Chapter 22
Zara
Days went by, and I saw no sign of either Talon or Altair.
A new guard named Baz stood outside my room, leanly muscular with dark, closely cropped hair.
He said very little, other than he would be temporarily taking over Talon’s guard duties.
Despite what Altair had said, Baz seemed reluctant to accompany me anywhere other than the pasture.
As promised, though, the seamstress came and took my measurements for a warm cloak.
An older lady in her sixties, she dressed in a simple gray dress with clean lines.
Her movements were quick and efficient as she worked, writing each measurement down in a small notebook.
She eyed my richly colored clothing with suspicion, her nose wrinkling ever so slightly.
“The cloak will be charcoal-gray wool with fur trim,” she said when she finished. “I will have your maidservant bring it to you as soon as it’s finished.”
“Thank you,” I said, and she bowed and immediately gathered up her things to leave.
I couldn’t help but think of what it was like when our own seamstresses measured us for clothing.
Of laughing and talking, of choosing an array of colors, of consulting us with the styles and fabrics we would like.
Here, there had been none of that. She had seemed like she wanted to spend as little time with me as possible.
Alone again, my thoughts turned to Ama. On my last night on the plains, Ama had told me that I must continue to try to access the earth magic inside me.
You will need the ability to shield yourself in the palace of our former enemies, she had said, taking my hands in hers. And healing is always a useful power.
I had promised I would continue our training while I was here. But every time I entered that place in my mind where power lay dormant, all I found was the connection to the wind. It waited closer to the surface of my mind than ever before. If anything, it grew stronger.
I thought about Ama now. Had she recovered? At least the treaty meant that she would no longer have to worry about the wards. Maybe her body could finally regain its strength.
In a desk in my room, there was thick, creamy paper.
I decided to sit down and write to her, but as I stared at the blank page, my hand began to tremble.
The shadowy creature in the throne room, the separation from Shazeera, the hostility from the nobles here all flashed through my mind.
But then I remembered what Altair had said—that I would be expected to produce an heir—and I tore the letter into tiny pieces.
I couldn’t bring myself to tell her any of these concerns yet. To begin with, I had no way of knowing whether the Zephyrians would even deliver my letter. More importantly, I didn’t want to burden Ama with things she had no control over. How could she help me from two hundred miles away?
I started to write a new letter asking how Ama was recovering, but then I thought better of it. What if the Zephyrians—specifically Lord Heron—read my correspondence? I didn’t want anyone to know she was in a weakened state. That seemed like dangerous knowledge, treaty or no treaty.
Without Shazeera by my side to talk to, I felt more isolated than I ever had.
After nearly a week of little to no contact with anyone, Raven became my only outlet.
“You seem sad today, Future Empress,” she said one morning after bringing me tea and helping me try on my new cloak.
“Just homesick,” I said, taking the cup from her gratefully.
It warmed my hands while she draped the cloak around my shoulders and fastened it with an eagle-winged brooch at my throat.
Though the colors were much duller than I was used to, it was still beautifully made, and the fur immediately warmed my neck.
“That happens to me, too,” Raven said as she met my gaze in the mirror, “but mostly at night. I miss my sisters.”
I turned to look at her. “How many do you have?”
“Two, but they’re younger than I am. Being promoted to serving you has been a huge blessing from the Lord of the Skies because now my sisters will have better prospects for marriage.”
I was dumbfounded for a moment, completely out of my depth at this small glimpse into Zephyrian society. “I’m sure your family is extremely proud of you.”
“It’s certainly worth the homesickness to know I’m helping them,” she said with a kind smile.
“I can relate.”
Her eyes widened. “Yes, of course. I’m sure your people are so thankful that you agreed to the terms of the treaty. It must have been really hard leaving your family.”
She was the first one who had said this to me, and it had the immediate effect of causing my eyes to well up. Embarrassed by the sudden flood of emotion, I swallowed hard and nodded. “Anything for peace,” I managed to croak out.
“We owe you our gratitude for that, too.” She handed me a soft cotton cloth to dab at my eyes. “I’m sorry! I think I’ve only made you sadder.”
“No, it’s been so nice feeling understood for a moment.”
She still looked at me with concerned sympathy, but then she sucked in her breath. “I know what will help. Have you been to the hot springs yet?”
“No, I didn’t realize there were any near here.”
“They’re in the palace, on the lower level. The water is green and as big as a lake. It feels amazing.”
My new cloak would keep me warm, but I loved the idea of soaking in hot water. “I would love to go.”
She walked briskly out of the sitting room and pulled open the door to the hallway. “The future empress would like to go to the hot springs now,” she told Baz, who stood guard.
He hesitated. “I’m not sure—”
“The emperor told me he hoped I would get acclimated to palace life,” I interrupted. “Surely a visit to the hot springs is nothing out of the ordinary?”
He looked from me to Raven before finally nodding. “Of course, mistress.”
“There are plenty of thick robes for you to use to dry off with,” Raven said. “Baz will take you to the private area for royalty only so you will have the space to yourself.”
After thanking her for the suggestion, I followed Baz down the long hallway and into the labyrinth that was the palace.
We walked in silence for a few minutes, until we turned a corner and suddenly heard voices.
Lord Heron and two noblewomen looked up at our approach, and immediately, a sudden chill raced down my spine.
Their expressions were pure disdain.
“Future Empress Zara,” Lord Heron said with a mean smile, “how nice to see you out of your room.”
I just arched an eyebrow at him in answer, refusing to rise to the bait.
“Allow me to introduce Lady Corvina and Lady Starling,” he said, and each woman did a quick bow.
They were both dressed in heavy fur-trimmed brocade gowns, one a dove gray and the other a winter white.
Both wore their shiny, jet-black hair in low chignons.
That was where the similarity between the two of them ended, though.
Lady Corvina watched me with small, narrowed eyes, her mouth pursed in what looked like a permanent pout.
Lady Starling wore a smile that could have just as easily been a grimace.
“These are prominent ladies from noble houses,” Lord Heron continued. “Either of them would have been considered a good match for the emperor.”
I didn’t know how I was supposed to respond to that, so I just stared at him until he shifted uncomfortably.
“I tell you this because they can be invaluable at helping you to learn Zephyrian etiquette—if you’re open to that, of course.”
“I’m sure I could use the instruction,” I said, trying to keep the sarcasm from my voice. “I was just heading to the hot springs, though—”
“We would be happy to accompany you,” Lady Starling said.
“Yes,” Lady Corvina said, though she looked like she’d rather do anything else.
“Fine by me,” I said, just ready to get into the warm water at this point.
“I will leave you to it, then,” Lord Heron said with a bow and a shared look with Lady Starling. A skitter of warning went up my spine. I hadn’t forgotten what he had said to me in the throne room, and from the looks of these ladies, neither had any real interest in helping me.
“Ready, mistress?” Baz asked.
“Yes,” I said, and then gestured for the two noblewomen to go ahead of me. I would rather not be stabbed in the back on the way there.
With tight smiles, they did as I asked.
Baz led us deep into the palace, down many hallways and twisting staircases, until all at once I could smell the change in the air. It took on an almost herbal scent, and the temperature rose until it was nearly as warm as it had been on the plains.
Baz stopped before an open doorway cut into the rock, where beyond I could feel the steamy warmth.
Once I walked into the cavernous space, I just stood there and stared.
The water was as green as jade, bubbling gently and emitting a fresh scent into the air.
But it was its size that had me standing still with my eyes wide.
The springs fed into countless pools, each separated by stalagmites rising to a cavernous ceiling, and the entire space was farther across than I could see.
I heard the echo of voices, but nowhere nearby, and as the whole place was so large, there was no concern for it being overcrowded.
Dimly lit and quiet save for the bubbling of the water, it was like we had the springs to ourselves.
“This way to the royal alcove,” Lady Starling said, waving one slender hand at me.
I hesitated for a moment, watching to see what Baz would do, but he merely waited for me.
They led me to a pool that had outcroppings that served as underwater benches.
Hung on hooks from the stalagmites were heavy brocade robes in creamy white.
Baz stood guard with his back to the pool, which I found both prudish and potentially dangerous considering I might be bathing with women who wished me harm.