Page 39 of Tashama
“The prince will want to hear your answers to my questions.”
“Will your abilities not be lessened in the prince’s eyes if he realizes I will answer your questions without your sorcerer ways?”
“Are you a sorceress?”
“What do you think?”
“I’m not certain.”
“It must be difficult for you to have to deal with one like me.”
Carissian smiled. “You amuse me.”
“You don’t fear me? The prince seems to.”
“You move men, like the Gods move mountains. Who would not fear a woman who can do such a thing?” He stared at her hair as it swept around her hips, then shook his head. “Any other woman would have been at risk in the presence of the male prisoners—both in the compound and in the tower, but not you. In neither situation have the men shown anything but compassion in your disposition. How can this be? You confound me, woman.”
“I have not eaten. I’m dizzy.”
Carissian stopped the guards. He thought for a moment, then a slight smile appeared. “Take the lady to the prince’s chambers.”
She sighed deeply. “He won’t like that you do this.”
“He will hear your answers to my questions while you dine in his chambers.”
“Does he always dine there?”
“When he entertains.”
“The ladies?”
“Only one at a time.”
“He will not like this.”
When they arrived at the prince’s chambers, the men hesitated to enter the room. Carissian insisted and motioned for them to lay Tashama on the pillows. He excused the guards as the prince walked into his bedchambers wearing a gold towel around his waist.
Aleron only saw his sorcerer at first in his outer chamber and said, “I can see by the smile on your face that the woman has revealed something about herself to you.”
“She wishes to answer our questions.” Carissian waved at Tashama, who studied the prince’s muscular figure as a fine smattering of water still dotted it. She smiled at the sparsegrowth of dark hair covering his chest, running down his stomach in a narrow trail.
The prince’s mouth dropped open, then he stormed back into his bedchambers. “What were you thinking by bringing her here, Carissian?” The prince shouted at his servant, “No! The blue one!”
“She needs to eat, Your Highness.”
“So feed her!”
“She wishes to answer our questions. I thought you might like to hear what she has to say.”
The prince walked back into the room as he buckled his belt over his pale blue tunic trimmed in gold. Tashama touched one of the satin pillows with her fingertips as he turned to his servant. “Have the steward fetch us a meal.”
He paced across the floor for a moment. “All right, ask her something.”
“Do you not wish to have a question of yours answered first, my liege?” The prince considered Tashama’s golden curls draped over her shoulders. Carissian shook his head. “I mean about who she is.”
Aleron glared at his sorcerer. “Stop reading my mind. Read hers!”
“She won’t allow me to, but she promised to answer our questions.” The prince stared at Tashama. Carissian laughed. “All right, since your mind doesn’t seem to wish to focus on the questions that I believe need answering, I’ll ask a question or two of the lady myself.” Carissian folded his arms across his chest, then tilted his chin up slightly. “Where do you come from?”
