The Whore of Babylon

Chapter 8 | part 2

He recognised her almost immediately. Swearing, he let her go, snatched up her hand and dragged her back into the recess she had pounced from.

The space was small, and they were almost pressed up against each other. She rubbed at the thin line his blade had left on her neck.

He breathed hard as he looked down at her, trying to bring his heart rate under control. 'What did you think you were doing?' he hissed furiously. 'I could have killed you!'

'I had no idea you wore a dagger to the bathhouse,' countered Eliana.

'I wear a dagger everywhere. Why are you down here? You and I have nothing more to say to each other.'

'Actually, we have a great deal to say to each other!' her anger rose to match his. 'You kiss me, tell me that you love me, then leave in a rage and take great pains to avoid me for a full month – do you really not have anything to say to me about that? Because I can think of a few words for you!'

'I should never have said it.'

'Why not? Was it untrue?'

'I should never have said it because it is true,' he spat back. 'Nothing but misery and danger can come of it, and I've shamed myself into the bargain by coveting what is Samsu's.'

'I am not Samsu's – I will never be his. You know that as well as anyone.'

'He would beg to differ, and you may be sure he'd leave you with something to help you remember, if he heard you say so.'

'He will take my body, but my heart is my own to give. I would choose to give it to you.'

'Well I would not choose to accept it. Eliana, too much is at stake, you must realise that.' His voice was harsh.

Her eyes filled with unexpected tears and spilled over. 'Of course I know that. But you did not give me a chance to tell you that I could love you too, if you would let me.'

Softening, he reached up and brushed the tears away with his fingertips. 'My brave girl – I can't let you love me. I couldn't be responsible for adding to your misery. I know you will never be Samsu's, but you must know that he will never let you be mine.'

Before she knew what she was doing, Eliana stretched up onto tiptoe and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her hands in his hair. He inhaled sharply, but did not pull away. Giving a deeply satisfied groan, he leaned into her, pushing her gently back against the wall and pressing his body down the length of hers.

Reluctantly, he let her go, pressing his hands against the wall as if he needed to have them in plain sight to stop them wandering. 'This can't be, and we both know it.'

'But... please don't stop being kind to me. Perhaps we can't be together, but we can be friends. I have precious few friends in this place, and I can't bear to have you against me.'

He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, 'that much I can promise, little one. I shall always be kind to you while it's in my power.'

Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed it, backed out of the space and was gone.

As soon as he was out of sight, she raced back to the apartments with winged feet.

Creeping back in, she could hear movement in the bedroom. It was too late to get back into the bed unnoticed, then.

She resorted to her second plan and stole out into the gardens, away to her favourite corner. When Kisha and Mari found her missing, they would usually search for her here.

As she sat and waited to be discovered, her spirit soared. She had known that Ashan wouldn't agree to a secret affair, but the outcome was the best that she could hope for. To know that he still cared for her, that he would not ignore her any more. That he was her friend in this red glazed prison.

It was enough that she would be in his company from time to time, knowing how he felt, and waiting to steal a glance. They could not be together, but she could depend on his continued kindness, and that was more than she could expect from anyone else here.

This joyfulness continued all that week and into the next. Even Kisha remarked on how much improved her mood was; Mari eyed her suspiciously, not daring to vocalise any of her fears in case they turned out to be true.

The bubble burst half a moon after her confrontation with Ashan.

Suen was high in the sky, and Eliana slept peacefully beside her sister, with Sarri in the cradle at the foot of the bed.

The door flew open with a bang, startling the sisters awake. Kisha sat up with a shriek, frightening Sarri, who began to wail. A figure brandishing a torch stood silhouetted in the frame, like a demon come up from the underworld.

Depositing the flame in a wall bracket, the unmistakeable shadow of the Brute strode around the bed to where Eliana lay. He seized her by the wrist and hauled her from the warmth of the bed, dropping her roughly to the floor.

Head still fugged with sleep, she didn't resist.

'Did you miss me, whore?' he breathed. 'I missed you. We have just arrived back. Samsu will see you tomorrow night – if you please him, he'll keep you for his own. This might be our last night together.' The fire was reflected in his eyes, making them dance orange in his dark face. If it hadn't been for the grounding chill of the tiles beneath her, Eliana would have wondered whether this was reality or a nightmare where he truly was a demon come to earth.

He used her in his usual way, with unnecessary force and still with the dust of the road clinging to his tunic. Taken by surprise and with a clouded mind, there was no fight in Eliana. He seemed disappointed as he spent himself and threw her back to the ground.

Kisha had remained silent throughout, clutching the blanket to her chest to protect her own modesty; though, without Samsu's permission, the Brute would not even look at her.

Sarri still cried from the cradle.

Pulling down his tunic, the Brute turned to march from the room.

Horrified, Eliana watched as he kicked out hard at the cradle as he passed. It teetered for a moment, before crashing to the floor, spilling its precious contents.

Kisha leapt up like she'd been branded, all modesty forgotten, scooping up the screaming infant and checking her all over for damage.

'Hush! Hush!' she soothed and tutted, once she was happy that Sarri had not suffered any serious injury. The Brute had left the torch behind, and Eliana could see that Kisha was as pale and shaken as she was.

It was the first time that Kisha had forgotten to ask after her sister following one of the Brute's assaults.

Eliana barely noticed. As soon as she knew that her little niece was no more than rattled and upset, her mind returned to the Brute's words.

Samsu would see her tomorrow. If she pleased him, she would no longer have to suffer at the Brute's hands.

But she was no longer sure what would please him: courage or submission.