Page 13 of Chasing the Night
Chapter Six
The Truth and The Test
Chalice
Reverie was a force all her own. She buzzed from scattered topics and ideas faster than she could commit to them. I found myself exhausted just listening to her. She announced I needed refreshing and called for the carriage driver to lug a bit of water up to my room.
The tongue lashing that ensued would have shamed a sailor, but Reverie never lost her bubbly tone and bright smile.
It won out. Moments later a tub was produced along with a basket of soaps and oils.
“That’s more like it!” she chirped with a triumphant smile. “Now, you just get yourself in there. I’m going to Momma’s room to fetch you a shift.”
“What? No!” I stammered, “I can’t wear her things … I…”
She giggled like I was being silly again, and gave my shoulder a pat. “Oh, Chali. You’re home now. You’re family, and she would be offended to hear that you even hesitated over such a small thing.”
She closed the door, giving me my first moment alone since the day had begun. It took a while, for the nerves to go away. Once my hands had stopped trembling and I had convinced myself I wasn’t entering my own grave, I started to undress and threw a leg over the side of the high-backed stone tub. I wasn’t even aware such a thing existed; I’d only seen the wooden variety a time or two, and that was only in passing. We used the river to bathe or whatever watering hole wasn’t too contaminated by upstream bodies.
The door creaked, and I shot down into the water, trying my best to conceal my nakedness. Thankfully, it was only Reverie, returned with the bath goods.
“You have skin just like her,” Reverie softly admired. She stared at my shoulder before cupping some water in her hand and trickling it down my back. “Ya’ll have the same sun-favored genes. I’m jealous! Atticus never lets me out of the house on warm days”
Her face reflected the words she spoke, all the way down to the brief pout that threatened her lower lip.
“Why?” I asked, amazed by my own curiosity once more.
“Because it will cause me to catch color. He says when the color fades, the skin is left rougher and never really catches the fair nature it was intended.”
I could tell by the big words and serious tone she injected that the words were not her own. I was willing to bet she really didn’t comprehend half of what she was reciting.
“It’s true,” I said, “The sun ages skin. Sometimes it causes hideous spots on the face of old peasant women. They toil under the sun year-round and pay for it in their retirement.”
I hadn’t lied, every word was true. When the moles grew large, scabbed over, and began to drain there really wasn’t much that could be done. Even when removed, they often returned and spread at a faster rate. Thus, it was ill advised amongst the healers to attempt the surgery.
She stared at me in horror and glanced to the window, which of course, caused me to also look. The curtains were still wide as you please, but even more, so were the ones across the patio.
Without a word, Reverie hurried over and jerked the curtains closed.
We finished up, and I soon found myself bathed and dry, admiring the soft white shift she had chosen for me. It had been pressed with the hot stones until every wrinkle had been seen to. It almost made me teary eyed, until a faint knock sounded at the door.
With the curtain pulled, I had no idea what to expect, so I tucked my hands behind me in an effort to appear casual and tried to lean enough to see past her without approaching.
“Hey, ya’ll, come on in!” she rambunctiously invited. “And you, dashing off without a hug.”
When no one entered she reached around a Spice Lander woman with dreadlocks and hugged Ender to her. He was hauled in and she abruptly turned back to the new face. “Well don’t just stand there, Aella! C’mon in and meet Chali...iss, Chalice.”
She flashed an apologetic smile and blushed a bit at her own error, but Aella dismissed her antics. She was young, blessed with high cheekbones and a long face that made her well-bred, by the Mountain standards. Her cute button nose contrasted the cut-to-the-chase attitude and distinct delivery of her words.
“I haven’t the time nor patience for your tea parties, Reverie.” Aella’s eyes cut like a knife from one face to the other until they settled on me. “Chalice of Rochambeau, tomorrow you shall become of the Krypt. I will fetch you at daybreak, and you will meet your new House Head.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. It didn’t matter, though. She turned and scanned Reverie from head to toe and back again before grimacing visibly. “See that she is ready, for fuck’s sake.”
The door clicked shut, leaving me to blink and wonder what I had done to offend the woman.
“I feel like I’ve been invited to my own execution,” I whispered, unable to raise my voice.
Ender laughed and hauled me against his other side. I gasped, unused to such familiarities, but oddly comforted by the gesture.