'Good morning, Miss Sela,' said the maid, in an accent that Sela had never heard before. Sela looked into her eyes; they glinted in the morning sunlight that drifted in through the diaphanous curtains on the windows. She was not very pretty, and there was also something sad and damaged about her. Nothing unusual for Sela-she was used to seeing sadness and damage at Copperine House-but she'd assumed that people in the outside world were all like Everess: confident, direct, unbroken.
'Is something wrong?' the maid asked. Her name was Ecara, Sela realized with a start. She touched the new Object on her arm, and it was cool to the touch. Accursed no more.
'No, Ecara,' Sela said, smiling. This was a smile that would win over Ecara, she knew. Ecara felt invisible most of the time. Looking around her, Sela couldn't see any threads stretching out from the girl. It was so sad; she was just like Sela herself.
Seeing the hint of confusion in the girl's returned smile, Sela added, 'I asked Lord Everess what the maids' names were last night. I like to get to know people.'
Ecara curtseyed, clearly uncertain what to say. 'We don't have to be formal with one another,' said Sela. 'We're just two girls with jobs to do.'
Something in Sela's mind slid in to place, and Sela could see a thin blue thread spring into existence between her and Ecara. The maid couldn't see it, of course. It wasn't something you saw with your eyes. Blue felt like trust and friendship.
Ecara was fairly weak-willed. With only a tiny effort, Sela could convince Ecara to fall in love with her, to die for her, or to kill for her. It would be easy. She hoped no one would ask her to do that, though, because she thought that Ecara was a very nice girl.
'I'm sure we'll be great friends,' said Sela.
The blue thread wavered; that was the wrong thing to say. Why was it wrong? What had she done?
Awkwardness flowed out of Ecara. She wasn't on a level with Sela; it was impossible for them to be friends.
Sela corrected. 'Now then, let's get me washed and dressed. I'm sure Lord Everess has a great deal for me to do.'
That did it. Even if she hadn't been able to feel inside Ecara, she could see the relief on her face. Sela was the kind mistress; Ecara was a favored servant. All was well. The blue line snapped into place that much more firmly. This was one of the saddest things that Sela knew about people; sometimes frightening them made them love you more.
She allowed Ecara to dress her without another word. It was a complicated gown with hoops of whalebone and petticoats and all sorts of lace pieces that Sela couldn't even name.
Sela sensed that Ecara thought her beautiful; she moved her eyes over Sela's soft, unblemished skin, her lustrous hair, her curves. This wasn't the sexual attraction that Sela sometimes got from women; it was something more innocent, a kind of adoration. Sometimes tinged with jealousy, but not in this case. It was very sweet.
Yes, Ecara would die for her if it became necessary. Oh, how she hoped it wouldn't!
'So today's the day, then, is it?'
'For what, miss?'
'The day that I'm to be taken out to do ... whatever it is that I'm supposed to be doing.'
'I don't know about any of that,' said Ecara, frowning. 'I'm just here to check the fit.'
'Oh?'
'Aye. His Lordship says he wants you to look just right for the lads.'
Something cold pierced Sela's thoughts. 'Does he?' she said.
The blue thread wavered and turned a deep violet. She'd frightened Ecara.
'I'm sure he doesn't mean anything by it, miss.' The girl trembled.
'Are we quite finished then?' asked Sela, with as haughty a voice as she could muster, stretching that violet line nearly to its breaking point. But not past it.
'Yes, miss.'
Ecara helped her out of the complicated dress and left the room without another word. Sela wanted to call after her and apologize, but on some level knew that there was nothing to be done about it. So she sat.
And waited.
