Tariq rested his wrists on his knees. ‘I’ve endured worse.’ He exhaled. ‘Feeling better?’
She nodded. ‘I’m trying really hard not to breathe in your direction right now.’
The corners of his mouth twitched before he looked ahead again.
The deck was now tidy. At the stern of the ship, Aisha spotted Kaidon sitting with the other guards.
‘Is everyone else aboard all right?’ she asked.
‘Yes.’ Tariq stood and extended a hand to her, pulling her to her feet. ‘You should try to eat something. It’ll help settle your stomach.’
‘I will.’ Her legs were like jelly beneath her, and she prayed they would hold, as she had embarrassed herself quite enough.
The prince watched her for a moment longer, then bowed his head before walking off to join his men.
Aisha’s eyes followed him as she considered whether she was any closer to knowing him. She knew he was dutiful. Tending to her while she was ill was proof of that. However, his actions lacked warmth. Though what did she expect three days into a new relationship? At least he was respectful. Many women in her position didn’t even get that.
With a heady exhale, Aisha returned to her cabin and prepared for another day of solitude.
Chapter 6
As dawn approached on their last day at sea, Aisha stood at the ship’s bow, watching the distant peaks of Gruisea take shape on the horizon. They rose sharp and blue, and she felt a mix of relief and apprehension. It was to be her new home, yet she didn’t know anyone there, except for Tariq. She had never met the king or queen but suspected they were like every king and queen before them. They were there to do a job and happy to sacrifice members of their family in order to uphold the institution. Why else would they marry their only daughter off at the tender age of sixteen?
At least Zara had let them all grow up first. Yasmin was sixteen, and Aisha couldn’t imagine her as a bride, as someone’s wife. She was still very much a child, and they were all happy for her to remain one for as long as possible.
Aisha glanced right to where Tariq stood further down, looking out at the same view. They had barely exchanged more than a few polite words since the storm. When he looked in her direction, she quickly looked away. To her surprise, he wandered over to join her.
‘Almost there,’ he said, stopping a few feet from her. His gaze fell to her gloved hands resting on the rail. ‘Are you that cold?’
She looked down. ‘It’s a lot colder than in Avanid.’ In truth, she was terrified of skin-to-skin contact on the day she would be meeting the King and Queen of Gruisea. The last thing she needed was another vision.
Tariq let the subject go.
They stood together in silence for the final hour of the journey. Aisha told herself it was a good thing that they didn’t need to fill it with polite conversation. ‘Companionable silence,’ her mother had called it. That sounded much more palatable than ‘having nothing to say’.
Gruisea’s coastline was a stark contrast to Avanid’s, with its imposing cliffs towering over churning waves. Mist curled around the base of the cliffs, where the water struck in angry bursts. It had its own natural fortress.
A hawk circled in the sky above, its dark silhouette gliding effortlessly. It was different to the elegant falcons back home. Larger, more primal.
‘Thoughts so far?’ Tariq asked.
Her gaze went to the patches of green clinging to the cliff sides. ‘It’s beautiful.’
‘Nature can be a little stark and unyielding here,’ he said, ‘but you get used to it.’
That was reassuring.
The sea in the harbour was much calmer than any other parts. Fishermen were out in their boats, casting nets. Dockhands waited to secure the ship, calling out to the crew as they prepared to guide it to a safe berth. Ropes were tossed, and the ship appeared to creak in protest as it was reined in.
Aisha held tightly to her one bag as she waited to disembark.
‘Don’t worry, Your Highness,’ Kaidon told her as he walked by, ‘your exit should be far less eventful than your entry.’
She crinkled her nose. ‘That’s a relief.’
She followed Tariq down the gangway, exhaling when her feet met the dock. However, the relief she felt was short-lived. Soon after her feet touched solid ground, she felt said ground sway beneath her. It was as though the tide had followed her ashore. She gripped her bag, her stomach rolling.
A glance over his shoulder had Tariq stopping to observe her for a moment. ‘I see you haven’t got your land legs yet.’
