Read Online The Devil's Garden by Jane Kindred - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jane Kindred
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depravity.” He kissed her on the cheek, and she sat motionless, too stunned to protest. “What I ask of you and what your friends ask of you are one and the same. You may not care to do it for me, though you are in my debt. Think of them instead.”
Less than a week remained before the annual autumn blessing, the sole occasion whereupon the common people were allowed to petition the Meer. Wealthy merchants and citizens of standing could come before him daily in petition, as long as they had sufficient gold, but for the annual blessings, gifts of any nature were accepted. Most people considered it a farce—who had ever seen the Meer bless anyone?—but few could resist the possibility that this time, this season might be the one when Alya would choose them. They lined up for days in advance: a ready-made assembly of the masses.
Ume hadn’t quite believed the expurgists would go through with it. To remove the Meer from the throne, from his temple—where was he to go? And what made them think he would leave? It wasn’t as if they could imprison him or force his hand. He would simply speak, and the prison doors would open.
She would have to attend the meeting of the League of Expurgists. This was too crucial to take Nesre’s word for it. Cree had said the meetings weren’t usually held in her rooms, but she hadn’t specified where this one was to take place. Ume would have to find Azhra at the market.
It was just past midday as Ume threaded her way through the crowded marketplace, but there was no sign of Azhra among the clusters of older women with traditional head coverings and their maiden charges in the veil. A few hours had passed since they’d parted. Perhaps Azhra had already gone.
“Maiden Sky.” Azhra observed her from a fruit stand, a jute cord bag full of breadfruit tucked in her arms.
“Maiden Azhra.” Ume approached her. “How did you know me?”
“You have a distinct hair color.” Azhra shifted her bag. “And you’re quite conspicuous. Who else could you be but the soth ’s most illustrious courtesan?”
Ume smiled and lowered her eyes. “I suppose that’s true. But I’m glad you did. I never would have found you on my own.”
“That’s the benefit of being an ordinary maiden in the Delta.” Azhra began to mill through the market once more with Ume beside her. “The only one, so far as I can see. It’s easy for me to gather information. People don’t see me.”
“And did you gather any?”
“I overheard a group of street girls in the square below the temple while I ate my lunch. They were skeptical of Persa’s involvement, either with the crime or the movement. But the murdered templar was a patron of hers on several occasions.”
“I thought Zea was sure she was an expurgist.” Ume fingered a bolt of emerald silk as they browsed.
“She may have attended a few meetings, but the other girls viewed it as something of a joke. The templars appear to believe otherwise.”
“The templars?” Ume dropped the cloth and looked at Azhra.
“There are a number who have been secretly attending meetings. The movement is growing among them. And they believe it was Persa who was spying on them. ”
At last it made sense. Both Zedei and Persa had been opposed to the expurgation, and Nesre had made certain they were out of the way. Ume debated whether to tell Azhra of her own entanglement. It could mean trouble for her if it got back to Nesre.
Azhra paused to haggle over a blue-glazed bowl. “Why were you looking for me?”
“I wanted to attend the meeting this evening, and I didn’t know where it was.”
“That’s easy.” Azhra set down the bowl as the merchant named an extravagant price. “A copper alyani and no more,” she insisted. “Look around you, Ume. There are bills posted everywhere.”
The merchant feigned outrage at Azhra’s offer of less than half what the bowl was worth. After all, he had a dozen mouths to feed and an ailing wife. Ume glanced at the
Less than a week remained before the annual autumn blessing, the sole occasion whereupon the common people were allowed to petition the Meer. Wealthy merchants and citizens of standing could come before him daily in petition, as long as they had sufficient gold, but for the annual blessings, gifts of any nature were accepted. Most people considered it a farce—who had ever seen the Meer bless anyone?—but few could resist the possibility that this time, this season might be the one when Alya would choose them. They lined up for days in advance: a ready-made assembly of the masses.
Ume hadn’t quite believed the expurgists would go through with it. To remove the Meer from the throne, from his temple—where was he to go? And what made them think he would leave? It wasn’t as if they could imprison him or force his hand. He would simply speak, and the prison doors would open.
She would have to attend the meeting of the League of Expurgists. This was too crucial to take Nesre’s word for it. Cree had said the meetings weren’t usually held in her rooms, but she hadn’t specified where this one was to take place. Ume would have to find Azhra at the market.
It was just past midday as Ume threaded her way through the crowded marketplace, but there was no sign of Azhra among the clusters of older women with traditional head coverings and their maiden charges in the veil. A few hours had passed since they’d parted. Perhaps Azhra had already gone.
“Maiden Sky.” Azhra observed her from a fruit stand, a jute cord bag full of breadfruit tucked in her arms.
“Maiden Azhra.” Ume approached her. “How did you know me?”
“You have a distinct hair color.” Azhra shifted her bag. “And you’re quite conspicuous. Who else could you be but the soth ’s most illustrious courtesan?”
Ume smiled and lowered her eyes. “I suppose that’s true. But I’m glad you did. I never would have found you on my own.”
“That’s the benefit of being an ordinary maiden in the Delta.” Azhra began to mill through the market once more with Ume beside her. “The only one, so far as I can see. It’s easy for me to gather information. People don’t see me.”
“And did you gather any?”
“I overheard a group of street girls in the square below the temple while I ate my lunch. They were skeptical of Persa’s involvement, either with the crime or the movement. But the murdered templar was a patron of hers on several occasions.”
“I thought Zea was sure she was an expurgist.” Ume fingered a bolt of emerald silk as they browsed.
“She may have attended a few meetings, but the other girls viewed it as something of a joke. The templars appear to believe otherwise.”
“The templars?” Ume dropped the cloth and looked at Azhra.
“There are a number who have been secretly attending meetings. The movement is growing among them. And they believe it was Persa who was spying on them. ”
At last it made sense. Both Zedei and Persa had been opposed to the expurgation, and Nesre had made certain they were out of the way. Ume debated whether to tell Azhra of her own entanglement. It could mean trouble for her if it got back to Nesre.
Azhra paused to haggle over a blue-glazed bowl. “Why were you looking for me?”
“I wanted to attend the meeting this evening, and I didn’t know where it was.”
“That’s easy.” Azhra set down the bowl as the merchant named an extravagant price. “A copper alyani and no more,” she insisted. “Look around you, Ume. There are bills posted everywhere.”
The merchant feigned outrage at Azhra’s offer of less than half what the bowl was worth. After all, he had a dozen mouths to feed and an ailing wife. Ume glanced at the
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