The water was cool.
Nula shivered slightly as the bath slave sponged her with the lilac-scented water, but she stood quietly, knowing that it was fear rather than the water’s temperature that was making her tremble. She also knew that showing that fear would be a mistake. No one would pity her; no one would help her. Showing fear would only delight the other concubines as well as the bath slaves, those who never hoped to grace a prince’s bed. Nula could not show weakness. She was a captive, her parents and her people slaughtered. Tonight, she would be given as a gift to King Torrin’s twin sons, Thanos and Aelius. If the gods smiled, perhaps she would die from their attentions.
In their lavish suite within the palace, Thanos and Aelius finished their meal. They’d hunted this day, bringing down both a doe and a wild pig, and the palace kitchens had done justice to the viands.
