don’t worry, Crigo’s body has been hidden. But unless you tell me how and why he died, I’ll have the corpse thrown into her tent.” She placed one hand on Palila’s belly, still smiling. “The others are gone. You can talk. I can lie to Andrade very nicely. I don’t think you’re going to have breath soon to do anything but scream.”
“All right—I’ll tell you—” She shifted away from the princess’ chill fingers. “Roelstra wanted the Sunrunner girl.”
“I know that,” Ianthe said impatiently. “It wasn’t as difficult to get her away from the others as Father thought it might be.”
“You helped him?”
“Of course. I don’t like you, Palila. I never have. But I like this Sioned even less, and the idea of her as my father’s mistress and Sunrunner is, quite frankly, more than I’m willing to put up with. Yes, he came to me and asked my help.” She shrugged. “He trusts me, you know. As much as he trusts anyone. But you ruined it by having Crigo warn the girl, didn’t you?”
“No—yes—I don’t know! I wanted him to and he agreed, but I don’t know what he did or what happened after he—he—” She squeezed her eyes shut against the memory, but the dead face followed her no matter where she fled in her own mind.
Ianthe’s voice brought her back. “So instead of a new mistress and a new faradhi, Father will have only a scar or two to show for his night’s work. I see. And that bitch of a girl is unsullied. Damn! I ought to be very angry with you, Palila.” She paused to let that sink in, then asked, “Is one dose of dranath enough to addict?”
“A large enough dose might even kill—oh, Goddess,” Palila moaned, clenching her teeth. “How did you know its name?”
“I know more than you ever gave me credit for. I hope the dose was huge—I hope she dies of it! But just think, Palila. I’m not going to have my revenge on you by betraying you to Father about this. Isn’t that kind of me? In a few hours you’ll present him with his first son.” She grinned. “No matter that it won’t be his own!”
Palila found strength enough to strike out at the princess’ smug face. Ianthe laughed and caught her clawing fingers, stroked them almost gently.
“Keep wondering how I knew,” she suggested. “It’ll give you something to take your mind off the pain.”
“Ianthe—don’t betray me! I’ll do anything—name it—don’t ruin me!”
“Oh, you’ll do anything I ask, believe me. That was the whole idea. I’m going down to see Pandsala now. Three other women are in the same state you’re in, thanks to us. Think of it, Palila. Can you be sure I’ll substitute your girl for a boy? Or will I take your son and put another useless daughter in his place?”
Palila howled with rage and terror and the renewed agonies of childbirth. Ianthe laughed at her and left the cabin, pausing in the narrow hallway to savor the sound. She imagined Sioned screaming in similar pain and fear as her body succumbed to a furious demand for dranath. If the dose Roelstra had given her did not kill her, perhaps withdrawal would. Or, what might be even better, she would survive addicted. Not that she’d allow herself to live for very long, enslaved to the drug. No, she was too proud to endure the shame. In any case, the Sunrunner would not be marrying Rohan. And neither would Pandsala.
Ianthe climbed down the staircases to a room below the water-line. Cramped, windowless, and stuffy, the only light came from a candle set into a tarnished holder on the wall, and by its weak glow Ianthe surveyed the occupants thoughtfully. Three of the sweating faces were drawn into lines of agony, their labor coming too soon. The fourth woman was Pandsala, tense with waiting, fidgeting with anxiety. She rose from her chair as Ianthe entered the room.
“I thought I told you to keep them tied up,” Ianthe said, gesturing to the three women who lay on straw mattresses on the floor.
“How could they escape now?” Pandsala retorted. “We’ve been ruthless about this, Ianthe. There’s no need to be cruel as well.”
The younger princess shrugged. “I’m told the blonde has already borne three boys. Watch her carefully.”
The fair-haired woman propped herself on one elbow, hate gleaming dully in her brown eyes. “You’ll have to kill us. Did you think I didn’t know that?”