Sapient Salvation 3: The Divining (Sapient Salvation Series)

by Jayne Faith

  “Where are you keeping her?” I demanded.

  “It’s better—safer—if you don’t know,” he said. “But please, don’t worry, Maya. I promise I won’t take her away from you or try to keep you from her. We just have to be extremely careful.”

  My worries came flooding back. “Are you absolutely sure no one knows? No one followed you?”

  “I’m sure.”

  I didn’t know how anyone could be that confident of anything in the palace. Lord Toric had alluded to the network of spies, and I couldn’t shake the sense that the walls had eyes and ears. After the trek with Clarisse from the harem quarters through the secret passages, I realized my paranoia might be closer to the truth than I’d imagined.

  “We need to get back,” Clarisse said urgently. “We’ve already been gone longer than I’d planned. We must go now, Maya.”

  She’d been hovering, tense and fidgety, nearby. At first I’d thought her unease was due to my emotional reunion with Lana, but Clarisse was worried about getting caught.

  I wasn’t ready to go, but Clarisse came forward and grasped my forearm. I squeezed Lana’s hands, and then reluctantly dropped them and allowed Clarisse to pull me away by the wrist.

  “I’ll see you soon, dear sister,” I said to Lana over my shoulder.

  Just before Clarisse dragged me out of sight of my twin, I glanced at Jeric. My lips parted in surprise as I glimpsed the soft, unmistakable expression on his face, the way he looked at Lana.

  Did she know? Could Lana know that Jeric was in love with her?

  I snapped my mouth closed with a click of my teeth as another question occurred to me: Did Lana have feelings for Jeric?

  I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about my discovery, but I couldn’t afford much effort toward pondering it anyway. Clarisse and I stole swiftly through the passages, and I focused on keeping pace with her and not tripping over my skirts. By the time she stopped, I was breathing hard and sweating in the stuffy air between the palace walls.

  She paused so I could clip the little button onto my dress and sling my shawl over my arm, and then I followed her back into the harem’s quarters.

  “Try not to draw attention to yourself,” she whispered. “We don’t want anyone wondering where we’ve been.”

  I nodded and walked silently next to her, wide-eyed and trying not to gawk too obviously into each doorway we passed.

  First there was an elegantly decorated cafeteria-style dining room. It was too late at night for meal service, but a couple of harem women clad in luxurious satin lounge robes browsed through ornate silver bowls of fruit on a table. The marble floor gleamed as if freshly polished.

  I couldn’t hear the women’s conversation, but one grasped the other’s arm, and they both broke out in laughter.

  I glanced at Clarisse, wondering if there were any women in the harem she laughed with like that. Perhaps she was warmer with some of her colleagues than she was with me.

  As we walked through the corridors, I took in the plush gold and pink runners under our feet, lovely crystal wall sconces, and intricate geometric designs stenciled on the walls. Every detail was rich and beautiful, from the décor to the clothes the women wore, and the place was impeccably clean—not a wall scuff or dust bunny to be seen.

  When we turned a corner and came upon a pair of women, also dressed in beautiful lounge robes, I stopped short, staring at one of them.

  “Rosa?” I said, just as the voluptuous redhead seemed to recognize me, too.

  “Maya!” she exclaimed. She threw her arms around me, and I hugged her back.

  Rosa was about six years older than me. When Lana and I were children, Rosa had lived a few houses away and used to watch us for a couple of hours each weekend while Mother delivered the pies and cakes she sold to supplement her income after Father died.

  Rosa stopped babysitting us when she entered training for the Tournament. The last time I’d seen her was at a Departure ceremony, when she’d passed through the portal from Earthenfell to Calisto.

  “I was so shocked when I learned you’d become an Obligate,” she said. “Weren’t you part of a clan that uses trained Obligates?”

  I nodded. “Our Obligate died just before the Selection, so we had to draw by lottery.”

  Sorrow flashed in her dark brown eyes. “That is most unfortunate. But clearly you are no ordinary Obligate.” Her eyes roved me curiously, as she was probably thinking about my survival of the flame and the Priestess’s recent declaration that I was the harbinger of the Return.

  I gave a short, rueful laugh. “That may be true, though I’m not entirely sure what it means.”

  “Lord Toric favors you.” She arched an eyebrow at me.

  Did everyone know about me and Lord Toric?

  I flushed, suddenly remembering where I was and who I was talking to. I didn’t want to think about it, but I couldn’t help wondering how many nights Rosa had spent in Lord Toric’s bed.

  “We’re on our way to the show,” Clarisse said pointedly. Her blunt manner made me wonder again if she had any friends in the harem.

  “Of course,” Rosa said. She touched my shoulder. “Take care, Maya.”

  I caught some of the whispered words of Rosa’s friend as they departed. “. . . doesn’t look so very special to me. Just an Earthen girl like the rest of us . . .”

  “Ignore that one, she’s just jealous,” Clarisse muttered.

  I glanced inside a half-open door and spotted a set of bunk beds. “Do you have to share?” For some reason it had never occurred to me that the harem women wouldn’t have their own private rooms.

  “The active members live two to a room. The retired ones get their own rooms.”

  We passed several more women, most of them walking in pairs, and none greeted Clarisse with more than a nod or polite “hello.” Some of them stared openly at me, and there were more whispers.

  We turned down a short, dark corridor and came to a pair of heavy curtains across an arched doorway.

  Clarisse parted the curtains and disappeared through them, and I slipped in after her.

  It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. My attention went straight to the stage. The set was made to look like a little forest—no, an orchard. I nearly gasped in delight when I realized that deep orange orbs—fruits that looked like the bergamines I used to pick—dotted the trees. I knew the set was fake, but for a brief moment, I could almost smell the heady scent of bergamine blossoms.

  Clarisse tapped my shoulder and tipped her head at two empty chairs in the very back row right next to where we stood. I sat down next to her, my eyes on the stage as I tried to work out the story that was unfolding.

  I leaned over to whisper in Clarisse’s ear. “How much have we missed?”

  “Most of it,” she said. “And we’re going to hurry out before they raise the lights. I promised Lord Toric I wouldn’t let you linger here. The fewer people who see us, the better.”

  A head of pale ringlets swiveled in the row ahead, and a familiar face peered back at me.

  Kalindi. Of course. She was a member of the harem now.

  She narrowed her eyes at me, and I felt my face harden. She’d been a shrewd and skilled competitor all through the Tournament, and I could not fault her for that. But I would never forget what she’d done to Britta at the end.

  I stared right back at her until she broke eye contact and faced front.

  We were too late for me to get the full gist of the play—something about a pair of young lovers. Some of the women were dressed in men’s clothes, with their hair tied up under caps, so they could play the parts of men.

  The play ended with the two male characters sneaking into the orchard, which was dark except for a spotlight trained on them. When the two actors grasped hands and then kissed, the audience erupted in giggles and applause.

  Clarisse jumped to her feet and hoisted me up by the arm. “Go,” she said, pushing me toward the exit.

  She hurried me back thro
ugh the corridors to the foyer and then out to where the guards were waiting.

  She nodded at the guards. “They will see you back to the Temple.” She turned to go back in.

  “Wait, Clarisse.” She turned, one hand on the door handle. I went to her and grasped her free hand tightly in both of mine. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

  I squeezed her hand, and she returned the pressure. She tipped her head in a little bow. “You’re welcome, Maya.” She gave me an impish little wink and then disappeared back into the harem quarters.

  It was well past midnight by the time I found my way into my bed, but I stayed awake for a long time, replaying my precious moments with Lana and wondering where Jeric was keeping her.

  When I woke, daylight was streaming through the windows. My eyelids felt like sandpaper over my eyes, and my muscles were stiff, as if I’d slept in the same position most of the night. I bathed and dressed, trying to re-orient myself to the day.

  Breakfast had been delivered, but the food and the pot of tea were cold by the time I got to them.

  I absently watched the media streams on the wall monitor, but my mind was on Lana. I kept telling myself she was safe—I’d seen it for myself—but seeing her had in some ways just fueled my anxiety.

  Perhaps it was sneaking through the walls with Clarisse. If she knew how to get around that way, surely many others did too, and not just women in the harem. Spying was a significant part of palace life. When Lord Toric had mentioned it to me, I’d reacted with vague distaste at the thought of people prying into each other’s lives. But it wasn’t simply an annoyance, I realized. It was an ever-present threat, an invisible lurking danger.

  It was past lunchtime when I finished my breakfast. When a chime signaled a visitor, I expected one of the Temple initiates had arrived to remove my breakfast service.

  I answered the door to find Lord Toric.

  I felt a smile automatically bloom over my face as I curtsied, and he responded with a smile of his own. But his aquamarine eyes were intent.

  I beckoned him inside. “Please, come in.”

  As soon as we had privacy, he slipped his hands around my waist and lifted me off the floor. His lips found mine for a long, delicious moment, and then he pressed his cheek against mine.

  “I’m so happy to see you,” he whispered into my hair.

  He lowered me to the floor but kept a hold of my hand, towing me to the settee, where he sat down and then pulled me onto his lap.

  I knew by the look in his eyes that his visit wasn’t just to say hello and steal a few kisses, but I was in no rush to discover the purpose of his call.

  “How are you?” I asked, reaching up to lightly touch his cheek.

  His eyes unfocused, and he remained silent for a long moment.

  “I’m filled with a sense of destiny,” he said. “It’s something I feel deep within, and also something I can detect in the world. Almost like the far-off rumble of an approaching storm, too low to hear with my ears, but I can sense its approach deep in my bones.”

  He inhaled deeply, as if clearing his mind, and tilted his head down to sharpen his focus on me. “And you, Maya?”

  Images from the previous night sprang to my mind, and I shifted a little. I had to keep the secret of my sister to myself. “I’m quite well. Clarisse was kind to entertain me last night.”

  “What did you think of the harem quarters?”

  “Truly lovely,” I said. “The women appear to live a luxurious life.”

  He plucked at the folds of my dress. “That is actually why I’m here. The Priestess would like to allow you to stay here, but only priestesses and initiates are allowed to live in the Temple.”

  My heart bounced in my chest. I knew where he was headed. “I’ll have to move to the harem quarters.”

  He nodded. “We think it’s best. It’s the one place in all of Calisto reserved for Earthen women, the only place you’re legally allowed to reside permanently. But you’ll be comfortable there. More importantly, you’ll be safe. Clarisse will be there.”

  I nearly laughed aloud. How had Clarisse become my friend and closest confidant?

  I placed my hand on his chest and looked into his eyes. “And how will you feel about me, just another Earthen girl living among your women?”

  His gaze intensified, somehow drawing me in even deeper. “You are not just another Earthen woman. You are my dark angel.”

  He slid one hand to the back of my neck and pushed his fingers into my hair, gripping it almost roughly as his mouth took command of mine.

  A hot bolt seared through me as my desire for him flared, and I urged the kiss deeper.

  I pulled away first. Despite my attraction to him—my love for him—my previous uncertainties resurfaced. I reveled in his attention, but there was truth to what I’d said: I was one of many women from which he could choose. And even if I was his favorite, I did not know how to give him what he needed.

  But perhaps joining the harem would give me the opportunity to learn. What did I have to lose by trying?

  Lord Toric departed, and an hour later, two guards arrived with a trunk. It took me less than half an hour to pack my few possessions.

  The guards waited outside my quarters to carry my trunk and escort me to the palace, but instead of calling for them, I sat very still on my bed, mentally preparing myself.

  Clarisse had given me a very small glimpse of harem life, and I’d sensed the undercurrents of opposition and intrigue. I could not allow myself to get swept up in harem politics—or worse, pulled under. I had to find a way to rise above and grow into the kind of woman Lord Toric needed.

  I finally rose and took a steadying breath. I went to the guards and leveled my gaze as determination flowed through me.

  “I’m ready.”

  Next in the series:

  Sapient Salvation Book 4: The Claiming

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  Keep reading for a preview of The Seas of Time, a romantic adventure with mysterious men from the future. If you enjoy time travel romance or hot chemistry with lots of faced-paced action, this one is for you!

  Preview of

  The Seas of Time

  by Christine Castle & Jayne Faith

  Prologue

  May 2565

  Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States of America

  Two decades after the achievement of light speed travel, unmanned exploratory missions located a planet in a neighboring solar system that had the potential to support human life. More unmanned probes were sent to explore, take samples, and gather data. And later, larger unmanned carriers hauled supplies and machinery to begin the task of readying a new home. The New Horizon was built. A crew was selected.

  The launch of the New Horizon, the second of several scheduled long-range manned space flights, went smoothly. The gigantic carrier—the largest vehicle ever built—contained 100 people and life support to last at least 150 years. It was designed to be not only transportation for the long voyage to a new planet, but also a temporary home and advanced science and research center during the first phase of colonization.

  After launch, the New Horizon reached its proper orbit and gathered speed as it rounded Earth. As planned, the sub-light speed system began to power up. The light speed system was not supposed to switch on yet.

  But it did.

  In a blinding flash that engulfed Earth for a brief moment, the New Horizon disappeared. It was never heard from again.

  *

  May 1725

  Marianas Trench, Pacific Ocean

  Immediately after the malfunction, the crew of the New Horizon knew only that the carrier was submerged in water. They ran calculations over and over
again, sure that they must be wrong. But every time, they got the same answer: the New Horizon now sat deep in the ocean. They’d never left Earth.

  Every available piece of data told them the carrier was now resting in the Marianas Trench, at a point far deeper than had ever been measured. But the New Horizon was built to withstand a variety of extreme conditions, and the life support systems continued to function exactly as designed.

  The New Horizon crew sent a small probe out to explore the carrier’s surroundings. The probe found that approximately eighty percent of the length of the carrier was wedged into a cave under a ledge made of an unknown but extremely dense rock-and-ore substance. The ledge appeared to be blocking the SOS messages that the crew had been sending on a continuous loop to Kennedy Space Center.

  Next, they sent a probe up through the depths of the ocean with the intent of carrying their message to the surface where it would surely be received by Kennedy. But when the probe finally broke the surface, there was still no response. Even when it rose to low orbit and passed directly over the United States, its message continued to be met with silence. The probe did, however, capture some measurements and images.

  When the probe’s data reached the New Horizon, the crew discovered something even more unfathomable than being zapped into a cave deep in the Marianas Trench: they appeared to have traveled back in time.

  Instead of getting flung far into space, they’d been deposited at the bottom of the ocean over 800 years in the past.

  When the initial disbelief began to wear off, the crew realized two things. One, when the carrier had departed from Florida in 2565, they’d all been prepared to leave behind the people and homes they knew, to venture to a new place and make a new home where humans had never lived; by their current position, which was deeper in the ocean than any manned or unmanned craft had ever traveled, they’d already achieved part of that goal. And the second thing they realized was that they could not interfere with any of the people living on land above, for fear of altering the future in unknown ways.