Led by Kargan, her escort led her away from the harbor along a broad avenue with tall buildings on both sides. These people knew their city, yet the route veered and twisted; there was no clear plan to the streets. She plunged through the bazaar, overwhelmed by the scent of strange spices, stench of refuse, odors of cooking, and sweaty, swarthy masses of hawkers and thronging city folk. The escort kept her moving, clearing the crowd ahead, but it nonetheless took an eternity to exit the bustling marketplace.
Beggars leaned against walls on every street corner. A skinny one-armed Ilean tugged on Chloe’s sleeve, but was swiftly repelled by a blow from a soldier’s triangular shield. Children with faces pockmarked by disease hid fearfully from the group, tucking themselves into doorways and raising their arms to ward off blows that never came. The soldiers knocked to the ground an old man leading a donkey who didn’t hear them coming. Glancing over her shoulder, Chloe saw him wearily struggle back to his feet.
Their path twisted and climbed as they now entered a wealthy residential area, the quarter closest to the palace. The doors here were made of solid wood, barred against intrusion. Chloe was constantly in shade; the sun’s rays couldn’t penetrate the streets below.
She lost track of how many steps she climbed, and then suddenly she was in a wide, curving street, squinting and feeling bright warmth on her face. They followed the well-paved road, which skirted a high red wall, smooth and tall. The wall curved and their path curved with it.
Thinking constantly of escape, Chloe realized they were following the exterior wall of the sun king’s palace. She took note of the height – as tall as three men – and the wooden spikes on top placed every few inches. It was designed to keep intruders out and prisoners in.
She saw an elaborate pillar ahead and then a matching post on the other side, a wide gap between them. A dozen soldiers stood just inside the palace gate, with leather skirts covering yellow trousers and matching breastplates over tunics.
A tall officer recognized Kargan and bowed. ‘Overlord. You have been missed. We thanked the sun god when we saw the Nexotardis approach. The king of kings wishes to see you.’
‘I have a prisoner,’ Kargan said gruffly, indicating Chloe. ‘She’ll need to be readied before I present her to the sun king.’
‘Should she be quartered with the women?’
‘Until we know what Solon wants with her, that would be best.’
Without another word, Kargan strode imperiously into the courtyard within, his steps bold as he followed a wide path framed by gardens.
Chloe was now alone.
‘Come, girl,’ the officer said. ‘Follow me.’
24
Chloe had neither weapon nor the skill to use one if she had. She was confused and in a strange place. She was determined to find a path to freedom, but for the time being, there was nothing she could do.
The officer handed her to another palace guard, who delivered her to yet another. He took her through an archway draped with a length of silk to obscure the interior. She passed through the gardens just inside the palace wall and then entered a long passage skirting a central courtyard filled with flowering shrubs. She crossed a high-ceilinged atrium that allowed light and air to flood the interior, before following a passage that veered twice at sharp angles.
She now stood outside another curtained entrance while her guard cleared his throat. ‘Eunuch!’ he called.
A wild-looking man with shoulder-length hair and pockmarked skin pulled aside the curtain.
‘What is it?’
‘A newcomer. See she is washed and made ready to present to the sun king, should he call for her.’
The tall man rumbled an assent and took hold of Chloe’s hand. He was as big as Kargan. Attempting to free her hand would serve no purpose other than to anger him.
‘Come,’ he said. ‘You stink, girl.’
He led her down the hall, past open doorways at both sides, to the very end, pulling another curtain aside to reveal bright sunlight. Chloe exited into a sunny courtyard, where ewers of water stood beside wide basins. Piles of cloth sat on stone benches. Small jugs lined the wall.
‘Strip,’ the man said.
Chloe swallowed. She scanned the courtyard, seeing a high wall on all sides, with the only doorway the one through which she’d just emerged.
‘Hurry up. We’re alone here. The curtains mark out the women’s quarters. You’re safe from prying eyes.’
Still she stood frozen.
‘Look, girl,’ he said in exasperation. Pulling down his loose trousers, he revealed an abdomen coated with hair that grew thicker as her eyes inadvertently traveled down. He thrust his hips out obscenely and parted the bush of black hair.
Chloe flinched as she saw a gash where his manhood should have been.
He pulled his trousers back up. ‘They took it all. You have nothing to fear from me. Now take your filthy garment off.’
She removed first one copper pin and then another, shrugging out of the diaphanous chiton and letting it fall to the floor. The eunuch – she understood the word now – looked on impassively. She felt strange to be naked and standing out in the open in a foreign place. The constant sun of the voyage had tanned her limbs golden, leaving the rest of her body pale as milk.