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Her cousins gasped and hesitated, but Ashia kneas foolish--and useless--to argue with a Bride of Everanity intact, she removed her hood and pulled her fine black silk robe over her head Beneath, a wide strip of silk around her chest flattened the beginnings of her woman’s shape Her bido, too, was fine black silk, wrapped in a loose, si," Melan said Her eyes flicked to Shanvah and Sikvah, still hesitating, and her voice becairls stood naked, and they were taken out the far side of the roohts in the stone far above The floor was tiled marble, deep ater Ornate fountains kept the water , and the air was hot and thick with steam It put even Kajivah’s baths to sha fro in the stone bath, or lounged on the slick stone steps at its edges, shaving and paring nails As one, they looked up to regard the new girls

Ashia and the others were no strangers to bathing alongside other girls, but there was a frightening difference between these baths and those in the woirl’s head was shaved bald

Ashia reached up, touching the lush, oiled hair she had cultivated for a lifetiht the look "Enjoy the touch, girl It will be your last for soasped, and Shanvah put her hands to her head protectively

Ashia forced herself to let go, dropping her hands to her sides, drawing a calrow back" Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched her cousins cale ca for a woman’s curves, but her eyes and face were much as the Damajah’s

Ashia felt a wave of relief Holy Ahter of the Deliverer and Damajah Once, they had been as close as Aso her arms out It had been years since she had last played with Amanvah, but it did not matter She was their blood, and would help thenored her, refusing to er and inches shorter than Ashia, but her bearing made it clear she considered her cousins beneath her now She irls to face Melan, ’s eyes boldly for a Betrothed

"Here to study pillow dancing?" she s women, mostly from poor fa lessons before they were sold to the great harem So a fortune in dowry

Melan nodded "An hour each day And an hour of singing Another at writing, and a fourth to bathe"

"And the other twenty?" Aranted the Chaoosebuled not to shiver despite the hot air

But Melan shook her head "The other twenty, they will study sharusahk They belong to Enkido"

There were gasps froirls, and even A look

Ashia suppressed a snarl She was blood of the Deliverer Enkido was but half a ht have to obey his instruction, but Nie take her before she think herself his property

"Shave them, and teach them the bido weave," Melan said

A"

"Thank you, cous …" Ashia began, but as soon as Melan left, A to three of the older girls, who i theirls, resu Ashia, Shanvah, and Sikvah as the nie’da cut away their beautiful hair and shaved their heads Ashia stared forward, willing herself not to feel the loss as her heavy locks fell away