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She knew even before the eunuch began to work that her legs would soon be full of pins and needles as well

He’s teaching, she realized The very lines on his body are the sacred text

She looked up at Enkido, and his face as he ed her injury seemed al the convergence point on Enkido’s back "I see it now I understand, and will tell the others … ht she was i

Enkido bowed to her, as a teacher to a pupil, before scooping her up in his arentle as a babe, to the warm entle fingertips over her eyelids, closing the her ar into a deep sleep

They ith a start Enkidothunder from the polished ra The girls shrieked and covered their ears, but the noise did not cease until they were on their feet Ashia had no idea what time it was, but they must have slept for hours She felt refreshed, if still sore

The eunuch replaced the horn on the wall and handed the roolances back at her cousins Shanvah’s face was frozen, thoughts far away Sikvah walked with a li sharp breaths as they went down a series of steps

As before, Enkido waited outside as they entered the dressing chamber They could hear the trickle of the fountains while they unwove their bidos, but it was otherwise quiet Indeed, they found the bath empty

Shanvah and Sikvah looked about nervously, dwarfed by the great cha their attention "Nie’Da Melan said ere to have an hour a day in the bath Let us not waste it" She waded out into the water, leading theest, most central fountain There were benches of s theroaned as she lay in the stea to her side to inspect the bruise on her thigh, gently reat Let the hot water soak the pain, and it will heal quickly"

"There will be others," Shanvah said, her voice flat and lifeless "He will never stop" Sikvah shuddered, her skin pi even in the warm air

"He will," Ashia said, "e solve the riddle"

"Riddle?" Shanvah asked

Ashia pointed to the bruise on her shoulder Shanvah had aone, As did Sikvah "There is a mark just like this on the master’s flesh When struck, the arain

"But what does itmystery," Ashia said "Melan said ere to learn sharusahk The Riddle of Enkido is a part of it, I’ive us a teacher who cannot speak?" Sikvah deain

Ashia squeezed her thigh reassuringly "Fear not, cousin Perhaps this is simply the way Our brothers all came back from sharaj with sharusahk bruises Why should we be different?"