‘Will we come to the wedding?’ Omar asked. He was seated on the floor, red-faced from trying to hold back tears.
‘You won’t,’ Yasmin said. She was by the window with her parrot perched on her shoulder.
‘Why not?’
‘Because the holy warriors will shoot you in the back as you’re boarding the ship,’ she replied matter-of-factly.
Safiya threw a shoe at her, careful not to hit the bird.
‘Go pick that up,’ Zara said tiredly. ‘It’s going in the bag.’ Then to Omar, ‘We’ll all attend the wedding so long as it’s safe to do so.’
Aisha stood, unmoving, by the door. These were her final moments with them all together in one familiar room. She didn’t want to do or say anything that would end it early.
Seconds ticked by.
‘It’s time to go.’ That was Safiya, suddenly in front of her, the bag in hand.
Aisha wasn’t ready, but that didn’t matter.
Next thing, she was standing in the courtyard, her siblings to her left and a horse to her right. How long had it been since she had ridden a horse?
She looked around for her father, but there was no sign of him yet. Tears threatened to spill over, but she wasn’t foolish enough to let them. No point turning a difficult moment into a traumatising one.
Despite Safiya’s calm façade, her fingers were turning white on Omar’s shoulders. Yasmin had brought her lizard outside with her and was focused on that. Lilah was barely composed. She stood with her hands open at her sides, face red from crying, not saying a word.
‘You have everything you need for the journey,’ Zara told her. ‘Prince Tariq has assured me you will be well taken care of at Azura Castle.’
Aisha nodded.
‘We have to go,’ Tariq said, leading his horse over to them.
The devastation that hit Aisha had her holding on to her horse for balance. She didn’t know where to begin with the goodbyes.
Lilah rushed forwards, wrapping her arms tightly around Aisha. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered.
Aisha pulled away and held her at arm’s length. ‘Everything is the will of the gods, remember?’
Lilah pressed her lips together to stop from crying, then nodded.
Omar was next, his strong arms going around her waist. Aisha kissed the top of his head, then signalled for Yasmin to join them. Aisha was careful not to squash the lizard as she hugged her youngest sister.
‘Listen to Zara,’ Aisha told them.
They nodded as they stepped back.
‘They say the Gruisean leopard will be extinct soon,’ Yasmin told her. ‘Maybe you can save them.’
Aisha forced a smile. ‘Maybe.’
Safiya was looking everywhere but at Aisha.
‘Safiya,’ Aisha said gently.
Pressing her lips together, Safiya stepped up and threw her arms around her sister, then whispered, ‘There’s a dagger in your bag if they try anything.’
Aisha closed her eyes, holding on for a second longer before stepping back and looking at Zara.
‘How will you manage everything without me?’ Aisha asked, her throat closing.
