but the guard who emptied the chamber pot and brought him food twice each day. It was the same man who had brought Katlaina to see him.
Navarrestood away from the door, as ordered, while the guard slid his food tray under the bars.
The man looked at him a moment, then turned away.
"Wait!"Navarre crossed the floor, his hands curling around the bars. "Wait, please."
Slowly, the guard turned around. "What do you want?"
"Katlaina? How is she?"
"To talk to you is forbidden," the guard said, not quite meetingNavarre 's eyes.
"Please."
"She's in good health."
"I'll never see her again, will I?"
"No."
"And the... the child. Will I be allowed to see it before... ?"
"No."
Navarrepressed his forehead against the bars and closed his eyes. He'd never see her again, never see the child he had fathered. The pain that rose within him was excruciating.
Slowly, he raised his head and looked at the guard. "Please." He dropped to his knees, his hands clasped. "Please."
The guard took a step forward, his pale gray eyes filled with an odd mixture of pity, curiosity, and fear. "Been imprisoned since birth, haven't you?"
Navarrenodded.
"And now you're to be..." The man swallowed hard, unable to say the word.
"Sacrificed."
The guard nodded. In spite of himself, he felt a wave of compassion for the young man. Some said it was an honor to be the chosen one, to give one's life in behalf of the people. But he had never seen it so. "Afraid, are you?"
Navarremade a sound of disgust deep in his throat. "I'm angry! Angry that I am to be sacrificed to appease a goddess I don't believe in, that I am to be killed for people I have never seen."
"I'm sorry," the guard murmured. "Sorry for you. Sorry for me. Like you, I was given no choice regarding my life. I was told that I would be a guard in the palace of the High Priest. Told who I would marry and where I would live. And while I am not to be sacrificed, I have spent my whole adult life inside these prison walls."
"But you can go out when you choose,"Navarre said, rising to his feet. "You have a house of your own. A woman of your own." He drew a deep breath and let it out in a long, slow sigh. "You have been kind to me. I would know your name."
"Markos."
"What will happen to me, to Katlaina, if the child she bears is a female?"
The guard looked surprised by the question.
"I know not. Such a thing has never happened."
"Please let me see her again."
"I cannot. I'm sorry."
"Please, Markos."
The guard took a step forward. "You must promise me something if I let you see her."
Navarrefrowned at the odd request, wondering what he could possibly do for the man. "I will."
"Before you die, the priests will give you a list of requests."
"Requests?"
"You are being sacrificed so you can carry the messages of the priests to the goddess. They will have you ask her for a good rainfall so that the crops will grow. They will tell you to ask that our men might be strong, that our women might be fertile, that our enemies will fall before us."
"And if I refuse?"
"You will not. Trust me,Navarre , they have ways to extract your promise. Ways you do not wish to learn."
"What do you want of me?"
"When you see the goddess, I want you to ask her to bless me with a son."
"I will."
Markos smiled. "Tonight," he said. "When the moon is waning, I will come for you."
Never had the hours of the day passed more slowly. Finally, after what seemed like days, Markos appeared.
"Promise me that you will not try to escape," Markos said.
"I promise."
"Turn around," Markos ordered, and whenNavarre obeyed, Markos lashed his wrists together, then unlocked the cell door.
"There's no need to bind my hands,"Navarre said. "I gave you my word."
"But it's my head that will be on the block should you decide a try at freedom is worth more than your word," Markos replied candidly. "Quietly now."
Moments later,Navarre was ushered into a large, sumptuously appointed chamber.
With a long chain, Markos shackledNavarre 's left ankle to an iron ring set in the middle of the floor, then released his hands.
"Remember your promise," Markos called over his shoulder as he went out the door. "I will return for you in an hour."
Left alone,Navarre glanced around the room. He had never seen a king's palace, but surely only royalty lived in such splendor. Heavy drapes of pale yellow brocade hung at the windows.