Cricket by India Millar

Author:India Millar [Millar, India]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Empress Publishing

Twenty-Two

The shore shivers at

The stroke of a wave. Will you

Tremble at my touch?

Hama was staring at me as if I was suddenly a stranger. I smiled and tried to reassure her.

“It’s all over. Don’t look so worried. We’re safe, aren’t we?”

“How did you know all that?” she asked cautiously. “I didn’t understand half of what you said, but you obviously worried the samurai and his son.”

I glanced at Hama sharply and caught a slight smile disappearing from her lips. The samurai’s son was a handsome man, and no doubt to Hama very glamorous. But I had encountered many men such as him in my life; if it wasn’t for my “gift” of prophecy, to him we would have been less than the dirt beneath his feet. Surely, she couldn’t be smitten by him.

“The son is very good looking,” I murmured carefully. Hama’s face lit up as I opened the way for her to confide in me.

“He is. He really is. He reminds me of my Junto. I’m sure I saw him looking at me.”

I licked my lips as I considered my words. I had no wish to hurt Hama—the gods knew she had been hurt enough already—but I could not bring myself to encourage an impossible dream.

“He may have glanced at you, Hama, but don’t go getting any fancy ideas about him.” Hama’s face turned sulky, and I decided I had to be brutal. Surely better to inflict a little pain now rather than a greater pain later. “Think, Hama. Even Abe wouldn’t take you as his concubine because he was higher caste than you. Do you really think a noble would be interested in you?”

“We’re here, aren’t we?” she said sullenly. “I heard the older samurai say we were to be kept safe. And Rai was looking at me, I know he was. Somebody as high ranking as he is can do what he likes and nobody would dare say anything about it. You’re just jealous that he’s interested in me and not you.”

I flinched at her words. Could Hama really be that foolish? It appeared that she could. She stood abruptly and clicked her fingers at Ken and went down the corridor to the garden without another word. I almost rose and followed her, but then decided that whatever I tried to say would only make things worse, so I sat down instead.

I was pleased to have a little time alone. I sat on our futon and crossed my legs, laying my hands loosely in my lap. It was impossible to try and meditate with Hama present. She was not a restful presence and was fascinated by my retreat into myself, so she broke my concentration time after time. Now that I had the luxury of silence, I intended take full advantage of it. I often found that apparently insoluble problems were answered after meditation. I hoped this would be the case now.

I slipped into meditation easily. My mind soon reached a state of complete relaxation. I was perfectly tranquil; I floated unchecked in a world of nothingness.

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