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their noticing, distracted as they were by their conversation. All three were
about my age, and looked like they probably had Greek, Danibeki, and
Persian blood. Like every guard I d seen in the Koryphe, all three were women.
Even the guards that came down into the pit to beat me had been female, or so
I assumed from their voices. The sorceress I had apprenticed with, Zivar, had
disliked men; I
wondered if this prejudice was common among the high-up Weavers, if that was
why their corps of guards were all female. Out in the provinces, Kyros s
soldiers had all been men. Of course, the Alashi separated their men and women
warriors, too, during the summers. The Alashi did it to avoid the
distractions, and the pregnancies.
Perhaps the Weavers avoided using male guards for the same reason.
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My guard was not happy about her current job; I bored her. I had been boring
her for a while. She looked much happier talking with her friends. I studied
the three women. All had long hair, bound in tight braids and pinned tightly
to their heads; all wore gold hoops in their ears. My guard had three hoops in
one ear and two in the other;
one of her companions had a full half dozen hoops in one ear, and a single
green glint in the other. The woman with the emerald in her ear also had a
tattoo, I saw a snake that wrapped around her left wrist.
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My guard must have made a joke, because the other two women laughed. And it
was in the smile that I saw it
the quirk of her lip, the tilt of her head. Janiya. The woman with the green
stone and the snake tattoo looked like a much-younger version of Janiya. Was
this Xanthe? Janiya had been a member of the Sisterhood Guard once.
She left a daughter behind in Penelopeia, to be raised by the Guard, when she
was exiled and sold into slavery. It certainly could be her daughter.
The tattooed guard caught me looking at her, and her brow furrowed; I lowered
my eyes to my embroidery. The stems had started winding together like a net.
I can t even stitch flowers anymore.
I started picking out stitches again, trying to take a covert look at the
guards.
A fourth guard joined the three who were talking and said something to them,
quietly. They all looked at me. My guard shook her head and her friends headed
off as she trudged toward me. Gather up your stuff, she said. We need you
in your room.
I picked up the embroidery and shuffled back upstairs. I sat down on my bed,
once I arrived, wondering how long
I would have to sit in there. Only a few minutes passed before I heard
footsteps Kyros. Oh good, he said, with audible relief, as he swung the door
open. You re inside.
What s going on? I asked.
There was a veil of gauze that I could draw across my window to offer privacy
while still allowing light; Kyros pulled it shut. The magia who condemned you
to the pit has retaken the serpent, he said. You ll need to stay in your
room for now and not go outside. She mustn t see you; I m sure you understand
why.
Wait, I said, as he started for the door again.
This room is going to feel very small the next time the cold fever seizes me.
Will you do something for me?
If I can, he said, pausing and turning to give me a sympathetic look. The
look of a father with an errant daughter. What is it you need, Lauria?
A different guard, I said.
Why? Has this one mistreated you?
I lifted my chin. In the pit, I was beaten. I couldn t see faces the light
hurt my eyes but I think she was one of them. It s the sound of her voice. I
actually had no idea who those guards had been, but it was a passable enough
reason. It makes it hard for me to sleep, knowing she s the one guarding me.
If she had the chance&
Of course, Kyros said. I understand. I ll arrange a different guard.
Her friend& I said. Kyros had started for the door, and now he glanced back.
She had a friend I saw today a woman with a snake tattooed around her wrist.
I
know she wasn t one of the guards who beat me, because I
would have seen the snake, and remembered it.
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Kyros nodded. I ll see to it, he said.
The door closed. A little elated, I lay down on my bed to wait for my next
meal.
This prison has daylight. I m fed well. It won t be forever.
It was better, but it was still a cage.
Breathe. Patience. There will be a chance.
With Xanthe guarding me, I will find a way.
K
yros visited me again that afternoon, and every afternoon after. The days were
long, and I found myself looking forward to the visits. They broke up the
monotony and soothed my loneliness. He didn t push for information we chatted
about inconsequential things, or reminisced about old times, like my first
trip to
Daphnia. He described sights in Casseia that he wanted to show me though he
carefully avoided promising a trip anytime soon.
I do not trust you, I thought each time he came in. But I craved his company
because it was the only company I
had. Xanthe stood guard on the other side of the door, and the servants who
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