Tariq rested his elbows on the rail, the breeze tugging at his hair as he stared back at the warriors. ‘Kaidon will show you to a cabin below decks,’ he said. ‘You’ll be safe there.’
Aisha looked at him. ‘Safe from what?’
‘The crew’s stares,’ he replied without looking at her.
She looked around the deck, noticing for the first time the men staring at her. ‘How long’s the journey?’
Tariq straightened. ‘If the weather’s kind, four days.’
She glanced at the shrinking dock, where the holy warriors were now walking away. ‘I’m sure I’ll find a way to keep myself entertained.’
‘Show the princess to her cabin,’ Tariq said to Kaidon.
Kaidon inclined his head. ‘This way, Your Highness.’
When Aisha went to follow the bodyguard, Tariq said, ‘Thank you, by the way.’
She looked back at him.
‘For trying to help,’ he said. ‘Even if it was ultimately to help yourself.’
She searched his eyes, unsure how to respond to the backhanded gratitude. Aware that the crew was still scrutinising her, she walked away without saying anything further.
Chapter 5
The first day at sea, Aisha remained in the small cabin with the door locked, listening to feet pounding above. In the evening, Kaidon brought her food, but she had no appetite. She drank the water, then attempted to sleep, waking every hour in a strange sort of panic, forced to remember where she was over and over again.
Aisha emerged the next day to the quiet rhythm of activity on deck. She ignored the stares of the crew. They would have to get over the novelty of a princess on board, because there was no way she could remain below decks for another three days.
If Tariq was unhappy about her emergence, he hid it well. He spotted her from the other side of the deck, then walked over to her.
‘Morning,’ he said.
‘Good morning.’
He looked around before saying, ‘If you’re looking for food, Kaidon was about to bring you some.’
‘Actually, I was looking for fresh air.’
He nodded. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Yes,’ she lied. ‘You?’
‘Well enough.’ Another awkward look around. ‘I’ll leave you to your… air.’ With that, he left, busying himself with other people and things. It seemed he had no interest in spending time with the woman he had chosen to be his wife.
The sea stretched out endlessly, a blanket of dark blue with choppy waves that made the ocean look alive. Aisha leaned against the ship’s railing, eyes on the horizon where the sky and water met. But her gaze kept returning to Tariq, whether he be absorbed in a conversation with his guards, reading something, or liaising with the crew. His expression was always serious, as if every minute of the journey demanded it.
Occasionally, their eyes would meet, and he would give a polite nod before turning to the next task. She left him to it, wandering the parts of the ship where she wasn’t in anyone’s way.
At the end of the second day, Kaidon brought a tray of food to her cabin again, and this time she was hungry enough to finish it.
On day three, she woke with a gasp when she landed on the floor of her cabin. It was pitch-black, and it took her a moment to realise that she had fallen out of bed because the ship was rocking from side to side. Climbing to her feet, she held on to the wall for balance as she felt around for the latch on the door and slid it open. She made her way up the narrow steps to the deck to see what was going on. Cold wind whipped her hair across her face as she looked around. A wave crashed against the ship’s side, sending a sharp spray of water over her.
‘Get below decks!’ a crew member shouted at her.
Realising how dangerous it was, she did exactly that, retreating back down the stairs to her cabin. She slid the latch back into place and sat on the bed in the dark, hugging her knees and waiting for the weather to pass.
But it didn’t.
