Protecting the Desert Princess(76)

                ‘No.’ Again the stewardess shook her head. ‘I don’t really understand what is being said—just that it reads, “I miss you Queen”.’

                It was then that he understood her words.

                His heart was thumping in his chest as he took the small note back and stared at it with a smile.

                Clever, clever Layla, he thought. So that was what she’d meant about their minds meeting at times…

                It was her online chess name, Mikael was positive about that, but more than that—more than a future meeting of minds—he was starting to see that it was the Queen who was missing in his argument.

                The Queen who, despite her absence, was still a huge presence in Layla’s life.

                A queen who had apparently been very similar to the daughter she had never met—a woman Layla herself had said would approve of her plans.

                Mikael rested back in his seat and closed his eyes for a moment as his thoughts started to align.

                If she had been like Layla it must have killed the King to lose her. Mikael was certain of that, for in the days since Layla had been gone, despite the joy she had brought, his heart had closed, his curtains had been drawn, and the world seemed a very dark place.

                Mikael recalled Zahid’s words in chambers when he had told Layla off about Jamila.

                ‘That so-called lowly servant held you the day you were born. That lowly servant loved you when your parents…’

                Zahid had halted.

                Now Mikael was starting to understand Zahid’s hesitation.

                In his grief, had the King turned his back on his daughter?

                Did Layla not even know that he had?

                As the plane began its descent still Mikael continued working, examining every angle, refusing to let up as he prepared for the most important case of his life.

                The plane was on its final approach, but Mikael saw not the desert or the ocean, nor the clusters of buildings and streets, but the huge palace that looked out to its people.

                In there was Layla, preparing to choose the man with whom she would spend the rest of her life.

                It had to be him.

                He had to be right.

                The plane landed and the passengers disembarked, and Mikael was searched at Customs and asked the reason for his visit to Ishla.

                ‘I have heard it is a very beautiful land.’

                ‘You have no luggage.’

                ‘I want to wear robes,’ Mikael said. ‘I would like to blend in.’

                A female customs officer was going through his wallet and pulled out Layla’s note. She looked to Mikael. ‘Do you know anyone in Ishla?’

                ‘I have a friend who I play chess with,’ he said, and told himself not to break out in a sweat. He told himself not to falter or blink or react as the officers chatted in Arabic and laughed for a moment.

                ‘You are here for romance?’

                ‘Hopefully,’ he said, wondering if it was the right answer, if he would even get into the country, if this was the end of the line.