Gold to Dust

Chapter One

   Ellegra lifted an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

   Tamshie limply pointed a finger at Ellegra's figure, and her eyes fell on her clothes. "You wouldn't be able to hide your sex if you tried."

   Ellegra chewed the skin from the her lip in thought. She hadn't thought much of her body on the journey across the desert, but now that she stood before the place they'd been trying for weeks to reach, she felt like a complete fool for having not thought of it sooner. Before she could think of something, Tamshie was already dangling her kerchief in front of her. The black silk reflected a dark sea of waves rippling in the wind. "Tie this around your breasts and tighten it. It should hold them down and make you look less curvy."

   Quickly Ellegra peeled off her stained shirt and unlaced her bodice, handing it to her friend. She wrapped the kerchief around her chest three, four times before it ran out, then laced her shirt back up and replaced her own face wrap. She held up her arms for examination and turned in a slight circle. Tamshie muttered a noise that sounded like approval. "I can still see you, but the wrap does a slightly better job of diverting the eyes away from your body to your face." Her eyes lingered on the bright white scar marring the smooth skin of Ellegra's right eyebrow down to her jaw. "The marking adds a certain air of masculinity to your otherwise suspicious character." Ellegra cringed, dropping her head. Nodding, she turned and walked toward the city, trying to ignore Tamshie's words. Once she reached the first markethouse she couldn't restrain the familiar feeling that began to run over her.

   Just four years ago she'd been entering on this same road with her father and older brother Baz. Four years ago, she'd been dueling on the ledge of the oasis with the Mastran's only son Arem, the sounds of their swords clashing and ringing throughout the crowd and the loud laughter that followed when she'd knocked him into the water.

   She tore her gaze away from the oasis and meandered down the street, glancing at each sign above every door of every building. Some caught her eye and made her mouth water: breads, fruits, meats, ales, spices. When her eyes read the sign of the Fire Phoenix Inn, she bolted towards it and pulled the door open. Her boots softly caressed the floorboards as she found her way through the dimly lit tavern lobby. Three men lingered in the room, two seated at a table in the far left corner and another wiping down tables. He looked up and narrowed his eyes at her, his head tilted a little too speculatively to give her comfort. Ellegra made her way over to him and swallowed. "How much for three nights?" she asked, summoning her deepest voice.

   He seemed slightly taken aback by her appearance and went back to wiping his tables, seemingly decided she wasn't suspicious. The rhythm with which he wiped his cloth over the table occupied him and relieved her. "A senzi a night." He pulled a key from his pocket and held it out to her.

   Taking it, Ellegra nodded and slid the three coins from her hand on the table. The man swept up the money without even stopping his cleaning of the table. "And how much to have a couple of ales delivered to the room?"

   "One mug is complimentary for guests staying more than two nights. Your first one's free. Extras are another senzi a mug."

   Again, she dug into her sac and slid two more. This stopped him. "I'll have two more delivered within the hour."

   He gawked at the purse of money on her hip. Licking his lips he brought his gaze back to her face and nodded. "Meals are two senzis per person, and we can also provide extra blankets—"

   She turned away and began walking towards the staircase near the far left where the seated men drank their mugs dry. "Which door is it?"

   The man grumbled under his breath. "Seven." He cursed quietly and went back to cleaning.