8
I tried to make sense of things and then I started feeling sticky – I stood and walked to my bathing pool, where Beza met me and washed away his seed without asking any questions. I wanted to tell her what had happened, but what would be the point? She wouldn’t understand.
So I swam laps and thought. What would he do next? Was he lying about teaching me? What could he teach me, treating me like that? I put a hand to my n****e underneath the water. It still stung.
I rose out of the pool with more questions than answers, and ate bites of fruit as Beza dried me off. When she was done, Joshan appeared in the doorway.
“Councilmember Yzin is here to see you, my Queen.”
I froze. Where was Zaan? If Yzin saw there was no statue – “Take him to my chambers, and keep Zaan out.”
“Yes, my Queen,
