“But you are above them, mistress. The king has never given any of his wives the choice of their chambers.”
“Perhaps not. But since he has given it to me, it is my prerogative to choose the place most comfortable.” She smiled, wondering if this girl realized that until a week
ago, their situations were not so different. “I daresay even the vilest of these rooms will be far more luxurious than to what I am accustomed. In my father’s house, I was
fortunate to share a room with only my four sisters and not also with my five brothers.”
The corner of Desma’s mouth tugged up. “Ten of you? Your mother must be a woman of limitless patience.”
“And limitless love.” Who was helping her with the wee ones now? The twins were the next eldest girls, but they were too involved with their own thoughts. Ah well, they
would have to step out of their private world. At least Eglah and Sarai were well behaved. The younger boys, though . . . they delighted in giving the girls grief.
Desma sighed. “Very well. This way.”
They skirted the courtyard and moved down a hallway lined with doors. Desma stopped before a closed one at the end, and another of the maidservants—Leda, was it?—tugged
the iron ring to open it. The taller of the eunuchs, Theron, entered first and took account of the chamber before nodding. The group broke their ranks so that she might
enter.
It was a dim room, the only windows low and small. But the scent of flowers wafted in from them, and the appointments were blessedly simple.
Desma shook her head. “It is too close, surely. There is another—”
“No, it is perfect.” She noted two other chambers connected to this one, probably intended for the servants or perhaps a child or two. Put together, it was as large as her
father’s house. “Perfect.”
Though her surprise was colored with disbelief, Desma relented with a tilt of her head. “As you wish, mistress. We will have your belongings brought over.”
Three of the maids scurried away, and the eunuchs took up position in the corners of the room. Kasia looked around, wondering how a wife was to pass her days when she had no
household, no mending or cooking, and no babes.
“Well, this is most unusual.”
At the vaguely familiar voice of Queen Atossa, Kasia spun back to the doorway. Xerxes’ mother stood in all her regal splendor with a lifted brow and a crooked smile. “Here
you are in the lowliest chamber of the house of wives, yet my son assures me you are all he hoped and more.”
When the queen mother took a step into the small room, her presence seemed to fill it so much Kasia felt she should kneel in deference. She allowed herself only to dip her
head. “He gave me leave to choose my own rooms.”
“And you chose this?”
“As you see.”
Atossa shook her head, but her face reflected approval. “You are an odd girl, Kasia. And I have not seen the king smile so brightly since he was a boy. Come, share the meal
with me and some of the other women I think you will like. We will introduce you to life here—and teach you how to avoid Amestris, though you will have to appear at her
feast this week.”
More relieved than excited, Kasia followed her new matriarch out the door.
Six
Xerxes settled onto his throne and scanned the courtroom. Even at such an early hour, it was filled with men chattering, arguing, laughing. Some in military regalia, others
in the finery of private citizens. Still more in the rough garb of commoners come to seek help or counsel.
All signs of a busy, productive empire. And yet on this morning, the empire made his smile dim. This morning, he would prefer to forget he was king for a few more hours.
“My lord.” His uncle appeared at his side, a telltale line in his forehead. Artabanus could out-worry any man in the kingdom—if Xerxes listened to his every concern,
nothing would ever get done. The war was a perfect example—he had very nearly changed his mind about the campaign based on Artabanus’s advice. Had it not been for that
startling vision they shared two years ago . . .
Even his uncle could not maintain his skepticism in the face of the god.
Xerxes greeted him with a smile. “What is it today, uncle?”
“Another stretch of canal has collapsed at Athos.”
Xerxes stifled a groan. This was not how he wanted to spend his day. He would rather dwell on thoughts of his sweet Kasia and her excitement at another night in his arms. “
Naturally. A plan we adopted to avoid problems, and it causes more. I wonder if sailing around the mountain could prove any more a travail than bypassing it. Repairs?”
“They are reinforcing the walls, I believe, but the collapse killed a great many workers.”
Xerxes rested a knuckle against his lips and sighed. “Something must be done about these continual collapses. Has every group encountered it?”
“All but the Phoenicians.”