I would have spent all my time learning from Chiruan if I could. Over the next few days, I received additional duties along with washing the rice: cutting ginger and blending sevenspice, beating egg custards and steaming bread. By the next week, I was learning to make noodles, and I found that kneading the dough soothed my aching hands. I loved it, and couldn’t stop talking about it with Kiki.
But the kitchen was a distraction from my real task. I was halfway finished with removing the thorns and cutting the leaves from the starstroke, which meant that soon the worst would be over. Soon I would need to begin spinning it.
My first week in Iro, I’d spied a spinning wheel in Lady Bushian’s leisure room. Every afternoon, she gathered there with a small circle of friends to paint, play tiles, and listen to Megari play her moon lute.
I’d never been invited, but I started lingering in the dining room after lunch, staying so long that Lady Bushian had no choice but to ask me, out of courtesy, if I wanted to join her upstairs.
As Oriyu parted the doors into the leisure room, my impatience became painful. When no one was paying attention, I stole a look inside. The spinning wheel was still there—centered between two tall folding screens patterned with rabbits and the moon.
“It’s Zairena’s.” Lady Bushian had caught me staring. “A handsome instrument, isn’t it? It’s carved of birch and elm. Her mother left it to her. Zairena seems to have inherited her talent at the wheel, but I was never good at such crafts.”
Neither was I,I thought as I stepped aside so Oriyu could escort Lady Bushian into the room. But she didn’t move. Her jaw was tight, reminding me of Takkan when he was about to speak an unpleasant truth.
“A moment, Lina,” said Lady Bushian quietly. “It warms me how much my children have taken to you, and you are most welcome in the castle. But I am relieved that you have seen the wisdom of retaining your duties in the kitchen.”
I went still. What was she trying to say?
“What I mean is, you are my guest because Takkan believes you saved him. And I would ask that as my guest, you do not forget your place.”
A surge of heat rose to my cheeks.Do not forget my place?
Her tone was even, the inflection of each word too rehearsed to be natural. “I have been told that you visit Megari’s chambers—”
Only once!I thought.And on her invitation.
“—and that Takkan has come to yours.”
I bit my cheek, trying to hold in the absurdity of it all. Did she think I was attempting to seduce her son? The thought alone made me wish I could snort. The last thing I wanted to do was win over my former betrothed—a mere lord of the third rank—and live in this intolerably frigid wasteland. I had a curse to break, and a home to return to.
It was all true, but my face grew hot with shame.Listen to yourself, Shiori,I thought.You’re lucky that this “lord of the third rank” took you in. Otherwise, you’d still be at Sparrow Inn. Or someplace worse.
Lady Bushian must have read my glumness as a reaction to her rebuke, for she sighed.
“I don’t mean to sound harsh,” she said, a little less coldly than before. “Iro is a small fortress, and news travels quickly within its walls. Given your…unusual circumstances, it would be wise to take care. For your sake. Am I understood?”
For my sake.Really, she just didn’t want her children to be seen gallivanting about Iro with someone who looked like a demon worshipper.
Fighting to stay calm, I managed a nod.
Not a beat too soon, Zairena arrived, with a basket of persimmons and several of Lady Bushian’s friends behind her. From the smug smile on her lips, I was sure she had heard everything. I was even willing to wager thatshehad inspired Lady Bushian’s rebuke.
The reason, I couldn’t fathom. There was no flush in her cheeks or infatuated smile when she spoke to Takkan, signs I’d noticed in the girls flirting with Yotan or the boys who sought attention from Benkai. Or did she actually worry that I was a demon worshipper? A few girls at court had left to study with high priestesses and had returned mind-numbingly devout. But Zairena seemed too conceited to be overly religious.
Maybe she just disliked me because she was no longer the only special guest at the fortress.
“These are the last of the season,” she said, setting the basket on a low table. “I thought we all could use a snack.”
The other ladies immediately rose to take one. “How thoughtful, Zairena.”
“Take as many as you wish. I already set aside a few for dear Megari.”
While everyone thanked Zairena for her generosity, I sank into my chair, too aggravated to eat. No one would meet my eyes, only confirming that all had heard Lady Bushian’s humiliating remarks.
“I saved a few for you, too, Lina,” said Zairena, passing me a parcel of persimmons wrapped in a swath of striped cotton. She smiled a little too sweetly. “A belated welcome to the castle.”
While I set the gift to the side, Lady Bushian ushered Zairena to the spinning wheel.
“Show us what you’ve been working on,” she said. “We are all eager to see what the priestesses taught you in Nawaiyi.”
