Crown in the Stars (19 page)

“Because she’s like her mother; she will divide this kingdom. I heard how she was admired the other day, riding through the marketplace with
you
. That was stupid of you, Adoniyram! They loved her; she’s going to destroy everything if we don’t stop her.”

“Perhaps I should have let her go.”

“You should have killed her!”

“She doesn’t deserve to die,” Adoniyram argued. “She’s done nothing wrong.”

“You’re protecting her—you’re turning against me!”

“You’re
turning everyone against you!” he snapped, his patience worn. “You’re so jealous and—”

She lunged, clawing at him like a maddened thing. Adoniyram grabbed her wrists, but not before she managed
to rake him with her nails. He held her at arm’s length, forcing himself to apologize so she would calm down… so they would both calm down. “I am sorry; I was wrong to say that—you’re right, she is a danger.”

“And you’re an ungrateful
fool!”
Sharah kicked at him, still angry. “You never listen to me!”

“I’m listening to you now, Mother.” He lowered his voice. “And so are all the servants. They are going to tell Lord Kuwsh and Master Ra-Anan what we’ve—”

“Those two!” Diverted, her voice laden with scorn, Sharah said fiercely, “They’ve made such uproars among the people that if it weren’t for my settling everything down for them and convincing the people that they’re loved, we’d have no kingdom to rule. There would have been a rebellion long ago. And, believe me, Shoshannah could also create a rebellion—she has to be stopped.”

“What do you suggest?” Adoniyram asked, quietly prodding her in the direction he wanted her to go. “Ra-Anan will have her under constant guard now. And when Lord Kuwsh hears of her escape, he will also have his say.”

“And I will have mine! Kuwsh is nothing.”

“He’s my father’s father,” Adoniyram reminded her softly, firmly.

A spiteful expression flickered across her face, as if she’d almost said something to the contrary. It was a fleeting look, but enough to make Adoniyram wonder. He released her and hastily buried his suspicions.

“As I said, Kuwsh is nothing.” His mother moved away, defiant as an overindulged child, tossing her pale curls.

Adoniyram hated that gesture. He wished, as always, that she would braid and pin her hair decently like any other matron of the Great City. But he could wish that
she would do—or become—countless other things, yet nothing would ever change her. She was utterly self-absorbed.

Preening, she picked up an obsidian mirror and checked her face paints and hair, as if her tantrum had never happened—which was also her way. Sighing irritably, she said, “Have one of the servants take word to Ra-Anan that I will visit his household tonight. I expect to see our dear Shoshannah too. And send word to Kuwsh as well. We should visit together this evening… as a family.”

Adoniyram wished it could be true. His jaw and throat were stinging; he would have to see if she had left marks on him. If so, then he wouldn’t show himself to the citizens in the daylight until he was healed. They could not be allowed to see him as an ordinary man.
Such a Promised One I am …

Holding her sprained wrist protectively, Shoshannah knelt on a cushioned mat beside Demamah, formal and miserable. This unexpected gathering was going to be awful. There was no food to soothe anyone’s appetite, but the Queen-of-the-Heavens Sharah was drinking wine, as was Lord Kuwsh, while Adoniyram, the Lady Achlai, Ra-Anan, and Zeva’ah simply stared at Shoshannah. At least the servants had all been sent away. They wouldn’t witness the quarrel that was sure to erupt in the tense, silent room.

Sharah started, accusing Shoshannah, “I see you’ve been injured. It’s no more than you deserve. My son shouldn’t have saved you—you weren’t even thankful.” To
the others, she said, “Did you see what she did? Look at his face.”

Shoshannah looked at Adoniyram’s face and was shocked by the livid scratches on his jaw and neck that definitely hadn’t been there that morning. He gave her a warning glance.
If anyone gave him those scratches, it was you, Spoiled Lady
, she thought, indignant.

To her surprise, Ra-Anan said, “Adoniyram had no scratches on his face when he returned the girl to us this morning. He must have gotten them somewhere else.”

Sharah leaned forward, her gray eyes narrowed. “Are you saying I am mistaken?”

“You have been before,” Ra-Anan said, obviously not caring to be polite. “Most of the time, in fact.”

Hastily swallowing a sip he had taken from his cup, Lord Kuwsh laughed, his handsome face alight with pleasure at Sharah’s disgrace. “Who can argue with the truth? My son—your husband—would have said the same thing,
Lady!”

“And he would have said many more things about you!” she retorted. “You’ve always been a troublemaker—and useless to this kingdom except to flaunt your wealth and order others around.”

“You’ve described yourself perfectly,” he taunted. As Sharah stiffened, he said, “Don’t even think about striking me; I would beat you, and you would deserve it.”

“You have no say over me!”

“Someone should.”

Adoniyram sighed loudly and moved as if threatening to depart. “Are we here only to exchange insults?”

Kuwsh set down his cup and studied Shoshannah. “No, we are going to discuss this troublemaker. Since she’s proven so difficult for you, Master Ra-Anan, I should take her into my household so she won’t escape again.”

“She stays here,” Ra-Anan said flatly. “I am her near kindred.”

“And I’m not?” Sharah demanded. “I insist that she come with me.”

“You’d kill her on your way home,” Ra-Anan snapped. “The Lord Kuwsh and I prefer that she remain alive for now.”

“For now,” Kuwsh agreed, sounding menacingly tranquil to Shoshannah.

Sharah swirled her cup in her hand, smiling. “Lord Kuwsh wants her alive for revenge—which is understandable. But, Ra-Anan, I don’t understand why you want her to live in your household
only
. You must be considering her as a second wife.”

Her suggestion was so breathtakingly horrible that Shoshannah couldn’t move. Demamah gasped aloud, and Zeva’ah actually looked at Ra-Anan.

Sharah laughed delightedly. “You should see your faces!”

“I don’t think they appreciate your joke, Mother,” Adoniyram said impatiently. “However, I wish to say that Rab-Mawg and the priests want Shoshannah to live… and to fulfill her mother’s vow to serve in the Temple of Shemesh.”

Shoshannah gaped at him, speechless. Why had he bothered to save her from Perek this morning if he only intended to hand her over to the temple—to Rab-Mawg, who was every bit as dangerous as Perek?
Why are you suggesting this to them?

“I don’t think I was joking about her situation, but you must be,” Sharah told Adoniyram tartly.

“How much have you had to drink?” he asked, unperturbed.

“Not enough for you to say anything about it, ever.
Now, listen to me: I don’t want this girl to be revered for anything, particularly not in my tower.”

“Your
tower?” Kuwsh demanded, becoming indignant. “You’ve done nothing toward building this tower, except to say that it must be completed. You haven’t parted with any of your lands, or your gold, or your time, or your harvests…”

Beside him, the Lady Achlai quietly shifted his cup out of his reach as he scolded Sharah. Ordinarily, Shoshannah would have smiled at such a ploy, but now she was too upset.

As Lord Kuwsh and Sharah quarreled, Shoshannah stared at her traitor-cousin, Adoniyram. He ignored her. Frustrated, she glanced away, unintentionally catching her uncle’s attention. Ra-Anan held her glance, smiling unpleasantly, as the suspicious Zeva’ah watched them both.

In a loud, apparently idle tone, he said, “Tell us, Adoniyram… what do you think should happen to my guest?”

Adoniyram shrugged. “Truly, Master-Uncle, I don’t know. However—now that your horse and my guardsmen are safe—I will say that today was amusing.”

I hate you!
Shoshannah thought to Adoniyram fiercely. And without looking at her uncle, she thought,
Ra-Anan, you are detestable. You claim to be my protector-kinsman, but you certainly aren’t protecting me from Adoniyram and the others as you should. If you had, I wouldn’t have tried to escape
.

Her anger gradually faded. And her back and arm and legs were hurting terribly now. She wished this meeting would end. Obviously nothing would be decided for her tonight—Sharah, Ra-Anan, and Kuwsh were too angry with each other to come to any agreement. Trying to ease her bruises and cuts, she shifted, wincing. The Lady
Achlai turned toward her now, her wide brown face gentle with compassion.

I wish I could visit with you, and our I’ma-Meherah
, Shoshannah thought sadly.
I hope you pray for me
. Though prayers hadn’t helped her so far.

Why didn’t your Most High save you?
Ra-Anan’s voice mocked her from this morning. She felt abandoned. At least in the wilderness, out on the steppes, she would have had some say in her own fate. Here in the Great City, these gold-and linen-clad animals controlled everything. There was nothing she could do.

Adoniyram avoided Shoshannah’s gaze. If they were alone, it would have been different. He would have persuaded her that he was not her enemy. But here, surrounded by his relatives, he had no choice but to ignore her as if she didn’t matter.

Truly, she was becoming important to him. The realization made him nervous.

Be silent
, he ordered her in his thoughts.
Do and say nothing that will create more trouble; next time, I might not be able to save you
.

Ten

“I COULDN’T BELIEVE the Lady Sharah said such a thing about you and my father,” Demamah whispered to Shoshannah. They sat on Demamah’s bed, stitching Shoshannah’s new garments, which would supplement the ones she’d half ruined during her attempted escape.

“She was ridiculous and completely wrong,” Shoshannah agreed, shuddering as she worked a sleeve.

After two weeks of punishing isolation, it was easier to discuss Sharah’s malicious opinion of Ra-Anan’s motives toward Shoshannah. And, after two weeks, Zeva’ah had apparently managed to put her own suspicions aside. She had finally spoken to Shoshannah again this morning—telling her that she couldn’t pout forever; she had to help Demamah with daily tasks and prepare for visitors who would arrive later this week.

Curious, Shoshannah wondered aloud, “Who is coming to visit?”

“I was afraid to ask,” Demamah confessed, rasping her bone needle against a sharpening stone. “I only know that we have to finish your clothes soon. Mother wants you properly attired for the visit. After this, we help with cleaning, and later cooking.”

“So our visitor is a tribal leader?”

“Most likely. Give me your word that you’ll be perfect and dull.”

Unable to resist, Shoshannah teased, “Of course. I’ll copy your every move.”