A sudden shiver coursed through Jahrra’s blood, and she drew back from the edge of the terrace. She wasn’t cold, although the temperature was low enough to give her goose bumps. It was the memory of what she had done, and her guardian’s reaction to it, that caused her teeth to chatter. Jaax was right to be concerned, but they were at war. Risks had to be taken if they wished to survive, and she had every right to take those risks, just as her guardian did.
Wrapping one arm around herself, Jahrra turned and headed for the three tall arches leading into the great room, using the rough granite wall nearby as a crutch of sorts. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and the thought of a nice, hot bath followed by a warm meal and uninterrupted sleep was making her feel better already.
She passed through the gauzy curtains and paused, surveying the foreign room before her. The first thing to strike Jahrra about the chamber was its immense size. Like an enormous cavern carved out of the side of the mountain, the room was large enough to hold a dragon. Well, a few dragons maybe. Jahrra closed her eyes and pictured the winged reptiles she’d seen soaring around Nimbronia’s mountain peak. This room wasn’t big enough to hold one of them comfortably, but someone like Jaax, or the two dragons he’d brought to the bridge, might find this room adequate.
Opening her eyes once again, Jahrra continued her perusal. A grand fireplace, its throat flickering with red fire, took up part of the far wall. Ornate tapestries worked in the silver, blue, grey and white of the city of ice hung from the stone walls. Far above, stalactites descended from the ceiling, their tips emitting a pale blue light Jahrra could only guess resulted from some magical enchantment. More lights, these located in the basins of tiny alcoves carved all along the walls, only added to the exotic ambiance of the room. A few chairs and a large cushioned bench with a back stood before the fire, and beside the hearth Jahrra eyed a stack of blankets and more pillows piled neatly in a large wicker basket.
Jahrra’s daydreams of lying down and sleeping for a month were shattered when someone knocked sharply on the door. She tensed before directing her eyes to the right. Two pale wooden doors, fashioned similarly to the front entrance of Jaax’s mansion in Lidien, took up another archway carved from stone. The larger door was obviously for the dragons, and the smaller one Jahrra assumed was to be used by the more diminutive races of Ethoes.
The knock came again, followed by a tentative, “Miss Jahrra? Might I come in?”
The voice was kind and feminine. The promised staff member with tea, perhaps? Taking a deep breath, Jahrra stepped forward, grateful for the railing along the wall as she descended the three steps into the room. Crossing the room itself was a bit more of a challenge since she didn’t have her crutch, but she managed to limp to the door even if it took an age for her to get there. Worked into the smaller door was a lattice-work grate. Jahrra flipped back the metal flap and peered out. Soft brown eyes in a pale face regarded her with some curiosity. The face smiled.
“Hello! Lord Jaax sent word earlier that I was to bring a tray of food up for you, and something to change into. May I come in please?”
Jahrra gazed past the young woman and noticed a wheeled cart piled with plates and trays of unfamiliar food. The woman stepped back and lifted the lid from one of the trays revealing what looked like roast beef, mashed potatoes and some steamed vegetables. The smell of the food wafted in through the grate, and Jahrra’s stomach growled.
The maid beamed, and Jahrra felt her cheeks warm. Perhaps she should eat something before her bath and much needed rest.
“Yes,” Jahrra said, clearing her throat a little. “Please, come in.”
She unlatched the door and opened it wide.
“I thought you might say that,” the woman responded cheerily as she steered the cart through the entrance.
“My name is Saria, by the way.”
Jahrra studied the woman as she moved the cart close to the cushioned bench.
“And you already know who I am,” Jahrra said lightly, her focus entirely on the food.
The servant laughed. “I know. The entire city is talking about you. I mean, we were before you arrived, but now everyone is going on and on about how you threw yourself off that bridge.”
Jahrra flinched and came suddenly alert. She limped over to the couch, leaning against it for support, her fingers digging into the fabric of the backrest. “What?”
“Oh, yes. Many of us had a clear view from the turrets and balconies on the southern side of the city. And those who had a telescope or pair of binoculars, well, they got to see even more! So many members of the Tyrant King’s army had you good and caught, but the way you escaped! Brilliant! My friend Glenna said the look on Raejaaxorix’s face when you shoved the handsome elf and fell over the side was enough to intimidate a mother boarlaque protecting her young!”
Many thoughts spun through Jahrra’s head at that moment: the painful reminder of Keiron’s duplicity, disbelief that they had been able to witness everything with such clarity, a flash of fear at the recollection of the drop, knowledge that she and Jaax were so well known in Nimbronia ...
But the only thing she blurted when she found her voice was, “You know Jaax?”
Saria’s brow furrowed as she continued her task of laying out the food. “Well, not personally. I don’t think anyone does, really. Except for his majesty, King Dhuruhn, and his family. Oh, and of course the Korli dragons Sapheramin and Tollorias. They are diplomats who live here most of the year, and whenever Jaax is here, they are with him.”
Jahrra thought back to those strained minutes on the bridge and the two other dragons with her guardian. They must have been this Sapheramin and Tollorias Saria was talking about.
“Anyway, you are big news here, and everyone is going to want to meet you or at least get a good look at you. Ha! All the other staff are intensely jealous that I was chosen to bring up your dinner. Oh, and here I am prattling on and not letting you enjoy it!”
Jahrra glanced over. The girl actually looked troubled. As much as she seemed to be thrilled to get the first look at this new and strange arrival, letting her enthusiasm distract her from her job had bothered her. In that moment, Jahrra’s respect for this young woman rose a few notches.
“I’ll let you be now. There is plenty here for you to choose from, so eat as much as you want. There is a selection of clothes on the lower shelf,” she indicated a large reed basket on the bottom level of the cart, “and the bathroom is just on the other side of that wall, behind the fireplace. There is a hallway that curves around. Everything you need can be found in there.”
“Thank you,” Jahrra responded, truly meaning it. “I appreciate all this trouble.”
The girl put her hands on her hips and snorted. “Are you kidding me? It was no trouble at all! I’ll return in a few hours to see if you need anything else, though I hope you’ll be asleep by then. You must have had a rather trying journey!”
Saria took her leave, and Jahrra made herself a plate, pausing just long enough to savor the beef and gravy and enjoy a few cups of tea before her bath. Once she had her fill, she made her way to the bathing room. A large basin, already filled with steaming water, took up one end of the room while a sink with stone shelves occupied the other. Jahrra found soap and towels and quickly undressed, being ever mindful of her leg. The sight of it made her wince. Bruises still marked the area around her knee, but already they were beginning to fade. She only hoped her rough treatment of the injury over the past few days hadn’t made it worse.