Crown in the Stars (33 page)

Adoniyram turned to look at his new guardsman as they rode out of the market street. “What did she mean, ‘half naked’?”

Grimacing wryly, Kaleb hung his head. “The women of my tribe don’t bare their shoulders. So, when I saw first saw her in our Master Ra-Anan’s courtyard, I was shocked. I asked the Master if he always lets his women run around half naked.”

Agreeably shocked himself, Adoniyram laughed out loud, making all his guardsmen crane their necks and lean forward. Dibriy had left this little bit of gossip out of his story about Kaleb, apparently considering it too dangerous to repeat. “You said that to him? In front of her? I don’t believe you!”

Adoniyram could just imagine Shoshannah’s face when she’d heard Kaleb’s idiotic remark. “I’m amazed you’re still alive. You’re going to apologize to them.” Grinning at Kaleb’s confounded expression, Adoniyram said, “We’ll both apologize and give my uncle that lion’s hide. Though I don’t know what sort of gift I could send
her
.”

“I’d think an apology would be enough, my lord,” the big man grumbled amiably.

“You’re a lout.” Adoniyram liked his new guardsman better all the time.

Kaleb wondered why Adoniyram hadn’t insisted that he must also apologize to the Lady Sharah. Odd. Had the Young Lord wanted his own mother to be insulted?
You are a strange bird
, he told Adoniyram silently.
But so is your mother
.

Eighteen

“YOU’VE RUINED MORE apparel in one year than I have in five,” Demamah chided softly, examining Shoshannah’s broken sandal strap as they sat in her courtyard.

Shoshannah winced at the comparison. And at the burning of the caustic salt-ash-fat ointment she was dabbing on her raw big toe. “I couldn’t help tripping.”

“You shouldn’t have been running. Mother’s not going to be happy.”

“I’ll mend the sandal somehow—though I’d prefer new boots. I could make them myself if I just had a swatch of good leather.”

Practical as always, Demamah pointed out, “Good leather will cost us a measure of barley.”

“Forget the boots then, though they’d cover my injury. I’m going to lose my toenail.”

“It will grow back.”

“Eventually.” While she let the ointment seep into her wound, Shoshannah gazed morbidly at the stump of the once-beautiful tree in the courtyard.
It was my best chance for escape. If I had waited until Kaleb and Tiyrac were here, we would have succeeded. Why couldn’t I have controlled my fear? Most High, why am I always so foolish?
Zeva’ah entered the tiny courtyard now, brisk and so flawless that Shoshannah’s spirits sank even further. Didn’t her aunt ever have an untidy day? Wasn’t her hair ever messy?

Zeva’ah frowned. “Why are you two sitting here doing nothing? I came to tell you that Tabbakhaw will need your help; we’re expecting company tonight.” Suspicious, she stared down at Shoshannah. “What have you done now?
Look
at your sandal.”

Humbled, Shoshannah said, “I’m sorry, Aunt—I’ll mend it. I tripped.”

“You won’t be able to make it look right again,” her aunt snapped. “But I suppose Adoniyram and our Lord Kuwsh won’t be surprised; you always look rumpled.”

Adoniyram
, Shoshannah thought, her gloom lifting.
Perhaps Kaleb will attend him!

“Will the Lady Sharah and the Lady Achlai also visit?” Demamah asked, wrinkling her forehead in apparent concern.

“The Lady Sharah, no—thank the heavens. It seems she’s pouting for some reason.” Zeva’ah sighed. “But the Lady Achlai… perhaps. And that filthy guardsman will apologize for offending us, as he should have done weeks ago, before Adoniyram stole him. Adoniyram, too, will apologize for his rudeness.” Zeva’ah’s lovely features smoothed graciously now, as if she were already practicing the perfect look of forgiveness in her mind.

Secretly thankful for the warning that she would see Kal tonight, Shoshannah wrapped her injured toe in a strip of linen, then stood, bowing politely to Zeva’ah. “I’ll go help Tabbakhaw, Aunt.”

“Don’t cause trouble,” Zeva’ah warned. “I don’t want any scenes in the kitchen today.”

“I’ll watch her, Mother,” Demamah promised, joining Shoshannah.

Zeva’ah flashed her daughter a skeptical look. “As you always ‘watch’ her while she creates turmoil?”

“Forgive me.” Demamah bowed, seeming to accept this criticism. But as they hurried toward the kitchen, she became indignant, whispering to Shoshannah, “Why does Mother say such things? As if you intend to create trouble—you don’t! And she shouldn’t insult Adoniyram’s new guardsman—if he’s like his brother, then she’s misjudged him terribly.”

“And I say she shouldn’t complain about you,” Shoshannah agreed softly, hobbling, deciding it was safer to ignore the subject of Kal and Tiyrac. Though she was amazed to hear Demamah say anything for Tiyrac and against her mother.
Will she ever rebel against her parents completely?
Shoshannah couldn’t imagine such a thing.

“I regret insulting you and your household; I beg your forgiveness,” Kaleb said, bowing to Master Ra-Anan and his beautiful, formidable wife, while he recited his brief speech—as instructed by Adoniyram.

As Adoniyram had predicted, Master Ra-Anan accepted Kal’s apology with a nod, as did his proud wife. Then Adoniyram waved Kal—a mere guardsman—quietly out
of Master Ra-Anan’s impressive main room. Dejected, Kaleb bowed and parted. It was pure torment to leave his Shoshannah inside with those disturbing people. She seemed so isolated and defenseless that Kaleb longed to snatch her and run away.

His misery eased as he stepped into the courtyard and saw a large, familiar shadow waiting for him. “Tiyrac! You’re loose?”

“For now.” Pounding Kaleb’s back in a rough welcome, Tiyrac said, “Let’s get to the stable before Perek finds you—he’s eating in the kitchen.”

After nodding courteously to the guard as they strode through the gate, Tiyrac became grim. “As soon as you were sent to the tower, they brought Khiysh into the stable for Master Ra-Anan.”

“So Ra-Anan will use him?”

“If he can.”

“I pray they don’t kill each other,” Kaleb muttered. “The guardsmen are betting on Khiysh against the Master.”

“I doubt that’s a good thing.”

They hurried through the dusk into the stable. To Kal’s surprise, Ghid’ohn was there with Ye’uwsh, and a number of the stable hands. They shouted approvingly when they saw him, and Ye’uwsh yelled, “You’re still clean! I thought we’d have to douse you again.”

“Good to see you’re alive,” Ghid’ohn grunted. “Sit. Eat with us.”

“We owe you at least a meal.” Ye’uwsh’s black eyes glittered. “Perek hasn’t lifted a hand to anyone since you beat him!”

The others laughed and applauded in agreement. They pushed Kaleb into the seat of honor—a hay bale—
and shoved food and drinks at him. They mockingly re-introduced him to Khiysh and then told him all the gossip from Ra-Anan’s household.

Kaleb listened to every scrap of talk about Shoshannah but volunteered no news from Adoniyram’s household. They didn’t notice his unaccustomed silence—they were simply pleased to see him again.

I’m being honored for misbehaving
, Kal thought, smiling.
Well, that’s a change
. It was small comfort while being separated from Shoshannah.

“Your parents should have been here by now to rescue you,” Lord Kuwsh grumbled to Shoshannah as they waited for their meal to be brought from the kitchen. “Do you think they’re glad to be rid of you after all?”

“Perhaps, my lord.” Shoshannah acknowledged Lord Kuwsh politely, then lowered her eyes. But not before his wife, the Lady Achlai, gave Shoshannah a sad, apologetic smile.

You hate this situation
, Shoshannah thought to the unhappy Achlai.
I thank you for wanting to protect me—though you can’t
.

“She continues her lessons?” Kuwsh asked Ra-Anan, looking irritable.

“She is learning of our city. And of manners. You must admit she behaves better than before.”

When Kuwsh agreed with a reluctant shrug of approval, Ra-Anan continued, “My priests have formally requested that she be trained for the temple.”

“I still say she shouldn’t. Those priests are troublemakers as it is. They’ll conspire against us to steal our power.”

“My Lady-Mother fears the same thing.” Adoniyram sounded measured, cautious. “Actually—and I am telling you this in confidence of your silence—she also believes you are managing the situation badly. She intends to have Shoshannah put to death if she gains too much favor among our people.”

“Adoniyram!” Demamah gasped, staring at him until her father glared at her.

As Shoshannah listened, not entirely shocked, Lord Kuwsh bristled and spoke through clenched teeth. “Tell your mother, Adoniyram, that she does not rule here.”

“Our niece is proving useful,” Zeva’ah said defensively, to Shoshannah’s surprise. “It’s no benefit to anyone if she’s put to death.”

“Not yet,” Ra-Anan corrected.

He made Shoshannah feel insignificant, and more certain than ever that her eventual fate meant nothing to him.

“The girl is innocent,” Achlai said heavily, not looking at her husband. “To put her to death would be a crime, worse than what happened to my Nimr-Rada.”

She defends me for Your sake, O Most High—protect her
.

Lord Kuwsh was frowning at Achlai as if he wanted to strike her. “Don’t think that you speak for me,” he told his wife.

Gently, almost kindly, Achlai murmured, “I know I don’t speak for you, my husband. I regret offending you.”

An apology that was not an apology
, Shoshannah decided. But Kuwsh would look foolish if he scolded his wife further.

Glowering, Kuwsh addressed Ra-Anan and Adoniyram in the tone of one who expected to be obeyed. “I don’t seek the girl’s death unless it’s necessary; her mother is the
traitor who should die. But—again—I do
not
want her in that temple, receiving offerings from the people. Such a visible presence in this kingdom will give her too much power. As for your priests, Ra-Anan, you must control them. They were entirely too pleased and proud of themselves during the ceremonies of Shemesh.”