Rashid Heading to the other side of the palace, my mood was already plummeting. My life was slowly devolving into being stuck between a rock and a hard place, both of which were determined to squeeze the independence out of me. My father would likely be calling the king of Abu Dhabi and checking up on whether or not I'd actually called Hafsa, which would only end up embarrassing all of us if the king told him no. I'd absolutely get reamed for that one. And not just by my mother, either. I caught the subtle sounds of someone speaking once I entered the dining area. Spotting my mother and my youngest sister, Ayesha, murmuring to each other over a late breakfast. “Good morning, Rashid." Cautiously, I made my way over to them, taking a seat at the end of the table. “Bit of a late st