I lift my gaze from the floor. The woman is dressed in a robe that covers her from head to toe, including a head dressing that barely exposes her facial features. There are other women in the room. I hear their soft whispers, but this single woman fills my field of vision.
“Leave her to me,” she tells the klerick who brought me.
“Her marriage ceremony must happentomorrow,” the klerick says. “She will join the others destined to be wed.”
My heart pounds. Who am I meant to marry?
“Tomorrow is too fast,” the woman replies. “She won’t be properly prepared for her wedding.”
“What needs to be readied?” Another klerick chuckles. “She’s got a cunt, doesn’t she?”
The pain in my knees has dissipated, but I’m shaking in spite of the humid warmth in the room. I may have just made a grievous error.
But I couldn’t stay at the bottom of those stairs any longer. I couldn’t stomach the idea of the others being inside the temple, while I was not. I assumed they’d take me into custody with everyone else—at least keep me imprisoned with Surath, if not the men—but…
“Very well then.” The robed woman kicks my shoulder. “Get up girl. Remove your clothes. There isn’t much time to prepare you.”
I slowly stand. The cave-like room is well lit with torches, and has several baths to the side, some of them steaming. Given the sulfurous smell, I suspect they’re fed by underground hot springs, which also explains the warmth in the room.
Behind me, the door opens and closes as the klericks leave. At least forty naked young women are huddled in small groups, all pretending not to look at me. I also count five, no six other women dressed the same way as my current tormentor. All of them have riding crops and whips hanging from their belts.
“I am Head Mistress,” my tormentor says. “You will call me Mother, and you will obey my orders or face the consequences.” She tugs my hair. “Shame this is so short, but it will grow in time.”
She slaps me across the face, so hard my body is thrown to the side. “I told you to remove your clothes.”
I raise my hand to my stinging cheek.
“That light tap was a mere taste of your punishment, should your disobedience continue.” Her hand lands on the whip at her side.
I glance around at the other women. They all look away.
Not wanting to be struck again, I strip off my clothes.
“Where did the klericks say you’re from?” she asks.
“I’m not sure they did say.”
“Don’t talk back,” she raises her hand to smack me again.
“I’m from Achotia,” I blurt. I won’t cooperate with my captors but see no reason to invite injury.
CHAPTER 63
Tynan
Ifight to keep calm as I watch guards and klericks drag Rosomon away. Leaving a safe distance between us, I follow.
I’m desperate to come to her rescue. Not only must I keep her safe, if the others find out she was taken, I’ll be accused of abandoning her. That group is ready to accuse me of just about anything.
Was I meant to have run up those stairs after them? If there was a plan, no one shared it. And I don’t have access to Darkness. I don’t have any reason to be dragged before a tribunal.
And certainly, it’s best ifoneof us has his freedom.
Rosomon caught me by surprise when she followed the shifters up the stairs. When they forced her to her knees, I almost reached for my sword, but I was badly outnumbered and, again, it seems best if someone’s free to save her.
My Rose is brave. She’s strong and resilient, but hearing them threaten to make her a Wife of Othrix sent a chill down myspine. I well know what that means. She’ll suffer the same fate as Glorya.
I must find her. The others can fend for themselves. Serves those shifters right, for not filling me in on their plans.
