Crown in the Stars (46 page)

Shoshannah stepped out into the courtyard, dreading this dawn. She prayed Rab-Mawg wouldn’t insist that she learn prayers to recite to their nonexistent god Shemesh.
I can’t “pretend” to forget them as Demamah suggested; Rab-Mawg won’t believe me
.

He would probably throw her down the temple steps.

Uneasily she watched her Uncle Ra-Anan, wondering if she dared to plead with him to end these lessons. Ra-Anan was belligerent, speaking to some overseers who worked in the fields around the tower.

“You
will
clear all the canals surrounding the city. If you have to use your own bare hands, then do it! After our celebrations of Shemesh, I will inspect every canal. And I assure you that I know who is in charge of each one. When the rains return next year, we must be prepared.” Eyeing the sullen men grimly, Ra-Anan said, “You know full well that if we have any trouble with flooding in our city, it will be because of
your
negligence!”

Some of the overseers lowered their eyes, but most of the men looked as if they wanted to argue. Ra-Anan sent them off with a wave of his hand, disturbingly reminiscent of their Queen-of-the-Heavens Sharah.

I won’t ask for mercy today
, Shoshannah decided.
There will be none. Most High, please be with me. And with Kaleb and Tiyrac
.

She didn’t see Tiyrac anywhere in the courtyard, but his absence wasn’t surprising; Demamah was staying home today to help Tabbakhaw cook for their guests. Therefore, Tiyrac was probably shoveling manure this morning. She envied him.

Followed by Kaleb, Adoniyram entered his mother’s residence, looking around. Perhaps she was still asleep; it was early yet. “Wander around,” he muttered to Kaleb. “If you see any rooms closed up and guarded, come tell me at once. I’m going to speak with my mother.”

“Yes, my lord.” Kaleb bowed obediently. But he gave Adoniyram a curious, searching look.

Adoniyram thought about telling his guardsman exactly what he was spying for but decided to not waste words. Kal would know the truth soon enough. Bracing himself for a tirade, Adoniyram strode down the dim corridor
to his mother’s private rooms and rapped on the wooden door.

“Come in,” his mother’s voice beckoned, stiff, preoccupied.

“It’s only me.” He stepped inside and bowed, surprised to find her awake. Her private rooms were even more overdone and cluttered than the feather-and linen-decked main room. He detested the stifling fussiness of it all. “I thought I should spare you the trouble of sending for me.”

“Yes, you were right,” his mother agreed coolly. She was seated, fully robed, adorned, and painted, with a maidservant combing her hair. But her eyes were tired, and she grimaced as if her head ached. “The next time I give you a command, Adoniyram, don’t decide that you know better than I do. You were not welcome last night.”

Although her command last night hadn’t actually forbidden him to visit her, which meant that he hadn’t acted inappropriately, Adoniyram knelt, pretending the utter misery she usually expected. “Please forgive me, but—”

“Don’t question me about
anything
you saw last night; do you understand?”

“I won’t,” he agreed, infuriated.

“What are you doing today?” she asked—not as an interested mother, Adoniyram realized, but as one who would change his plans for him.

He shrugged. “I’ll probably go hunting with my Master-Uncle, when he’s finished receiving gifts at the tower—and when
she
is finished with her lessons.”

“Lessons,” Sharah scoffed. “Surely those priests know they’ve failed to teach her manners by now.”

Pretending surprise, Adoniyram said, “But they aren’t teaching her manners. They are teaching her to take her
mother’s place; she will receive gifts from the people for Shemesh.”

High pink color flooded Sharah’s face. “I forbade them to give her any power!”

“Rab-Mawg insists that she is bound by her mother’s oaths,” Adoniyram said, using his most apologetic tone. As he expected, it didn’t help.

His mother stood, furious, shoving her maidservant out of the way. “Where are my sandals? Send for my horse! I am going to deal with this now!”

“Mother, it may be too—”

“Get my horse! Now, before I disown you!”

He bowed and left, sweating. Kaleb was waiting for him in the doorway of the main room, looking as serious as Adoniyram had ever seen him. The tall guardsman bowed and whispered, “You were right, my lord. There is a doorway, closed and guarded, near the kitchen.”

“Did the guardsmen notice you?”

“No, my lord, they were both leaning against the wall, dozing as if they’ve been standing there all night.”

Elated, Adoniyram looked around furtively before hissing, “Listen! Go to those guards and tell them you’re there to take their places. Big as you are, they’ll believe you. Tell them to eat and get some sleep immediately. As soon as my mother and I are gone—but not before—you bind any prisoners in that guarded room and take them to my residence. Bar them in one of
my
storerooms. If anyone stops you, resist them. Say that you were commanded to do this. Don’t lose them for me! Hurry.”

As Kaleb marched off to do his bidding, Adoniyram darted outside to call for someone to bring mother’s horse. He had to get her out of here quickly.

Exhausted after his journey but determined to profit by his knowledge, the guardsman-spy Erek bowed to Lord Kuwsh within the quiet main room of Kuwsh’s huge brick-and-timber home. Kneeling beside Kuwsh, the Lady Achlai watched Erek steadily; the guardsman felt her mistrust.

Lord Kuwsh had just finished his early meal and impatiently motioned for Erek to speak. The guardsman knew better than to waste words.

“We captured the First Father Shem and his Ma’adannah, as well as the Lady Keren and her husband. The First Father Shem and his wife are somewhere in the Great City—the Lady Sharah sent them away with nothing last night. But the Lady Keren and her husband are being guarded inside our Queen of the Heaven’s own residence.”

Kuwsh stood, snatching up a linen mantle, his dark eyes bright and hard as he waved off his wife’s anguished protests. “We will find that Shem. And I’ll go to the Lady Sharah and demand her traitor-sister’s life! You’ve earned a new horse for this, Erek.”

Erek bowed, pleased. It was more than he had dared to hope for.

When Kaleb knew that Adoniyram and the Lady Sharah were gone, thankfully with half of her household in attendance, Kaleb tapped lightly on the door, lifted the bar, and called inside, “Come this way; stand where I can see you.”

There was a shifting, rustling sound inside the dark
room, then a slow, careful rasping sound, like a heavy clay jar being lifted from a stone. A shadowy human form moved into the thin ray of light shed by the open door. From behind the person, a second form whispered, “Kal!”

I’ma-Keren! And Zekaryah! Kaleb wanted to shout and hug them and whoop like a boy freed from chores. He restrained himself. But he couldn’t help grinning like an idiot. “Forgive me; I have to tie you both—I’ll be sure you’re safe.” He noticed Zekaryah setting down a large clay jar. “What were you doing with that?”

“I was planning to knock you senseless,” Zekaryah muttered, turning around and putting his wrists behind his back. “Keep the knots loose.”

Kaleb obeyed swiftly, eager to get them away from this place. He would take them through the back gates of both residences, which led to the stables, away from the streets. There would be few, if any, people there. Most of the guards would be gone with Adoniyram and the Lady Sharah. Those who remained were either eating or not fully awake yet, for it was still early in the morning—a blessing.
Guard us, Most High!

In the secluded room behind the temple, Shoshannah shuddered, looking down at the gold ceremonial ornaments. Kneeling beside Shoshannah, Ormah whispered, “Just behave and put them on! It won’t kill you!”

It just might
. Slowly Shoshannah donned the two symbol-incised gold rings, the matching gold cuffs, flat gold throat collar, and the narrow gold band for her head.

Studying Shoshannah, Rab-Mawg frowned as if she were an unacceptable decoration. He was in a foul mood
this morning—rough shaven, his dark eyes fiery, glittering. The other three priests moved forward now, staring.

“She looks like her mother,” Ebed said quietly, as Ghez-ar nodded.