Witch Fall(14)
Lilette watched him go, hate tearing her apart from the inside out. She wished she could sing. Wished she could remember the words to bring down the palace and all its walls.
Her enemies outnumbered her and were bigger and faster. If she made a run for it, she’d be caught and restrained further. She must wait for the right time. It would come. It had to.
She faced the person waiting for her as her mind pieced together faded rumors and overheard bits of conversation from her childhood. He—for it was a he—was a eunuch, and eunuchs were the servants and guards of the harem. He was very plump, from his rolling stomach to his bulbous nose and round face. But beneath all that fat was a hardness she recognized. This man had risen to his position by decisively defeating all who challenged him.
“I am Minor Chief Wang. I oversee the emperor’s harem.” He spoke as easily as if bound women were brought to him every day. Maybe they were.
From inside his robes, he pulled out a small flask and handed it to Lilette. “If you will take a swallow of this.”
She eyed the flask warily. “What’s in it?”
“A harmless tincture.”
She didn’t believe him. He was watching her too closely. “And if I refuse?”
“There are other, less pleasant ways to ensure your cooperation.”
The guards stepped closer. Lilette wanted to fight, but she was tired of being manhandled. And she wouldn’t win. Patience, she reminded herself. The opportunity will come.
Her expression hard, she took a mouthful of the liquid, then held her wrist to her lips and spit as much of it into her sleeve as she dared.
“Half a mouthful is nearly as effective as a full dose,” he told her. He took the flask and twisted it closed. Then he cut the rag that bound her wrists. “If you will come with me.”
It was not a question. After rubbing the circulation back into her hands, Lilette slipped her hand inside her pocket and brushed her thumb along the sharp edge of the phoenix. She studied the ramparts, soldiers pacing across the top, and considered making a run for it. But where would she go?
“Running will earn you twenty lashings with a bamboo rod,” Chief Wang said matter-of-factly.
When Lilette didn’t move to follow, he cocked his head to the side. “The outer gates are shut. There are hundreds of elite throughout the compound—and that’s if you can outrun the ones before you, which hasn’t happened yet. But you’re welcome to try. Usually once is all it takes before a concubine settles down and accepts her new life.”
The guards at the gate inched closer. When still she didn’t move, Chief Wang gave a long-suffering sigh, took a hold of her bruised arm, and tugged her past the guards.
On the other side of the door, Lilette glanced around. Beautiful trees were heavy with fruit, and fragrant flowers bloomed everywhere. Off to the right, a fountain trickled water into a circular lake filled with swans. A monkey called down to her from a tree.
The plants were so rich and full, it reminded Lilette of the jungle of her home. Her eyes welled with tears she refused to let fall. “This is the harem?”
Chief Wang continued walking, his gait hunched over and pained. “Yes. The emperor’s wives, concubines, and younger children all reside here.” Wang glanced at her, his gaze taking her in from top to bottom. “You have been granted the most secluded of our residences.”
“And what of the heir and his concubines?” she asked.
He raised a thin eyebrow. “The heir lives in the palace with his wife. He has no concubines.”
So Chen had made an exception for her. She peered between the trees and saw several small homes. Everything was balanced and flowing. But the serenity was broken by the daunting ramparts, guards prowling along its walkway. It was still a prison, albeit a beautiful one.
Lilette heard murmurs and music before a handful of women came into view beside the lake. In their colorful tunics, they were all beautiful and bright as a summer morning. There were also many eunuchs. All wore black robes, their heads shaved bare under their flat, conical hats with little tassels in the center. They turned to watch her curiously as she passed.
After a while, the houses began to thin until Lilette didn’t see anyone else. Swinging from branch to branch, the monkey continued to follow her. Chief Wang steered her down a side path to a secluded house. Unlike the others, this one had a wall half the height of the harem wall. The monkey perched on the top and called to them.
“Compounds within compounds,” she murmured.
Wang ushered her past the gate, beyond which was a sprawling garden and large house. “You may not leave this compound without the emperor’s permission.”