The road to Avanid was a winding ribbon of dust and stone, carved through hills that rolled endlessly in all directions. It was day five of their journey, and the horses were moving at a steady walk. Aisha’s thighs ached, her shoulders were tight, and her hands were raw where the reins had rubbed her skin. Even Mira, who had grown accustomed to the saddlebag contraption they had made, twitched with restlessness.
‘How much further to the border?’ Aisha asked Rafiq.
It was clear from his expression that he was sick of the question. ‘One hour less than the last time you asked.’
Maryam rode her horse up beside Aisha’s, adjusting her scarf to cover her wind-chapped lips. ‘Do you need a rest, Your Majesty?’
What she needed was for the journey to be over. ‘I’m fine to keep going.’ She fixed her cloak, blinking grit from her lashes.
When the sun began its descent, turning the sky to bronze, hunger kicked in. They hadn’t eaten anything but a handful of almonds all day.
Finally, Rafiq turned in the saddle. ‘We’ll make camp at the next clearing.’
Aisha almost wept with relief when he said that.
They rode for another fifteen minutes before Rafiq guided them off the road into a sheltered hollow surrounded by boulders and scrubby trees. It provided enough cover for them to get a good night’s sleep, though Aisha suspected she would sleep through a storm in her current state.
Rafiq dismounted and unslung his saddlebag, dropping it on the ground before wandering off to fetch kindling for the fire.
When Aisha slid down from her horse, her legs buckled beneath her. Luckily, she was still holding the saddle. When Maryam dismounted, she crumpled straight to the ground.
‘Are you all right?’ Aisha asked.
Maryam laughed, but it sounded tired. ‘I am afraid I will be useless to you until the feeling returns to my legs.’
‘We’re really not built for this life,’ Aisha said, holding back a smile.
‘Give me a comfortable castle any day.’
Aisha took Mira out of the saddlebag, then hobbled over to help Maryam to her feet. Moving slowly, they secured the horses, unsaddled them, then walked clumsy laps of the clearing, willing blood flow to return to the deprived parts of their bodies.
Rafiq returned and built a fire, the timing perfect, because as the sun dropped, so did the temperature. The women sat closer to the flames, eating the last of their cheese with their nuts.
‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat nuts again,’ Aisha told Maryam.
Rafiq fed and watered the horses, seemingly unfazed by the cold.
Seeing that Maryam was shivering, Aisha moved closer to her, spreading her blanket across both their legs.
‘Thank you,’ Maryam said quietly.
Mira was done with her adventuring and padded over to curl up between them. They sat in silence, watching the flames.
‘I would kill for some tea,’ Maryam said after a long silence.
Aisha shook her head. ‘I bet you would.’
Realising what she had said, Maryam sighed. ‘I should think before speaking.’
Aisha didn’t respond.
‘I cannot recall if I have said this enough times,’ Maryam said, ‘but I am sorry.’
‘For drugging me or spying on me?’
Maryam swallowed. ‘Both.’
Aisha wriggled her feet in front of the fire. ‘Once we separate, they should hopefully leave you alone. You’ll be of no value to the Emperor or his spies then.’
