Page 32 of A Vow of Embers

What was that hopeful feeling in my chest? I shoved it away. She was the one who had said she was a silly romantic, and I was letting her infect me. “Io ...”

She resumed scrubbing my scalp. “I know. And I know that nothing could ever happen. But I just have this picture in my head that I can’t get rid of. It’s of me coming to visit you during a festival and getting to see my nieces and nephews, watching you and my brother happy and in love.”

Everything around me faded away and I saw an extremely clear image of myself. I was sitting in the courtyard with the ancient olive tree in Locris. But the tree was alive and in full bloom above me—bright green leaves swaying in the breeze, yellow-green fruit hanging from every branch. I leaned against the trunk, clearly pregnant and cradling my stomach. I was happy. A man’s hands came to rest atop my own and I felt his love. For me and our unborn child.

He kissed the side of my neck, then reached up to nuzzle his nose against my temple and I saw who it was.

Alexandros.

I gasped in shock as the image melted away. I was surprised to find myself still in the tub. I had been that woman that I’d seen, in the Locris palace. It had felt like I was actually there, as it did in my dreams, but this seemed to be a message of things to come.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing.” My heart flapped around inside my chest and I tried to mentally tether it back into place.

“Time to rinse anyway,” she said and reached for a pitcher.

What was that? A waking dream? Like a vision? The dreams were changing. When had that started? I thought back to when the dreams had begun, and it was when I ... I thought they had started when I’d arrived at the temple, but the dreams had begun on theNikos. Once I started spending time with the prince.

That seemed significant, but the rest of my adelphia returned and I didn’t get the chance to think on it further. Io rinsed my hair and I scrubbed all over with soap until she deemed me done. I dried off and was given new underclothes made from soft linen. I wrapped them myself and then stood still while my sisters lowered my dress over my head.

It was like wearing air. So silky and light. It hung down to my ankles and had transparent sleeves that began at my shoulders and went all the way to the floor. More like a cape than sleeves. It was easily the nicest thing I’d ever worn. I wished that we had a mirror.

Zalira put a leather girdle around my center, pulling it tight.

“This is like armor,” I said, putting one hand on top of it.

“It would certainly make it more difficult for someone to stab you in the stomach,” she agreed. Was that the reason for it?

Then she and Ahyana stood behind me and I felt the girdle tugging. “What are you doing?” I tried to look over my shoulder but couldn’t see.

“We’re tying tiny little knots.”

“Why?” That would make it difficult to remove.

“Because your husband is supposed to lovingly and patiently untie each one, showing his devotion and care for you,” Ahyana said. “It’s an old Ilionian tradition.”

That wasn’t going to happen, but we were all too nice to say so in front of Io. She didn’t seem to notice as she was busy showing me various pieces of jewelry that I rejected. I didn’t mind wearing the necklace—for all I knew this had actually been my grandmother’s andhad somehow made its way here from Locris. But if I wore the others ... it felt like a concession I wasn’t willing to make.

“You have no choice with this one,” Io said, showing me a small metal crown that resembled a headband. It had vine leaves, like the goddess’s symbol, and small green gems. My eyes widened at the sight of it.

I took it from her and handed it over to Suri.

“Anything magical?” I whispered to her.

She held on to it for a few moments and then shook her head.No.

I’d had to make sure. I supposed it would have been too easy if the eye of the goddess had been in my wedding crown. “Why do I have to wear this?”

Io took it back from me and placed it on my head. “One, because you’re a princess. Two, it’s going to hold your veil in place. And three, this belonged to my mother and my grandmother before her. It would make me very happy for you to wear it.”

That certainly knocked the indignant wind from my sails. “Then I would be proud to wear it. For your sake.” I paused. “A veil? Why? He knows what I look like.”

Io nodded. “Yes, a red one. And before you ask me, it represents when the goddess couldn’t see where her daughter had gone. The color is symbolic of fire—chasing away things that would harm us or bring bad luck. Burning up your old life for a new one and repelling bad things that wish to hurt you.”

Right now the only bad thing that wanted to hurt me was her brother. I didn’t tell her that red was also the color of blood and seemed appropriate in this circumstance. Veils were optional in Locris and the brides who did wear them wore yellow ones.

It would mean that I wouldn’t have to be as careful with my facial expressions, though, so that was a benefit.