Page 57 of Sands of Atonement

Eshe looked down at her food and began to move it with her fork.

“I was wondering if he would allow me to practice my dancing in the private arena just below my window.”

“You dance? How beautiful.” My mother beamed. “We are having a celebration in a few days. Will you perform for us? And where are you staying?” she questioned. “There is no arena next to any of the guest chambers.”

My brother and I spoke at the same time⁠—

“The guest chambers⁠—”

“They were filled from last week’s guests⁠—”

“—were getting cleaned this week⁠—”

“—there was nothing we could do but give her the chamber near the arena,” I finally got it out.

My brother and I looked at each other. I could see sweat accumulating on Casimir’s forehead.

Eshe smiled.

“Oh, I see. I didn’t realize our guests stayed that long. What a horrid place to put her in, Casimir.” She gave my brother a disapproving look.

Casimir flinched back and gave me a glare.

You did this, he seemed to say.

I take the blame for you all the time—you’ll be fine, I said in my mind.

Our mother looked back at Eshe. “This is something you can bring up to Ezra. He could answer that question since it is his private arena.”

There was silence at the table.

Eshe was twisting her loose pants around her finger under the table. She was nervous.

I contemplated what my brother shared earlier today.

I stared and studied Eshe while the table remained quiet.

She shifted in her seat.

“You can practice your dancing in my arena as long as there aren’t any of my men there.”

Eshe’s fork stopped moving. Her eyes finally met mine.

The room grew quiet, the silence nearly deafening.

“Thank you,” she eventually said softly as she raised her chin a bit higher. She looked back at her food and didn’t say another word for the rest of the meal.

Finally.

Chapter 15

Eshe

The new chamber was twice the size of the prison chamber I had been forced to live in. Waking up for the third morning in this bed, I was still in awe of how beautifully decorated it was. Orange and blue fabrics draped the walls and ceiling. The balcony was large enough for me to perform exercises there, but it was the fact that I could reach the ground or the roof of the palace that made me love it. I had more freedom, more choices now.

I only had to find more evidence that Ezra killed my family before I left to go back home.

If he hadn’t done it, I’d remain hidden so that I could focus on finding the murderer and avenging my family. It would be harder with eyes and ears if anyone knew my true identity surrounding me.