Priestess of the White

could feel things moving inside me. The pain is less, when it should be worse.”

Emerahl considered Star carefully. She doubted the girl would believe a denial.

“Yes. I did use a little magic trick I learned from a Dreamweaver to ease the pain. Don’t think you’re all properly healed. You could come apart again if you’re not careful. I have to sew you up now, to help stop that happening. Do you want medicine to make you unconscious?”

Star looked at the needle and went pale.

“I... I think you’d better give me some.”

Emerahl put the needle down and looked through the kit. She found a vial of liquid labelled “to force sleep - three drops,” which smelled of formtane and a few other sedatives.

“This will do.” Emerahl looked at Star and sighed. “Will you promise me something?”

Star paused, then nodded. “You don’t want anyone to know you used magic.”

“Rozea already knows I have a few Gifts. I don’t want her to know how Gifted I am or she’ll have me doing things with customers I don’t want to do. So let’s pretend that you weren’t as hurt as you appeared to be and that I only used magic to stop the blood flowing and to hold things together while I sewed you up.”

Star nodded. “I’ll tell them that.”

“You promise you’ll tell them no more?”

“I promise.”

Emerahl smiled. “Thank you. I miss you all, you know. Sitting up here with Rozea is so boring. She won’t even let Brand come and talk to me.”

“Now you’ll have me to talk to,” Star pointed out, smiling.

Not if I leave tonight, Emerahl thought.

She put a hand behind Star’s head and lifted it so she could tip a few drops of the cure into the girl’s mouth. Star swallowed, grimaced, then continued talking.

“You were right, about this trip being dangerous. We are so far behind the army now. How many of the guards are dead?”

“I don’t know.”

“Some are. I know that. What if this happens again?” Star looked at Emerahl, her eyes becoming glazed. “I’m so glad yr with ‘s. If yr powrs’r strong, y en help pr’tect ’s. We need y.‘ ”

Emerahl looked away, turning her attention to threading the needle. Of the guards she had seen fighting only two had been alive at the end. Others might have been keeping watch for further attack, out of her sight, but if not then the caravan was now badly under-protected.

And two guards can’t watch me effectively.

She began sewing the edges of the wound together. Star made a small whimpering sound at first, then her breathing slowed and deepened.

Star’s right. The whores need protection, Emerahl thought. Especially if the caravan doesn’t meet the army again for days.

Days in which she was in no danger of being discovered by the priests.

She muttered a curse. Finishing the stitching, she put the needle and spool of thread back in the kit. Then she called Rozea’s name.

The madam peered into the tarn. She looked at Star and her eyebrows rose.

“She lives?”

“For now.”

“Well done.” Rozea climbed inside and sat opposite the sleeping girl. “Nice stitching. You’re full of surprises, Jade.”

“Yes,” Emerahl replied. “Including this one. I’m leaving. I want the money you owe me.”

Rozea paused. Emerahl could sense the woman’s indignation turn slowly to annoyance as she realized she could not keep her pet whore from escaping. “If you leave now, you go without a coin.”

Emerahl shrugged. “Very well. But don’t expect to see me again. Ever.”

The madam hesitated. “I suppose I can give you some food and a few coins. Enough to get you back to Porin. When I return we’ll talk about the rest. How does that sound?”

“Reasonable,” Emerahl lied.

“Good - but before you do, tell me why you feel you must abandon us. Was it today’s unpleasantness? It was a bit of bad luck, but surely travelling with us is safer than travelling by yourself. You’ve seen the lone workers, how ill and beaten they look.”

“I don’t intend to sell my body. I can get work as a healer.”

“You? Why would people pay you when they could get the services of a priest or Dreamweaver for free?”

“When people don’t have a choice they’ll take any help they can. There can’t be many priests or Dreamweavers left in the villages between here and Porin. They’ve all joined the army.”

“Of course there are. There are plenty of healers too old to travel who stayed behind.” The woman’s voice softened. “Are you sure about this, Jade? I would hate for anything bad to happen to you. You think a few Gifts make you safe, but there are men out there with cruel minds and stronger powers.”

Emerahl lowered her eyes.

“What are your chances of attracting unwanted attention alone, a girl of your looks? Here, with us, you are safer. As soon as we catch up with the army I will hire new guards. How does that sound?”

“Perhaps if...” Looking away, Emerahl chewed her lip.

Rozea leaned forward. “Yes? Tell me.”

“I want to be able to refuse a customer I don’t like the look of,” Emerahl said, raising her eyes to meet Rozea’s. “I want every third night off.”

“So long as you don’t refuse them all the time, I suppose that is reasonable for a favorite, but resting every third night is unreasonable. What about every sixth night?”

“Fourth.”

“Fifth, and I’ll raise your fee.”

“What point is there in that? You won’t pay me.”

“I will, when you need it - and I have enough to pay new guards.” The woman paused. “Very well,” she said slowly. “I will accept your limitations.” She leaned back in her seat and smiled. “So long as you give me your word you will stay with me for the next year.”

Emerahl opened her mouth to give her acceptance, then paused. She should not give in too easily.

“Six months.”

“Eight?”

Emerahl sighed and nodded. Leaning forward, Rozea patted her on the knee. “Wonderful. Now stay here while I see if the boys have managed to move that tree yet.”

As Rozea climbed out of the vehicle, Emerahl looked at Star and smiled grimly. She had no intention of keeping her word. As soon as the caravan neared the army and the girls were safe, she would leave. The conditions she had set would only help to ensure her safety until then.

And perhaps I can arrange for us to fall too far behind the army for nobles and priests to ride back to visit us, she thought.

As soon as Auraya’s feet touched the ground, Mischief leapt off her shoulder and ran into her tent. Auraya approached slowly. She had seen the light within as she’d flown closer to the camp, and the lack of any sense of a mind there had told her that one of the White was waiting for her.

“Mrae! Mrae!”

“Hello, Mischief.”

Auraya relaxed a little, though she wasn’t sure why finding Mairae waiting for her was different to finding any other White. It was probably because Mairae had admitted to enjoying many lovers. She, of all the White, would be the least bothered by Auraya having one, too.

The tent flap was open. Auraya peered inside to find Mairae sitting on one of the chairs. In the lamplight she appeared even younger and more beautiful. She looked up at Auraya and smiled.