The Fisherman's Daughter Read Online Free Page B

opens the door. “Is this necessary?” she begins before whoever was knocking can answer. “I really don’t want to be disturbed right now.”
    Desdemona’s back is to Meiri, and light glimmers in the hallway past the door, but Meiri can’t see the person on the other side.
    “I’m sorry,” the Matron replies. Meiri recognizes her voice now that the door’s open. “There’s been a commotion in the house. One of our slaves has killed our cook and is trying to escape. We think she’s still in the house, and I wanted to make sure you’re safe. She’s the one with the scarred face.”
    Desdemona looks back at Tal Harun. Tal Harun stares at the curtain thoughtfully. He shakes his head. “We’re alone,” he states. “We’ve seen no one since we retired.”
    “I see.” Matron’s voice sounds embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Lady Desdemona, I didn’t know you had company.”
    “Are we safe?” Desdemona asks.
    “We will see to it,” she answers.
    After she departs, Desdemona closes the door. “The scarred one,” she says. “She served us this evening during the meeting.”
    “I know,” Tal Harun says. He strides purposefully over to the curtain and flings it open. “And she’s hiding in here.”
    Meiri gasps and stands, knees complaining at the sudden movement. She winces in pain as the blood rushes back into her lower legs, stoking the pins and needles. “Please don’t hurt me,” she says.
    Desdemona scowls at her. “She knows, Tal. She saw Leera. We can’t let her live.” She raises her hands.
     
7
    Tal Harun catches her wrist. “Have we sunk so low as to be murderers now?”
    “Daddy, is she going to hurt us?” Leera asks. She tugs on Tal Harun’s trousers.
    Meiri eyes the doorway, wondering if she can run past them. Then she thinks about the window behind her. She inches back towards the glass. The room is on ground level. Breaking the glass would alert the guards, but at least she might run and disappear into the alley streets first.
    “Don’t, if you want to live!” Tal Harun snaps as if reading her thoughts. Then, more gently: “There will be guards outside looking for you. You won’t get away. Did you kill the cook as the house mistress claims?”
    Meiri grits her teeth in anger. “Yes,” she admits. “But I didn’t mean to. I hit him with a skillet.”
    “Probably because he wanted something you weren’t willing to give, no doubt.” Desdemona frowns. She glances down at her daughter. “No, sweetie. She’s not going to hurt us. The question is, though, what to do with you?”
    Meiri is certain they don’t want to kill her. “I just want to leave,” she says. “You can’t turn me in. I know your secret.” She nods meaningfully towards Leera. She almost chokes at hearing her boldness. Perhaps she has gone too far.
    Desdemona raises an eyebrow, and her lips twitch in the hint of amusement. Meiri flushes hot with anger and shame at suddenly feeling even more insignificant than before.
    Meiri closes her eyes briefly and then opens them again. “Lord Keeva will kill me. They already punished me for seeing him weak before you. The cook thought he could get away with raping me, and Matron was so mad she just as well as offered me to him. I didn’t mean to kill him, but I don’t regret it. I just want to get out of the city now. I wasn’t born to this life.”
    “Where is home for you?” Tal Harun asks.
    Meiri’s fingers clench and curl over the sides of her gray dress. “It was a small village to the north.” Her throat chokes in anger. “At the edge of the Sutonian Woods. It was destroyed when the slavers raided us.” She looks out the window towards freedom. “Still… there are other villages. I’d go back to Fair Lake. I could build a life again.” She turns back to them. “My father—,” she choked, “he taught me to fish.”
    Desdemona turns to her lover. “This is what I’m talking about, Tal. This land is barbaric.”
    Tal Harun regards her