didn’t care that she splashed herself from time to time, or slept in a pool of it at night. Without the constant immersion in water her skin would have dried out and she would have suffered a slow and painful death.
After the raiders had pulled her out of the sea they had tied her up in the open at first. The hot sun had been unbearable. Her skin had dried out and she had suffered from a terrible thirst despite the water they had given to her to drink. Pain had begun in her head and spread to the rest of her body until she could only lie slumped on the wooden floor.
The next thing she remembered was waking up in the hull, water swirling around her body as the ship rocked back and forth. Terrifyingly loud sounds came from outside the ship, deafening her. Rain, which she had seen only twice before, and the occasional wave cresting the deck, had begun to fill the hull at an alarming rate. Several of the raiders had begun bailing out the water, and when one pressed a bucket into her hands she had joined them, terrified the ship would sink and she would drown, tied to it by the rope around her ankle.
Later a raider came and tossed fish at her. She had been so hungry, she had eaten the scales, bones and flesh.
Slowly she had recovered some of her strength. The raiders’ leader had made it clear he wanted her to keep bailing out the water. She had refused at first. She was a princess. She didn’t do menial work.
So he had beaten her.
Shocked and frightened, she had given in. He had watched her work for a time, menacing her if she slowed. Finally, satisfied she was cowed enough, he had left her to it.
It was endless, tiring work and she was always hungry. They gave her so little food. Her body was thin. Her arms looked like muscle, skin and bone, and nothing more. Her shift hung from her, dirty and torn. She didn’t know how long she could keep doing this. So many days had passed. She clung to the hope that her father or one of the young fighters of her home would rescue her. It was better not to think too much about it, however. If she did, she could see too many reasons why rescue was unlikely.
Something will happen, she told herself. I’m a princess. Princesses don’t die in the hulls of ships. When my rescuer comes, I’ll be alive and ready.
The five walls of the Altar met above the White. Juran spoke the ritual words to begin the meeting and Auraya joined the others to speak the short phrase that was their part. When all were silent, Juran looked at each of them, his expression troubled.
“We are here to discuss what to do about these Pentadrians in Si,” he began.
“Does this mean we are at war again?” Mairae asked.
Juran shook his head. “No.”
“But the Pentadrians have invaded one of our allies.”
“They have trespassed,” Juran corrected. “As far as we know, they have not harmed anyone within Si.”
“Because the Siyee aren’t foolish enough to approach them,” Auraya pointed out. “We must find out why they are there.”
“Yes,” Juran agreed. “That will take time. I will send the priests who have recently arrived at the Open to meet them.”
“Priests?” Auraya repeated, surprised. “Why risk their lives and subject the Siyee to such a delay? I can reach Si in a day.”
Juran exchanged a glance with Dyara before meeting Auraya’s eyes.
“That may not be wise.”
Auraya blinked in surprise. She glanced at Mairae and Rian, who looked as puzzled as she. “How so?”
He placed his hands on the table. “We know the Pentadrian leaders are powerful sorcerers. We know the remaining four are close to us in strength.”
“The one they call Shar—the vorn rider—is weaker than I,” Rian interjected.
“Yes,” Juran agreed. “You are the only one of us to face a Voice in single combat.” He paused, looking at Auraya. “The only one who has faced a still-living Voice, that is,” he added. “Fortunately, Rian overcame Shar. We can’t test ourselves against the others without risking that one of us will prove weaker, and be killed.”
“Then I will not approach if I see either of the two more powerful Voices,” Auraya said. “The weaker two should not be a problem.”
Juran smiled grimly. “Your courage is admirable, Auraya.”
“Why? We gained some idea of their strengths during the battle.”
“Some, but not