rice, curry, and fruit Suryo brought. Then she wrapped the ikat coverlet around her and settled down behind the screen, the books resting by her pillow as symbols of the life that was almost within her grasp again. For the first time in months, she was happy.
The glare of a torch awakened her. She sat up, blinking, and saw four armed palace guards standing outside her cage, one of them quietly undoing the triple locks with a set of keys. Frightened, she tried to remember enough Malay to ask what was happening, then stopped when the leader frowned and made a slashing gesture for silence.
Guessing they didn't want to wake Gavin, she held her tongue. If they meant to take her away, Gavin couldn't stop them, and it might be dangerous if he tried.
The door to the cage opened, and she was beckoned out. Expression stony, she obeyed. Outside the sun was rising, but the palace was dark as she was escorted through a maze of corridors. Why was she being moved? Not to be executed, since Kasan wanted Gavin's goodwill. Most likely she would be placed in a prison cell until after the Lion Game was finished.
Several levels lower and in a distant wing, the leader stopped to knock on a carved door. A slave opened it, revealing a tiny, richly dressed woman with gray hair and great dignity. A swift exchange of words followed before the head guard bowed and withdrew with his men. Before leaving, he caught Alex's glance and patted his kris significantly. She understood: he and his men would be outside, and she would be very, very sorry if she caused the old woman trouble.
As soon as the door closed, a flock of women of all ages swarmed into the room through the inner door. They chattered with curiosity as they surrounded her, patting her hair, stroking her pale skin, clucking over her bruises and rubbing salve on her gouged wrists. Small boned, graceful, and exquisitely dressed, they made Alex feel like a great clumsy ox, but it was a relief to be in the women's quarters rather than a dungeon.
The older woman said, "Mandi."
Alex understood-they wanted her to take a bath. Could they be preparing to set her free? The women were friendly, and she was being treated like a guest, not a slave. To be clean again ... " Ya, mandi," she said fervently.
Several of the younger women helped her bathe, supplying soap, water, and giggles in profusion. As her hair dried, Alex played a lighthearted game of peek a boo with a toddler. The women approved. Though Alex spoke little Malay and they spoke no English, the language of femininity was universal. After she breakfasted, she was dressed in bright new garments that actually fit properly. In addition to a patterned batik sarong and kebaya, she was draped with a selendang, a sort of shawl. The women took great pleasure in dressing her and styling her hair with elaborate formality, as if she were a large foreign doll.
Alex's amusement ended when the head lady brought in what appeared to be handfuls of golden jewelry. Expression regretful, she straightened one golden chain out.
Manacles. "Ma'af " Even as she apologized, the woman snapped the manacles around Alex's raw wrists. Ankle chains were handed to a young girl who knelt to fasten them. They were lovely, the links shaped and interwoven like jewelry, but they were still chains, the gold plate concealing a remorseless alloy. Heart sinking, Alex realized why she'd been brought to the women's quarters: because the prize in Kasan's damned game needed to took worth winning.
She was still a slave.
Gavin awoke thrumming with tension at the knowledge that this morning the Lion Game began. It would run for five days, with one die cast per day.
As he washed and shaved, he admitted privately that a small, mad part of him looked forward to the challenge-a merchant didn't become successful without enjoying competition. But the stakes in this game were too damned high. He hadn't told Alex the consequences for himself if he lost-she felt enough guilt about the risks
The glare of a torch awakened her. She sat up, blinking, and saw four armed palace guards standing outside her cage, one of them quietly undoing the triple locks with a set of keys. Frightened, she tried to remember enough Malay to ask what was happening, then stopped when the leader frowned and made a slashing gesture for silence.
Guessing they didn't want to wake Gavin, she held her tongue. If they meant to take her away, Gavin couldn't stop them, and it might be dangerous if he tried.
The door to the cage opened, and she was beckoned out. Expression stony, she obeyed. Outside the sun was rising, but the palace was dark as she was escorted through a maze of corridors. Why was she being moved? Not to be executed, since Kasan wanted Gavin's goodwill. Most likely she would be placed in a prison cell until after the Lion Game was finished.
Several levels lower and in a distant wing, the leader stopped to knock on a carved door. A slave opened it, revealing a tiny, richly dressed woman with gray hair and great dignity. A swift exchange of words followed before the head guard bowed and withdrew with his men. Before leaving, he caught Alex's glance and patted his kris significantly. She understood: he and his men would be outside, and she would be very, very sorry if she caused the old woman trouble.
As soon as the door closed, a flock of women of all ages swarmed into the room through the inner door. They chattered with curiosity as they surrounded her, patting her hair, stroking her pale skin, clucking over her bruises and rubbing salve on her gouged wrists. Small boned, graceful, and exquisitely dressed, they made Alex feel like a great clumsy ox, but it was a relief to be in the women's quarters rather than a dungeon.
The older woman said, "Mandi."
Alex understood-they wanted her to take a bath. Could they be preparing to set her free? The women were friendly, and she was being treated like a guest, not a slave. To be clean again ... " Ya, mandi," she said fervently.
Several of the younger women helped her bathe, supplying soap, water, and giggles in profusion. As her hair dried, Alex played a lighthearted game of peek a boo with a toddler. The women approved. Though Alex spoke little Malay and they spoke no English, the language of femininity was universal. After she breakfasted, she was dressed in bright new garments that actually fit properly. In addition to a patterned batik sarong and kebaya, she was draped with a selendang, a sort of shawl. The women took great pleasure in dressing her and styling her hair with elaborate formality, as if she were a large foreign doll.
Alex's amusement ended when the head lady brought in what appeared to be handfuls of golden jewelry. Expression regretful, she straightened one golden chain out.
Manacles. "Ma'af " Even as she apologized, the woman snapped the manacles around Alex's raw wrists. Ankle chains were handed to a young girl who knelt to fasten them. They were lovely, the links shaped and interwoven like jewelry, but they were still chains, the gold plate concealing a remorseless alloy. Heart sinking, Alex realized why she'd been brought to the women's quarters: because the prize in Kasan's damned game needed to took worth winning.
She was still a slave.
Gavin awoke thrumming with tension at the knowledge that this morning the Lion Game began. It would run for five days, with one die cast per day.
As he washed and shaved, he admitted privately that a small, mad part of him looked forward to the challenge-a merchant didn't become successful without enjoying competition. But the stakes in this game were too damned high. He hadn't told Alex the consequences for himself if he lost-she felt enough guilt about the risks
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