anger swirling together.
‘Yes.’
