Five Days Later,
"You're practically glowing," Alisa teases in the human tongue.
I pour another bag of laundry into the swirlingcesto de lavado. ?1The unfrozen river beats through a spout into a conical pool. As the clothes spin around in the water, I bite my lip and unceremoniously dump another bag of grated animal fat soap into the whirlpool.
"I'm merely well rested," I say at last. It’s a lie—I’d been working hard mending, washing, and drying from morning until dusk. When I get close to the end of my chores, a new bag seems to magically appear.
But not today.
Tonight, I will be finished, and I will finally be able to celebrate Thea and Wren’s birthday. It’s lightened my mood.
Alisa and Daria are still laughing when they pass me one of the long staffs to beat the grime out of the clothes. This is the first day I’ve been able to wash with them since I returned.
At the feast weeks ago, Alisa and I had danced around the subject of my departure. Today feels like a continuation of that.
"Well-fucked is more like it," Daria says then glances around for any newcomers before leaning close. "Except the great bear of a man who leads your house is far, far away from Zlosa."
"A lady never kisses and tells," I say quickly.
Both of them chortle. But then, when Alisa looks at me, her face grows serious.
"I'm happy for you. I hope you know that," she says.
I swallow, then turn back. "Please, don’t tell anyone. I beg you both."
The women exchange glances, then nod. They seem different—closer than before.
"I swear it," Alisa says.
"On my life," Daria continues.
I go back to washing. For a time, the only sound in my ears is water rushing. It drowns out everything else, and it almost chases away the dark thoughts lingering in my mind.
Ra'Sa has been silent today, but I can't stop thinking of our nightly trysts. I see him over me, feel him fill me up, and the ache turns into ecstasy. Reliving the moment when I fell apart in his arms has me blushing.
Fucking.Blushing.
I had been careful—very careful for quite a while. I just want to know how I ended up in this place.
And how I agreed to let him come with me to visit the girls tonight. I'll apologize for missing their birthday. I'll make it right. But... he'll see it all.
"Did you hear they stopped killing the lumber yard slaves?" Alisa says, almost out of nowhere.
I pause, looking back at the two women as they set in on another batch of brown and white cloth. I find they are waiting for me to respond.
"Yes," I say, wiping the sweat collecting on my brow. I don’t know what more to say. The amount of death feels surreal. Colossal. It’s hard to tell if this is an end to the pain, or merely a pause.
I hope it is the former.
Alisa’s head tilts to the side. "We've had such little rebellion in this region. I think that they couldn't afford to lose more workers."
Daria laughs bitterly. "There are so few of us left. They're content to breed us like cattle and work us to death. What a nightmare."
I nod. "I agree."
Silence falls again as we beat dirty stains from the clothing. I measure the seconds, trying to find the right time to continue the conversation.
"Have either of you heard anything more about the rebellion?"