Lilah came through the door, eyes landing on Aisha. ‘Why are you just sitting there? Let’s go!’
‘Go where?’ Aisha asked.
Lilah’s smile was luminous. ‘They’re here.’
It took Aisha a moment to realise which ‘they’ she was talking about. ‘They are?’
‘Yes!’ Lilah ran forwards and pulled her to her feet.
Aisha gave Maryam an apologetic look as she was dragged from the room. Then the three sisters headed down the corridor, their footsteps in sync.
It had been months since Aisha had seen the rest of her family, and she didn’t know if she would laugh with joy when she laid eyes on them or bawl her eyes out.
‘What were you doing with Maryam?’ Safiya asked when they were a good distance from her chamber.
Aisha had known the question was coming. ‘Talking.’
Safiya stared at her. ‘While holding hands?’
‘We weren’t holding hands.’ Aisha didn’t mean to sound quite so defensive. ‘She was showing me some breathing techniques.’
Lilah looked between them. ‘What did I miss?’
‘Yet another early-morning meet-up between Aisha and Maryam,’ Safiya said. ‘That makes seven days straight, am I right?’
Nothing got past Safiya.
When Aisha didn’t respond, Safiya said, ‘Did you think we wouldn’t notice?’
‘That my attendant visits my chamber? Why on earth would you care?’
Safiya grabbed Aisha by the arm, forcing her to stop. ‘What are you hiding from us?’
Heat rushed to Aisha’s face.
‘Wait. You have a secret?’ Lilah asked, sounding genuinely crushed. ‘From us?’
Guilt tore through Aisha. She had always shared everything with her sisters. While she couldn’t tell them about Maryam, she also couldn’t bring herself to lie to their faces. ‘Please don’t ask me anything else, because there is a secret, but it’s not mine to share.’ She looked between them. ‘Please.’
Safiya crossed her arms. ‘That’s not the only secret you’re keeping from us, is it? Maryam visits your chamber in the mornings, and Tariq visits at night.’
More colour flooded Aisha’s cheeks. Satisfied, Safiya resumed walking, leaving Lilah and Aisha standing there.
‘It’s probably best that Zara doesn’t know about the prince’s nightly visits.’ Lilah said.
Aisha opened her mouth to deny it, but the lie got stuck.
‘I won’t say anything,’ Lilah said before following Safiya.
They reached the receiving room, a chamber used for prestigious guests. A guard opened the double doors as they approached. Inside, the windows were open to the courtyard gardens and sunlight poured in. Aisha’s gaze landed on the dark-haired boy in the centre of the room.
‘Omar.’
A smile split his face at the sound of Aisha’s voice, and he took off at a run towards her. She opened her arms as he flung himself at her, nearly knocking her over.
‘You’re too big for that now,’ Aisha laughed. She kissed the top of his head over and over as his arms wrapped tighter around her.
‘I thought you would be waiting at the port,’ Omar said.
