“I’m beginning to think it’s not an advantage to remember one’s past lives.”
“No, I suppose it isn’t. But then—” He smiled an acid and self-deprecating smile. “Sooner or later, one’s blessings are always one’s curses.”
“Yes.” I leaned up to him and …
Well.
Let’s just say we proceeded to make a start on the “getting to know each other a lot better” part of our relationship and leave it there.10
* * *
I woke the next morning in a good mood.
For about two seconds.
And I can’t even blame waking in Yor for my ill humor.
I can, however, blame the strange woman leaning over my bed.
She was old. Not a well-aged, graceful old. Dorna is old, but she has a face anyone would love in a grandmother, all warm eyes and sweet smiles.11 This old woman looked like she’d be a danger to any child. Her wrinkled skin looked lizard-like, if an albino lizard with watery brown eyes. Her hair evoked rat kings and knotted string.
Her grin made my skin crawl. “I made you breakfast, dearie.” On the nightstand beside the bed, she set a platter loaded with cooked oats and apples, crusty bread, and red meat stew.
I was reaching for the bread when Senera walked through the door, took one look at the old woman, and snapped, “Don’t eat anything she gives you!” She upended the tray, splattering stew and oatmeal all over the floor.
I blinked, even as the old woman snarled. “Bitch! I was trying to be nice!”
Senera hit her across the face.
“Hey, now hold on—”
“What meat did you use, Wyrga? Kitten? Puppy? Or did a local woman leave another baby out in the cold?”12
I stopped protesting, and sat there, horrified, more horrified still by the gleeful look that stole over the old woman’s face. “Aw, you spoil all my games. I found a stillborn foal last night.”
I leaned away, fighting back bile.
“Damn it all, Wyrga. How many times do we have to tell you to stop doing this?”
“Forever,” the old woman snarled. “Let me have my fun.”
Senera grimaced. “Come on, Janel. We’re leaving, anyway. Wyrga, clean this up.”
“I’m not your maid,” the old woman said. “Clean it up yourself.” She turned her attention back to me as I stood. “I know you. I knew your mother too, back in the day. She was a whore. Are you a whore too?”
“By the Eight, what could’ve happened to turn you into such a nasty piece of work?” Even as I said the words, I remembered how I knew her. She’d tended the fire at the banquet, the woman who’d stared hate at me like a spear’s throw.
She cackled. “Ha! Ha ha! Oh, now that’s a story! Best question anyone’s asked me around here in years.” She pointed a bony finger at me. “You come around sometime and I’ll show you, just see if I don’t.”
“Wyrga, don’t you dare,” Senera snapped. She tugged again on my chemise. “Come on. Let’s leave before I do something I’ll regret. Wyrga’s one of the duke’s favorites, for reasons that escape me.”
The old crone grinned toothily. She wasn’t missing any. On the contrary, she seemed to have too many, all sharp. “He likes what I can do with my mouth.”
“Oh, I doubt that very much. Also, you’re disgusting.”
I didn’t hesitate to go, even though technically speaking I hadn’t dressed. I didn’t care about leaving behind clothing that wasn’t mine, for a start.
“Where are we going?” I asked when we were out of earshot.
“I’m going back to work, which I doubt you’ll want to have anything to do with. And since I don’t dare leave you here alone, I’m putting you with the duke’s wives. It’s the most guarded area in the entire palace. You’ll be safe there.”
“Wait, what? I don’t want to be—”
Senera stopped and turned back to me. “Two minutes. You got into trouble less than two minutes after being left alone with the men here. I have no reason to think it would be any different this time. And neither I, Brother Qown, nor Lord Var will be around to heal your hand when you break it on someone’s face again. So I’d prefer to put you someplace secure.”
“Fine.”
“You might like it. A few wives are under the laughable impression the duke will impregnate them, but most women are just enjoying not being forced to have anything to do with the men. They even have books.”
“Sounds fantastic. I don’t suppose they have a stable…?”
“In this climate? No. Honestly, I shudder to think where Wyrga found a horse. She might have lied. The closest thing you’ll find to a mount around here are the snow hyenas that pull the sleighs, and the occasional mammoth.”
I nodded and reminded myself I needed to find the spear, discover who had Brother Qown’s gaesh (and for that matter, Brother Qown), and escape.
The sooner the better.
* * *
I had yet to gain a real sense of what the palace looked like from the outside. The walls had all been made from the same windowless black stone. It seemed like an endless and twisting maze, lit by mage-light lamps. The air seemed fresh, though, I assumed because of magic. Indeed, it wouldn’t have surprised me to learn a team of servants patrolled the halls, painting damn air sigils under every chair and behind every painting.
The single guarded entrance to the wives’ quarters led to a massive hall. One wall derived from the same transparent crystal I had seen in the main dining room. Several balconies interrupted its near-invisible expanse, jutting out into teal skies. Reflecting pools and blooming flowers lined the hall. The room looked like the personification of winter made fluffy and comfortable. Pillows and furs and all the silks anyone might desire had been tossed about.
Even though cold never bothered me, I still felt the chill. The wives didn’t seem to notice.
Their ages ranged from a little older than I to the same age as Ninavis, but no one older. They were all Yoran, pale-skinned and ice-colored, not necessarily attractive.
“No males?” I whispered to Senera.
She gave me an odd look that I couldn’t quite interpret, then shook her head. “No, no men allowed. The guards outside are the closest any man besides Duke Kaen ever gets, and even they aren’t allowed inside when the duke is in attendance. Duke Kaen insists he should be his wives’ only pleasure.”
I had to stop myself from choking. “Um, but … uh…”
Senera stopped fighting her smile. “Yes?”
“Has no one told Kaen we don’t need males for that?”
Her eyes turned bright. “Don’t spoil their fun. There’s more than a few long-term romances tolerated here, but only because their husband doesn’t seem to realize it’s a possibility.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of saying anything.”
A woman noticed us and drifted over. “Bringing us the Khorveshan girl?” She pursed her lips. “You don’t look Khorveshan.”
“Thank you,” I said and meant it. “I don’t feel Khorveshan.”
“Bikeinoh, this is Janel.” Senera nudged me forward. “I’d appreciate it if you could keep an eye on her while I’m gone.”