Aisha shoved the blanket into her bag, then scooped up the cub. ‘Who’s coming?’
There was no colour in Maryam’s face. ‘I do not know.’
‘You don’t know?’ Aisha exhaled. ‘We’re not the only ones using this road.’
Maryam’s head snapped towards the sound, eyes wide. ‘Aisha, get on your horse—now.’
The fact that she had called Aisha by her first name was enough reason to take her seriously. She headed for the horses. ‘Rafiq,’ she called, ‘we have to go.’
He looked in their direction, frowning. ‘What’s going on?’
‘We have to leave,’ Maryam said. ‘Right now.’
His confusion solidified. ‘I haven’t finished securing the packs.’
‘It does not matter,’ Maryam said, reaching for the reins of her horse. ‘We will carry them.’
Nostrils flaring, Rafiq placed his hands on his hips. ‘What’s the hurry?’
‘There are people coming!’ she shouted at him.
‘I think you need more sleep,’ he replied, turning back to the horse.
‘Get on your horse,’ Maryam told Aisha. ‘We are leaving.’
Aisha had just finished putting Mira into the saddlebag. ‘We can’t just ride off without Rafiq. He’s the only map we have.’
Maryam’s breath hitched, and her voice broke as she said, ‘He is going to die!’
The world stilled.
Rafiq froze, eyes narrowing in confusion. A faint whistle cut through the air and?—
Aisha gasped as an arrow buried itself deep in his throat. He staggered backwards, clutching at the shaft as a wet gurgle came from his mouth. The gelding he was holding reared.
Maryam pushed Aisha towards her horse as Rafiq crumpled to the ground. ‘Ride,’ she said. ‘As fast as you can.’
Aisha clambered onto her horse and gathered up the reins. ‘Why aren’t you getting on your horse?’
‘You are going to ride north,’ Maryam said. ‘It is one straight line to the border from here.’
Panic seized Aisha by the throat. ‘I can’t outrun them.’
‘You can.’
‘I’m not leaving you?—’
‘Go!’ Maryam slapped the rump of her horse. ‘Ha!’ The horse took off, kicking up dirt behind it.
North. Aisha looked to the rising sun to get her bearings, then back at Maryam, who was standing dead still, watching her.
She really wasn’t coming.
Aisha rode as hard as her fresh horse could manage. The next hour was a blurry haze of pounding hooves and shallow breaths. Her legs screamed in protest, but she didn’t dare slow down. Fear drove her forwards.
Mira had buried herself in the saddlebag, letting out the occasional soft growl. Aisha didn’t reassure her. She was too afraid that the scream lodged in her chest might escape if she spoke.
She was feeling hopeful of reaching the border when the road abruptly ended. ‘Whoa.’ She pulled the heaving, sweat-soaked animal to a stop as she took in the river before her. The banks were steep, the current fierce, and all that remained of the bridge were its two ends on either side. The rest had been washed away.
