Laldasa Read Online Free Page A

together over her heart. “Why am I here?”
    Jaya smiled wryly—blunt. “It was your best option.”
    â€œThe others being?”
    â€œThe others being sale to the highest bidder or to a kaladan.”
    â€œA what?” She stopped by the stone table, her attention shifting from the bird-filled trees to his face.
    He averted his eyes and gestured for her to be seated, then moved to sit across from her. “A kaladan.”
    She shook her head. “Is that some sort of prison?”
    â€œSome sort of prison, yes ...   You seem to have a fixation with prisons.”
    The woman shrugged, causing the soft sunlight to dance in the folds of her gown. “It’s what my brothers told me could happen if I was stupid enough to lose my leaf.”
    â€œWhere did they hear this?”
    â€œOn Mehtar, I imagine. They’ve both been here several times.”
    â€œWell, they were misinformed. We don’t imprison idless people on Mehtar. We have work-farms and kaladans and large houses like this one that need das to run them as their masters require.” His sarcasm was not lost on his guest.
    â€œYou mean domestics?” She jerked her head toward the house. “You have them. How can you sound so disapproving?”
    â€œAri and Heli are family das. I ... ” He hesitated. He’d been going to say, ‘I don’t have any,’ but that was no longer true. He wondered if Anala understood her position. “Do you have das on Avasa?” he asked.
    â€œWe don’t call them that, or consider them that. My family has a large compound, so we’ve had to hire domestics and hands. They do become like family after a while ...   How do you know I’m from Avasa?” She shifted in her seat to watch Helidasa emerge from the house with a food-laden tray.
    â€œWhere else? Thank you, Heli.” He accepted a bowl of sliced fruit with a nectar sauce glistening atop it. “You know very little about Kasi, you had no cree in your palm—you’d have to be from an extremely rural area at the very least. But then you refer to Mehtar as if you’ve never been here, so the only logical answer is Avasa. Besides, your ... coloring is ... unusual, as is your accent. Anything I missed?”
    â€œI have an accent?” Anala paused in the act of biting into a fat, red berry. “You have an accent.” She bit into the berry and chewed it thoughtfully. “Is it unpleasant?” she asked after a moment.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThis accent you say I have.”
    He chuckled. “No, it’s very pleasant.”
    She nodded. “Yours doesn’t grate the ears either.”
    â€œThank you.” He studied her, considering what tack to take. “Do you understand what happened today?”
    She snorted. “I was robbed. I understand that perfectly well.”
    â€œAt the Bazaar?”
    â€œNo. Close, though. On the avenue that comes in from the spaceport.” She shook her head in disgust. “Stupid. I was so freighted down in that winter cloak—I was trying to juggle my pack and take the cloak off at the same time. I didn’t expect it to be so warm here.”
    â€œIt’s actually cool for Chaitra.”
    â€œCool is fine—our summers are cool—but I was wearing an insulsuit under that cloak. My brother said it was winter in Kasi this time of year. It’s more like late summer.”
    â€œWell, that entirely depends on your point-of-view. I suppose compared to what you’re used to, Kasi winters might seem rather mild.”
    â€œI should have expected that, of course, but I’d thought with the elliptical orbit ... ” She shrugged.
    He was surprised she understood that sort of thing and let it show in his expression.
    â€œWe’re not savages on Avasa, despite what the Consortium wants everyone here to think.” She hesitated, giving him a measuring look. “You’d be