Chapter 18
“The princess is not the princess?” The prince raised his eyebrows in amusement. “He says this, does he now?”
“Yes, sire.”
“And?”
“No ransom will be paid for the prisoner.”
“Why would Loran say she’s not of the royal house?”
“To discredit her claim to the throne, sire. As long as she has no following, she won’t be a threat to him.”
The prince watched as Tashama sat on her cushioned chair. “What of General Karam and his men?”
“He is but one bee in a hive of bees. Unless he can get the swarm to follow him, he won’t leave much of a sting.”
“Says you, Carissian.” Tashama ran her finger over the velvet fabric of the arm of her chair, causing the fabric to darken. She looked up at the prince. “What do you intend to do with me now?”
Footsteps ran toward the guest chambers, and everyone turned as a messenger ran into the room. “Does no one have to knock when they come into my room?”
“Sire.” The messenger paused to catch his breath. “Prince Loran wants another prisoner exchange.”
“For?”
The messenger glanced over at Tashama. “The lady, Your Highness.”
The prince laughed. “When she is not even Tashama?”
“He states, Your Highness, taking a woman prisoner is not an acceptable practice for either of our peoples.”
“Does he?”
“Yes, sire. He says even though the woman is deluded, she should be returned to the Karthlanders.”
“Deluded?” the prince said as a familiar smile presented itself. Her lips mirrored his. “And she would be exchanged for?”
“One of your men. He didn’t say which he’d offer in return.”
“Do you have the list of names of all of my officers?”
“Yes, sire. Prince Oshon is at the top of the list.”
“What do you think, Carissian?” the prince asked.
“I think,” Tashama inserted, “you should ask for all the prisoners in exchange for me. Do so, and I will go willingly.”
The prince laughed. “You will go whether you wish to or not if I so desire.”
“Loran will kill her,” Listra said. “You cannot be serious about handing her over to him.”
The prince frowned at his cousin. “Did I want your opinion in this regard?”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Listra stepped back into the background as Tashama took a deep breath.
“Thank you for your concern, Listra.” Tashama stood, then walked over to her. She unfastened the diamond and emerald bracelet from her wrist. “I want you to have this—in memory of me when I am gone.”
“But it is too extravagant a gift...”
“It will do me no good where I am to go.”
Carissian examined the list of prisoners’ names. “The exchange would certainly benefit us.”
“I will escape from here anyway, Prince Aleron. Why not give me up freely, and you will gain much more that way?”
“Why would you propose such a plan, Princess?” the prince asked. When she wouldn’t say, the prince turned to his sorcerer. “Why would she propose such a notion, Carissian?”
Carissian rested his chin in his hand as he considered her impish expression. “I cannot fathom what she’s thinking. She’s a woman, and they think not rationally.”
“She’s cunning, you say.”
“Yes,” Carissian agreed.
“Yes,” Tashama said.
“Come, Carissian. We will discuss this matter further in my chambers while we allow the lady to get her sleep.”
“Do let me know what you decide, Prince Aleron.” Tashama walked over to the bed. She frowned as the guard entered the chambers, carrying a chain covered in velvet cloth.
“To protect your soft skin, Princess.” The prince waited for the guard to chain Tashama to the bed.
“I will never teach you how to swim.” Tashama lay on the bed. “But, Listra, if I’m still here tomorrow, I’ll give you another lesson if you would like.”
“Unless I wish it otherwise,” the prince said, motioning for the guard to secure the chains, “you won’t leave your bed until my guards return in the morning to set you free.”
The guards examined the chains to ensure the lady could not free herself during the night. The prince said to Listra, “Be sure the lady is given what she needs to help make her comfortable during the night.”
The prince walked back to his chambers with his advisor. “So what do you think, Carissian?”
“The lady will not be able to wiggle out of his constraints this evening.”
“No—about the prisoner exchange?”
“I don’t believe it would be in the lady’s best interests if we were to hand her over to Loran, but if we could get all of our men released…”
“Loran wouldn’t agree to such a thing.”
“I would rather like to propose such a notion to him, wouldn’t you, Your Highness?”
“Not that we would take him up on such a thing.”
“Because?” The prince frowned at his advisor, who shook his head in return. “Sire, you mustn’t feel anything for this woman. She must be treated as a prisoner, nothing more.”
“All right. Make our wishes known to Loran.”
“And if he agrees?”
“He won’t agree.”
“But if he does?”
The prince walked into his chambers, then unfastened his belt and dropped it to the floor.
“The lady brought it on herself. Tomorrow, Carissian.” A knot formed in the pit of Aleron’s stomach.
The notion of giving up his mermaid was intolerable.
No, he shook his head. He wasn’t giving her up. Not ever for any price.
Tashama squirmed against the chains as she tried to get comfortable while Listra stood nearby and watched. “Can I get you anything, my lady?”
“A key to undo the padlock? For heaven’s sakes, there are guards outside my window and stationed by the front door. How could I hope ever to escape?”
“You have escaped three times already. And now with a member of the thieves’ guild trying to help you to break out of here, the prince is justified in taking more extreme measures to make you stay put.”
“Until he turns me over to Loran, you know.” Tashama rolled onto her side, then yanked the chain as it twisted around her shoulder.
“He cannot. I know he cares for you. He wouldn’t turn you over to Prince Loran. He knows what the Karthlander prince will do to you if he can get a hold of you.”
Tashama sighed deeply. “He will do what his advisor advises him to do, Listra. Nothing else matters.”
Later that morning, Tashama felt a hand tug at her wrist. She opened her eyes and saw the young thief working with a tool to unlock the chain that bound her.
She smiled at the tousled hair of the youth.
After he freed her hands, he took her arm and led her into the gardens.
To her surprise, two guards slept beside her window.
Jaran ran with her down the path toward the prince’s chambers, then, as they neared his door, the man turned onto another path.
This one soon led to the Bachava Temple.
Tashama stared at the golden dome, then the thief waved at a figure skulking in the shadows of the building.
The man there hurried to Tashama and pulled a black gown over her head.
While she adjusted her skirts, he attached black veils to her hair and face.
“We have an escort for you beyond the gates as soon as they’re opened for morning commerce.
Until then, you’ll have to bide your time in the chapel. ”
Tashama nodded, then was escorted into the middle of the pews. “We’ll come for you in two hours.”
“Thank you.” Tashama squeezed the man and boy’s hands.
“Thank you, miss, for freeing us from the tower.”
Tashama slipped into one of the pews, and the thieves vanished.
She turned her attention to the vaulted, gold ceiling as it shimmered high above her.
A golden statue stood on an altar before her.
He smiled as his eyes watched her while his hands stretched out in a gesture of welcome.
His golden robes swept the ground, and his golden sandals were visible beneath them.
A crown of golden leaves rested on his short, curly hair.
The scamper of footsteps caught her attention, and she dropped to the floor between a row of seats.
“Oh!” she heard a young woman exclaim. “Please, stop, you’ll offend Bachava.”
“Bachava,” the man sneered. “Why do you save yourself for such a deity when you could be married to me?”
“Oshon, tell me how you managed to escape from the Karthlanders.”
“Word has reached Prince Loran that our prince finds favor with Princess Tashama. Loran is concerned our prince won’t hand the woman over to him.”
“But I don’t understand what this has to do with you.”
“If the prince doesn’t turn her over to Loran to obtain the release of our men, I’m supposed to rendezvous with them and turn over the woman secretly.”
“You speak of treason, Oshon.”
“The Karthlander woman spellbinds our prince.”
“Oh, Oshon, I fear you’ll be caught.”
“I gained my freedom on a promise. I won’t break my word.”
“To the Karthlanders.”
“You seem to be upset with me, my love.”
“My father finally agreed I could leave the order to marry you if the Karthlanders released you, but if he learns of this…”
“The release of my men was all I was concerned about. This woman blinds the prince.”
Their footsteps drew nearer Tashama. She lay still, but the dust on the floor tickled her nose. Twice she rubbed it. Her eyes watered and her nose wrinkled. She closed her eyes and cringed as her sneeze reverberated throughout the temple.
The heavy footsteps of Oshon’s metal-edged boots ran toward her, causing her to jump from her location and run down the aisle parallel to him. He dashed down the aisle she’d been in, and she ran as fast as she could to the doors of the temple.
She pulled the door open just as Oshon grabbed her arm.
She cried out, and a temple priest standing at the entrance jumped back. “Good gracious.” The priest held his chest. “What are you doing with one of my women, Oshon?”
Oshon released his hold on Tashama, took a step back, and bowed his head to the priest slightly. “I thought she was a thief.”
The priest shook his head. “I understand by the grace of Bachava the Karthlanders freed you.” He motioned for Tashama to leave them. She hurried outside.
Oshon said to the priest, “Yes, and I must speak to the prince concerning the matter.”