_Leah's POV_

Once we had finished eating, Tariq turned to me, his expression thoughtful. “Did you sleep well last night?” he asked.

“I did,” I said, nodding. “Better than I have in a long time. Thank you, Tariq. And thank you, Susan, for your hospitality.”

Susan smiled warmly at me, but I noticed Tariq’s eyes lingered on me, as if he was trying to figure something out. Finally, I couldn’t hold back the question that had been nagging at me since last night.

“Tariq,” I began hesitantly, “last night, you said something about me being... a queen. What did you mean by that?”

Tariq’s expression shifted, growing more serious. He...