Ailith closed her eyes and pushed her fingers into the back of her neck. She rotated her head to either side, trying to loosen muscles grown stiff with tension. When that didn’t work, she set her rock down and added her second hand to the first. She dug into her tight neck muscles, trying to loosen the knots growing harder by the minute.

  “Do you have any questions?”

  “No, Milady.”

  “Are there any other women causing problems with the shivs?”

  Ailith nodded and sighed. “Aye. Ya just need t’ look at th’ ones wearin’ th’ same cut of hair as Khaldo.”

  “All of them?”

  “Aye.”

  Shirin finished the last of her fish and pitched the flat rock into the forest.

  Sábria took her last bite and handed her rock to Shirin. “Your turn to wash.”

  Smiling, the Commander took the rock and pitched it after the first. Knowing the interview was finished, she rose, caught Ailith’s attention, and pointed to the fire. “Let’s get that put out.”

  That kind of order put Ailith back on familiar ground. She took her flat rock and scooped up heaps of dirt which she piled on the fire. Taking a stick, she stirred the dirt and embers together. While she worked, she asked Sábria, “How’d ya know where to find me?”

  Sábria quirked one side of her mouth in a half smile. “Do you think anything happens in either the Temple or the city that I don’t know about?”

  “Oh, those Blades I passed told ya I headed for th’ forest. I’m pretty far out, though. Once ya got to th’ forest, how’d ya find me?”

  “Shirin is the best tracker at the Temple.”

  Ailith glanced sideways at the tall Commander and grinned. “Well now, I weren’t tryin’ to hide me tracks, and I did manage to sneak up on ya, didn’t I?”

  Shirin’s jaw cocked to the side, and her eyes narrowed as she stared at Ailith. She spoke to Sábria without looking at her. “Did she just mock my tracking skills?”

  Ailith tried to hide a smile but couldn’t quite manage it. “Ach, don’t ya worry none, Commander. I’ll be happy to teach ya what I know.”

  She ducked a swat from Shirin, who growled, “I’ll teach you what I know, and you’re not gonna like it.”

  Dancing back from Shirin, Ailith’s grin widened even more. “I’m shakin’.”

  Since most Blades were respectful and a bit awed by the two of them, neither Shirin nor Sábria knew quite how to handle Ailith’s playfulness. Sábria was getting a clearer understanding of what Duke Ravenkind had meant when he’d asked that she not break her. It would be so easy to inadvertently extinguish that spark driving this unique personality. Seeing the twinkle in Ailith’s eyes made her realize something else. The Temple needed Ailith just as much as she needed them.

  Wrapping her arm around Ailith’s neck, she walked a few steps with her newest warrior’s head tucked beneath her armpit. “Let’s get you back home before Commander Shirin’s eyes pop out of their sockets, shall we?” She smiled over at her second, who was shaking her head at Ailith’s temerity. They needed to have a long talk about how to approach discipline where Ailith was concerned. But right now wasn’t the time nor the place for that particular discussion. She let go of Ailith, and the three women retraced their steps back to the city.

  Several Blades acknowledged Sábria and the Commander with fists to their chests as the women made their way through the crowded night market. All of them glared at the shiv walking between them.

  Ailith glared right back. “They all think I tried to run away. Well, fowk ‘em, I say.”

  Sábria put her arm around Ailith’s shoulders and pulled her close. She felt the knots in the young woman’s muscles and decided she needed to do something about them when they returned to the Temple.

  As they were passing the Temple outstation where the Blades held their briefings before and after their shifts, Sábria directed Ailith inside, where Guardian Prime Geller was handing out the latest assignments to the deadnight watch.

  Everyone in the room stood as the three women walked in. Ailith expected the Arch Priestess to release her hold, but Sábria continued to rest her hand on her shoulder as she addressed her Blades. “Prime Geller. Trainee Ailith wasn’t aware of the rule of keeping trainees in the Temple after dark unless accompanied by their handler. I think it would be wise to move some of that type of training forward from here on out so we can avoid such misunderstandings in the future.”

  Geller’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Ailith, but all she said was, “I’ll arrange it, Milady.”

  Sábria grinned, “Although she did cook Commander Shirin and me some of the best fire-roasted salmon I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

  Shirin patted her stomach and nodded. “I’ll say.”

  Geller’s glower lost most of its intensity. “Well, now, Milady, I think you know fire-roasted salmon is one of my favorites. I may take th’ shiv out myself to check out her campfire cookin’ skills.”

  Sábria had promoted Geller to Guardian Prime specifically because she was almost as quick as Shirin to catch on to what she was trying to accomplish. With that one rejoinder, Ailith had gone from traitor escapee to someone who’d made a mistake and would be accepted back into the fold. Word would make its way around all two hundred and fifty-two warriors by the time the next morning’s breakfast rolled around.

  Sábria directed Ailith back out the door, but Shirin stayed behind a moment to address the watch. “Carry on, Ursuna. Stay alert, everyone, and the Goddess be with you and keep you safe.”

  In unison, the deadnight shift gave the standard reply, “Goddess be with you, Commander.”

  Shirin caught up with Sábria and tousled Ailith’s hair. “You know, there are better ways to solve things than getting angry, Ailith. You just witnessed the master at work. Keep an open mind and learn from those of us who’ve been at this a while instead of simply growling, ‘Fowk ‘em.’”

  Ailith dropped her head and sighed, “Aye, that’s kind of what ol’ Granther Dingus used to say before he lit into me about somethin’.” She grinned over at Shirin. “At least yer not knockin’ me on me backside.”

  Shirin raised her brows. “It was a close thing, youngling. It was a close thing.”

  They reached the Temple, and Sábria stopped Ailith in the inner bailey with a hand on her arm. “Ailith, do you remember me telling you that part of my responsibilities include taking care of the physical needs of the Blades as well as their emotional and spiritual ones?”

  “Aye.”

  “I felt those knots in your shoulders. I want you to head to the bathing room and climb into a hot tub, and I’ll be up to give you a massage. The heat helps start the relaxation process for the muscles.”

  Ailith’s brows rose up into her hairline. “You will not. Yer th’ Arch Priestess fer fowk’s sake. What Arch Priestess rubs th’ shoulders of a trainee shiv?” She made a clicking sound with her tongue and cocked her head to the side. “Is this one of those consensual sex-type things Commander Shirin was tellin’ me about?”

  Sábria's lips disappeared into her mouth as she stifled the urge to laugh out loud. “No, it’s one of those consensual massage-type things. If you’re shy about taking your clothes off, you can—”

  Ailith let out the most unladylike snort Sábria had ever heard. “Shy? Ya don’t know much about th’ Dreyuthan military, do ya? We live in barracks, men and women together. The weather’s awful hot most of th’ turn, so soldiers all sleep with no clothes on. If two of ‘em want sex, there’s about ten rooms around th’ barracks where they can go to play.”

  Shirin's mouth fell open. “Men and women sleep naked in a barracks? How many sleep in one room?”

  “Depends. Sometimes thirty, forty.”

  “And there’s no rape?”

  “Nah. Everybody, men and women alike, sleep with their shivs in their hands. Just like I do now. Somebody tries somethin’, they get stuck. And if th’ person they’re on top of can’t move their knife, someone in th’ cot next to ‘em stabs the attacker in th’ back.” She lifted a shoulder as though stabbing a rapist in the back was the most natural thing in the world, “It works. Nobody attacks nobody in th’ barracks.”

  Sábria hadn’t read about that particular facet of military life, but it would serve Ailith well as she adjusted to Temple customs. Their nurturing hands-on ways were often quite a shock for the more sheltered shivs who joined their ranks. “Well then, you won’t mind if I bring some oil to loosen those muscles. You start training in a few days, and I’m afraid you’ll tear something with the degree of stress you’re holding in your shoulders. Massage is one of my specialties, Ailith. I’ll have you loosened in no time.”

  “How do ya have time to massage every fowkin’ person in th’ Blades?”

  Now Sábria did laugh. “I don’t. The Commander, all the Subcommanders, and most of the Primes have advanced training in many of the Kiprian Arts. And often a friend will see someone who needs help relaxing, and they do whatever needs to be done to help.”

  Ailith held up a finger. “Ah! The consensual sex stuff.”

  “Yes, possibly, if that’s something the person needs to be able to sleep, then someone will help them relax in whatever way the person requires. I only step in when I think there’s a need, and I think you need me tonight for a relaxing massage.”

  “Well, okay. I never had a massage before, but I guess there’s a first time fer everythin’, eh?”

  Shirin grabbed Ailith’s arm before she left for her room. She’d been holding in her anger because Sábria had a point she was making, and for whatever reason, the Arch Priestess had decided to ignore Ailith’s casual manner with her, but Shirin had had enough. “A warning, Ailith. If you ever swear again when speaking with the Arch Priestess of Elyon, I’ll give you a beating future generations of Blades will be talking about for turns to come.”

  At least Ailith had the grace to look chagrined. “Oh, aye, yer right.” She looked into Sábria’s bright, intelligent eyes. “I’m sorry fer cussin’ around ya, Milady. It just comes out, ya know, a habit like, but one I’ll be workin’ t’ change.” She glanced at Shirin as well. “And I apologize to ya, too, Commander.”

  Satisfied she’d gotten her point across, Shirin released Ailith’s arm, and she and Sábria watched the young woman cross the inner bailey before heading to their own rooms.

  Eight

  There were still a few bathers in one of the eight communal baths when Ailith walked in, but she decided she preferred one of the private rooms to get her first massage since she didn’t know exactly what that entailed. She undressed and tested the water in the first room she entered.

  The first time she’d taken a bath at the Temple, she was shocked that the water always started out steaming hot. She couldn’t figure out how a small trickle of water constantly ran into the tub from a hole in the wall, either. Then she’d discovered that when the round tubs became too full, water ran over the edge into a drain in the floor. Also, there was another pipe she could pull the stopper on that added cold water if she wanted.

  The door opened, and Sábria stepped in. She was wearing a sheer dressing gown with nothing on underneath.

  Staring at the gown, Ailith rested her hands on her hips. “I thought ya said this wasn’t gonna be one of those sex things.”

  Amused, Sábria pointed to the overlarge tub. “It’s not. Climb in, and I’ll show you how we can use the hot water to relax those muscles.”

  Ailith decided she’d already said she’d like a massage, and since she didn’t know what that meant exactly, she climbed into the hot water, slowly lowering her body as it adjusted to the intensity of the heat.

  “Move forward so I can climb in behind you.”

  “What?” Ailith sloshed water over the side when she jerked to face the Priestess. She took one glance at the woman’s nude body, blushed, and faced forward again. Nudity didn’t bother her. A nude Arch Priestess that didn’t look like the blubbery Arch Priestess she was used to in Dreyutha did, mostly because Sábria’s body was fit and definitely a pleasure to see. Not that she’d ever seen the Dreyuthan one naked, thank the Goddess and every God in the heavens.

  Used to such reactions when she first introduced the shivs to this and other aspects of the Kiprian arts, Sábria explained the process matter-of-factly. “I need to sit behind you to have the best angle to massage your shoulders. May I get in? If you’d rather I not, I can leave.”

  “No, no, you can get in. It’s just…strange, is all, to have a Arch Priestess climbing naked into th’ same tub as me. But after seein’ th’ two of yer faces, yers and Commander Shirin’s, after I told ya how we slept in th’ army barracks, I guess we’re even.” She moved forward and felt Sábria settle in behind her. When Sábria’s feet moved around her waist and settled next to her legs, Ailith raised her brows but didn’t comment.

  “Now lean back.” Sábria gently placed her hands on Ailith’s shoulders and pulled her back.

  “On yer…on yer breasts?”

  There was an overabundance of patience in Sábria’s voice as she drew out her reply. “Yes.”

  Ailith allowed her to pull her back until she was comfortably resting up against her.

  “You need to sink down enough so that your shoulders are underwater.”

  Ailith slowly slid down and looked at Sábria’s breasts on either side of her head. Her heart sped up, and she tried to control her breathing as best she could.

  Reaching for the jar of scented oil, Sábria rubbed some into each hand and began gently working out the knots in Ailith’s shoulders.

  After a while, Ailith said, “I kinda like this massage stuff.”

  “Shhh.”

  Ailith was just about asleep when a soft knock announced someone at the door. A quiet squeak told her someone had opened it, and a second one meant that person had entered and closed the door. To her surprise, it was Commander Shirin who’d come in. She was fully dressed, and she pulled the only chair in the room over to the tub and sat. “Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you’d want to know a message came from the palace.”

  Sábria continued rubbing the muscles in Ailith’s left shoulder. “Actually, it’s a good thing you did. I think you might have a better angle on this muscle. I can’t seem to get enough leverage to break these knots right here.”

  Shirin knelt next to the tub, dipped her hand in the oil, and asked, “May I touch your shoulders, Ailith?”

  “If it feels as good as what she’s doin’, then strip off an’ jump in.”

  Shirin’s jaw muscles flexed at Ailith’s impertinent tone, but when she looked at Sábria, the side of her mouth quirked up at the glint of amusement in her Arch Priestess’s eyes.

  When Shirin lightly pinched the muscle at the shoulder’s outer point and slid her fingers along its length, Sábria asked, “Did the messenger say what the message contained? Here, Ailith. Relax your head over onto my breast. That will help lengthen the muscle.”

  “No, it was just a castle page running an errand for the seneschal.” After quite a while of gentle kneading, two knots released beneath Shirin’s ministrations. She moved to the other side of the tub and began on that shoulder. When she smoothed that knot as well, she returned to the chair.

  Sábria gently pushed Ailith forward and rose. “All done for tonight.” She stepped out of the water, and Shirin handed her a towel.

  When Ailith reluctantly emerged, the Commander handed her one as well.

  Once she’d dried herself and donned her robe, Sábria indicated a long scar on Ailith’s upper left thigh. “I’m curious, Ailith. That’s a horrendous scar. What happened to give you as severe a wound as that?”

  Ailith slowly ran her finger down the scar that stretched from her hip down to the middle of her thigh. “Oh, that. It’s a long story. Ya probably don’t have time.”

  “We have time, and since you’re my warrior now, I’d like to know.” Sábria handed Ailith a robe. “Let’s go to your room where we can all relax and hear your story.”

  Once there, Sábria sat in the only chair, and Shirin pointed to the bed. “Do you mind if I sit on the foot of the bed?”

  Ailith’s brows descended. “Yer th’ Commander. Ya can sit wherever ya want. No need to ask.”

  “It’s your bed. Of course, I’d ask.”

  The brows rose. “Huh. Well, yeah. Sit.” Unsure of the protocol of having these two in her room, she settled on the prudent course and stood in the ease position with her legs slightly apart and her hands behind her back.

  Shirin sat and motioned to the bed. “Relax, Ailith. Stories are better told when everyone’s comfortable.”

  Ailith sat stiffly on the bed until Shirin got up and growled, “Oh, for the love of fire and ashes….” She shoved the pillow against the wall at the head of the bed, grabbed Ailith beneath her arms, lifted her slightly, and pushed her up against it. With no warning, she scooped up Ailith’s legs and threw them onto the bed. That done, she resumed her place and raised her brows. “So, tell.”

  Smirking at the Commander’s gruff treatment, Ailith pushed herself into a more comfortable position and crossed her legs at the ankles. She’d never told this story before and wasn’t sure she’d make it all the way through. “I’m not sure if it’ll come out okay, but I’ll try. It’s uh, not somethin’ I talk about much, but, well… we were in a bloody battle, hundreds of nobs and pidges in this small little field, and ya couldn’t move without bumping into someone on yer sides or steppin’ back an’ fallin’ over a body. They’d surprised us, so there weren’t nothin’ sane about it.”

  She stopped speaking, and her head turned slightly to the left. Her brows descended, and her eyes moved back and forth as though she were seeing the actual battlefield in front of her. “I remember I killed this nob. He had a huge, two-handed sword, and I got in a lucky slice across his throat. It were kind of a panic swing, ya know?”