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A gold-leafed round-top carriage pulled by an ivory horse teae is theI have ever seen, but an inner chill shakes me I cannot mistake who is inside One of the empire’s elite has come to Samiya, and the benefactors make this journey up fro

Jaya frowns so hard that a crane could roost on her lower lip I was raised in the Sisterhood of the Parijana faith froht When she shared horrible memories with me from her life before, my stomach ached for days

Several horseback riders come into view My heart pounds harder The lead soldier is the clearest to s taper from narrow hips and a boxy, solid chest He is the first man I have seen in person My eyes widen to take hi than the chapel od I want to see him more closely

Slingshot ready, I rise for a better look—and stand in full view of Priestess Mita, the headoes directly to her I dragfor another look at the lead soldier, but it is too late to see his face again

“Kalinda,” snaps the priestess

I hasten into the courtyard Jaya picks up the two potted plants she brought out for a spot of sunshine and cradles theh the dark temple entry S incense sticks stationed in the corridor to lessen the mustiness The priestess passes us lit oil lamps

“What were you doing outside the grounds?” For a short, shoulder-hunched woman, her authority could make a mountain tremble

I brace against her scowl “Jaya was helping me practice for skill trials”

“What did you see on the road?”

“Nothing”

Her nostrils flare “Is that true, Jaya?”

Jaya lowers her eyes “Yes, Priestess”

The priestess’s gaze cools She believes Jaya overin the north tower I was tired of being bedridden, and I often sneaked up to the restricted observatory for fresh air I tiptoed up there unseen for years, until she caht The tower door has been locked since, and Priestess Mita’s trust in me has been stoith the key

“Jaya, go to supper,” orders the priestess

My friend sendsthe way down the corridor

Priestess Mita pins rounds, Kalinda,” she says Then her voice turns careful “Are you content here?”

“Yes, Priestess”

This is hest peak of the Alpanas to protect it, but, given the opportunity, I would do the same for another look at the lead soldier I tip ht to hide my flush

Priestess Mita clucks her tongue “Focus on your lessons, your sisters, and your devotion Of the five godly virtues, which do the gods esteem above all else?”

“Obedience,” I ods intended us to be stripped of all but one choice Then again, when it co, none of us have any choice at all

“You will do well to re as she leaves to greet the arrival party

I stare at the closed door at the teoes I could open it a crack and steal one last peek at the men, but I know that it was fortunate that Priestess Mita did not punish me I do not want to tempt her further

My la hall My footsteps resound through the corridors of the building, where teachings about the Claio, the tee for fe women Like all Sisterhood temples of the Parijana faith, it operates solely on enerosity is not without cost They can travel to any Sisterhood temple and claim a ward—to be their servant, courtesan, or wife

I quicken my step I do not want to be claimed for any of these positions I do not want to be claihters cannot wait to leave this remote fortress, but they will leave here only if they are claimed to live whatever life a benefactor dictates for theods than leave and serve a man

Chatter fro hall I pause at the doorway and scan the knee-high tables for Jaya She is sitting with the other daughters our age, including Falan and Prita Jaya motions me over to an empty floor cushion next to her Sarita and Natesa sit across from them at the same table I force away a frown and kneel beside Jaya Falan and Prita s

“Bamboo Girl,” Natesa mutters

Sarita snickers around a ers I do not wish to take on their tired insults about ht and skinniness

Jaya leans into ht?”

I shrug and poke at e, but not in front of the others I would rather that our rare glimpse of the outside world stay between us