“Hello, Mother.” The words were a sigh. Anoor sunk into the armchair opposite.
“This is the servant Gorn informed me you’ve hired?”
“Yes. Sylah, say hello.” Anoor waved her hand between the two of them.
“Hello.” The word got stuck in Sylah’s throat, and she coughed.
Uka leaned backward.
“Don’t worry, poverty isn’t contagious.” The words were out of Sylah’s mouth before she could stop them.
One, two, three horrified faces.
The silence went on. Sylah clutched the hem of her uniform like it was a raft in a sea of red blood.
“Sylah, where is that name from?” Uka scratched her eyebrow with a clawlike nail.
“The north.”
“Near Ood-Zaynib,” Anoor offered helpfully, and Sylah’s stomach sunk.
“Ood-Zaynib?” Uka drummed her fingers on her thigh. “I went on a hunting trip there once.”
“Indeed.” The word spat out of Sylah’s twisted lips.
“It was very fruitful.” Uka watched Sylah carefully. She couldn’t know. If she did, Sylah would be dead.
“We do have a lot of desert foxes in the north.” Light and careful.
“Indeed.” Uka threw the word back at Sylah with a cruel smirk.
Sylah realized with a start that Uka’s eyes were a stormy gray, unlike the black depths of Sylah’s. She pondered the father she would never get to meet.
Uka uncrossed her legs and reached for the coffee. “You are dismissed. Gorn, you can go too.”
“No.” Anoor sat up from the chair that had been slowly consuming her. “Sylah can stay.”
Uka’s severe gaze lingered on Anoor. “These may be your chambers, daughter, but while I still breathe, my word is paramount to yours. In every corner of the empire.”
“But not beyond it.” Anoor uttered the words softly, under her breath.
Sylah had never seen the explosives they used to mine in the east of the empire, but she imagined they had a similar effect.
Uka recoiled, her shoulders stiff. Sylah’s ears were ringing with the speed of her blood.
Then Uka laughed.
“Beyond it? Oh, dear daughter. You are welcome to travel beyond the empire, but make sure you pack enough food for a long trip. There’s no land out there. In fact, please, raid the coffers, you might do me a favor heading out of the empire…indefinitely.”
Anoor looked at Sylah, who gave a small shake of the head. Now was not the time.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Warden.” Sylah bowed deeply.
Back straight, hips locked. Lift your head high and bring your feet together. Again, Sylah. Watch Jond now. There, he’s got it.
Anoor’s pleading face was the last thing Sylah saw as the door shut.
“Well, I made a great first impression.” Sylah was muttering to herself, but Gorn responded.