Death of an Eye by Dana Stabenow

Author:Dana Stabenow [Stabenow, Dana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788549189
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

*

She walked in the door at the Eleventh Hour precisely to be swept up in the preparations for the reception, which resembled a haboob minus the sand. Nike, looking regal, laden with a teetering stack of little plates, almost collided with Keren, looking put upon, carrying a tray filled with bowls of halloumi, tashi, muttabal, and hummus. Phoebe, looking harassed, followed with two large decorative baskets filled with the savory pastries Tetisheri had seen in the kitchen that morning. She snatched one and then had to juggle it from hand to hand as it was fresh from the oven.

“Tetisheri!” Nebenteru said, looking indignant. “You aren’t even dressed!”

“I know, Uncle, I’m sorry, I’ll be quick.”

“See that you are!” He swept from the room, the pearl jutting out in condemnation.

“Keren? When you’re done, please come to my room? I need to ask a favor.”

Keren, intent on not scattering mezes from the atrium to the docks, nodded, and Tetisheri escaped to her room. Bast was a black curl on her pillow and looked up in annoyance at Tetisheri’s precipitous entry. “Yes, yes, forgive me for interrupting your pre-sleep nap, but some of us have stupid parties to ready ourselves for.”

She shed her clothes, tucked the Eye beneath her pillow—Bast cast her a baleful look—and cleaned herself quickly with a cloth and a basin of lukewarm water that one of the wonderful women of the house must have left for her. A silk dress had been laid out for her, a work of art woven in gold and green with straps over the shoulders and a straight neckline. It was cut very close to her figure and she eyed the result with apprehension.

“Oh, Sheri, it’s lovely on you! I knew it would be!” Keren came in and shut the door behind her.

“A little too lovely, if you ask me.” The nipples of her breasts were perfectly outlined by the silk. “I can’t wear this, Keren.”

“Nonsense! You have a lovely figure which most of the time can’t even be seen in those baggy tunics you wear. Where’s your jewelry?” She rifled impatiently in the little wooden chest on the table. “The very thing!” She held up a wide collar strung with a thousand tiny beads of citrine and amethyst, with a large gold clasp in the shape of a cat. “Take off your necklace.”

“I always wear my necklace.”

“Not tonight, you don’t. Off.”

Tetisheri put her hands on her hips and glared. “I thought you were a doctor, not a lady’s maid.”

“And I thought you were nearly twenty, not ten. Take it off so I can put this on.”

Bast, engaged in a thorough washing of her left hind leg, looked up and meowed in unmistakable agreement. Tetisheri transferred her glare. “Traitor!” Fuming, she fumbled at the back of her pendant and handed it over. Keren replaced it with the collar. “Excellent,” she said with satisfaction. “Now your bracelets.” In spite of Tetisheri’s inarticulate protest four narrow, highly polished gold bracelets were shoved inexorably over her hands, two above her elbows and two around her wrists.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.