Footsteps and the sound of cascading water disturbed her dream of jewels hidden behind a gauze curtain. Voices distracted her from trying to find the hem of the curtain to lift.
Aeryl was standing at the foot of the bed. From there she directed a succession of servants to empty their pitchers into the water chair. A glance at the clock showed Irenya the last rays of the sun.
A voice called to her through a fog. ‘Irenya?’
The sun was gone and it was close to dinner time.
‘I must have dozed off again.’ Irenya frowned at the herbalist. ‘You sneaked something into the wine.’
‘A mere touch. Bathing will dissipate the residue.’
Irenya slipped out of bed and climbed into the prepared bath. She wondered what conclusions people drew from her collapse in the square. To her surprise, Aeryl apol
