Page 25 of Tashama
“Of course she’s mortal. Her arms were cut, she was in pain, and she was bleeding. She dipped her head under the water of the bath and walked along the bottom, that’s all. Beneath the cover of the roses, the women assumed she was swimming when, indeed, she had her feet on the tile floor of the bath the whole time. But the point is she’s extremely cunning.”
“You think she’s still dangerous, then?”
“I haven’t discovered her true identity. The healer told our guard that her name was Mary, but it was not correct. Dallas is not either. She hides her identity from me like a turtle who ducks into the safety of its shell.” Carissian motioned for a servant to remove the prisoner. “She has the confidence of her people—she’s an emergent leader, despite being a woman. Sending her tothe compound was a mistake. Even with her being spirited away from there, much unrest has been reported at the camp.”
The next day,Tashama stretched in bed, realized she was naked, and then opened her eyes quickly. She pulled the sheer curtains around her bed aside. An auburn-haired lady sewed on a tapestry in a chair nearby. “Where am I?”
“At Prince Aleron’s palace, miss.”
“No, no, what room is this?”
“Your room, miss, for the time being.”
Tashama collapsed back in bed. She rubbed her bare arms. “Where are my gowns?”
“On the peg on the wall over there, miss.”
Tashama held her covers to her chest and peered at the gowns. “Who removed them?”
“We did, miss.”
“We?”
“The other ladies and I.”
“Oh.” Tashama lay back down.
“Would you like to dress now?”
“In the same gowns?”
“Yes.”
“Can I not have my own clothes back?”
“They’re being examined.”
“Examined?”
“The cloth is not like anything we’ve ever seen before. The prince’s head tailor is examining the material as we speak.”
“All right then, help me to dress.”
The petite lady lifted the gowns off their satin padded hooks. “The prince said you were awfully agreeable last night.”
“What did he mean by that?” Tashama hurried to slip the shift over her naked figure.
“I wouldn’t know. Carissian dismissed us.”
“Carissian was there?”
“Yes, midway through the meal.”
“But you say you were dismissed?” Tashama pulled the satin gown over her head with the lady’s help.
“Yes, it seems the business with you was to take a more personal direction, and we were not allowed to witness the outcome.”
“Does the prince often interrogate his prisoners in such a manner?” Her voice irritated, Tashama’s face grew hot.
