The dormitory door opened and Zinnia stepped back inside. “We will soon go to market to outfit all of you for your new lives in Tintar. I am speaking with Captain Angler about your accommodations.”
Was he outside this dormitory right now, my soon-to-be husband?
Zinnia continued speaking. “You will sleep in this dormitory tonight and we will bring you dinner later after the market. Which one of you is Helena?”
Helena, using my shoulder as a support, stood up from the bed. “I am.”
“Sergeant Thatcher wants to speak with you in the hall.”
“Helena” I said, alert and sitting up straighter.
“It is alright,” she admonished me. “I am certain I will return soon.”
Our eyes followed her as she stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her, her gait stilted, her figure bent.
“Zinnia,” I said, turning to the grave-looking woman in her black and leather. “I am already married. Ten winters estranged, but I left a man in Perpatane.”
She held out her capable hands in a resigned manner. “If the Shark King says you are without prior bonds, you are a free woman. If his highness says you are to marry the captain, you will marry the captain.”
“Tomorrow?” I asked.
“Midday. Tomorrow,” she answered. “I will make sure you have a serviceable wedding dress. Now we need to outfit all nine of you for the four seasons of Tintar.”
“I can marry him in anything,” I scoffed. “It is not a love match.”
“But that is what is being said,” advised Zinnia, her face thoughtful.
“It is?” asked Mischa in disbelief.
“Rumors are flying in the keep,” the sensible woman said. “Rumors that the captain took one look at the Lady Edie and could not bear to cut her down. Or her companions. The priestess deception is a secondary rumor. The first is that Alric Angler is enraptured by an Ecclestonian.”
“I am no lady, madam,” I said ruefully.
“If the Shark King refers to you as lady, then so must I.”
The door creaked open and Helena stepped inside.
“Please wait here,” Zinnia said, raising her voice to us all. “I need to speak with the captain about funds and then we will visit the city for all of your needs.”
I pushed myself off the bed and strode towards Helena’s side, Mischa and Maureen behind me, the others falling back into chatter.
“What did the bald one want?” Mischa asked.
Helena lifted her shoulders. “He gave me coin.” She held up a small pouch. “He said it was all he had on him right now, but he wanted me to be able to buy anything that I needed and that he could get me more tomorrow if I asked.”
“I don’t trust him,” said Mischa, shaking her head. “Or any of these Tintarians.”
“Sh, Mischa.” I flapped a hand at her. “What else did he say?”
“That Alric was allotting as much as he could to each woman, but the sergeant was worried that I may need—” Helena stopped. “That I may need something more for what happened. I told him I didn’t but he insisted. And now,” she said, holding up the pouch, “we have this.”
“Can we use it to buy some lightleaf?” asked Mischa. “Or fragrances?”
“You want to smoke and laugh while you smell good?” I asked.
“Don’t pretend you have not smoked many a pipe with me, Edie,” Mischa groaned. “At least fragrance oils. We’ve been smelling like animals for weeks.”
Helena shook her head. “You can make the decision.” She handed the pouch to me. “I am going to request I stay behind. To sleep. My bleed is heavy.”
