It must have been nearly dawn the night before by the time Eva finished examining her and instructed the women to take her to a small room off another of the endless dimly lit corridors. Unlike some naturally occurring caves she’d seen, the room looked like it had been chiseled out of the bedrock. They pointed to a heap of furs in the corner, more of a nest than a bed. But it was soft and warm, and Lexi was exhausted. She lay down and fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.
Hours later, she woke to the echo of distant drums. She had no idea how long she’d slept. In the caves, it was impossible to tell whether it was night or day. Mara was curled up at the other end of the room, snoring gently, blocking the doorway in her sleep to make sure Lexi didn’t escape.
Nadina appeared soon after she awoke, bearing a platter piled with bright-orange and purple chunks. She picked one up and took a hesitant bite. Soft, spongy, with the texture of fungi. But it tasted good. She’d had nothing in her stomach since she left Earth except the dish of narliphant broth, and she was hungry enough to eat almost anything.
From Nadina’s conversation with Mother Eva yesterday, she’d found out that along with being coated in the gooey green crushed leaves, the treatment for exposure to the dangerous rays of their twin suns consisted of fasting while flushing the body with the bitter herbal drink they gave her. She hoped this meal signified the treatment was over.
After she’d eaten her fill, the women escorted her to yet another bathing room. The basin held clear water, sprinkled with fragrant flower petals. They allowed her to wash herself. But both women watched her every move.
Lexi tried to hide her embarrassment. They’d kept her naked during her confinement, given her no privacy. She hated the feeling of violation.
When she finished, they insisted on helping her from the tub. Leading her to a bench in front of a small table, they made her sit while they worked a comb made of slivers of bone through her tangled hair. Then they wove strands of glowing beads into twin braids that started at her temples and wrapped around her head, leaving the rest of her hair to billow out beneath them.
She’d seen many of the Tryb wearing similar beads and stones in different sizes and shapes, some around their necks, others fashioned into bracelets. Mother Eva’s were made of a phosphorescent crystal, nearly transparent, with glowing lights in shades of turquoise and green and rose emanating from deep inside.
After fussing with her hair for what seemed like hours, Nadina picked up a small jar on the table in front of her. She dipped her fingers in. They came out coated with reddish paste. Hesitantly, Nadina stroked it onto Lexi’s cheeks. When she didn’t protest, Nadina ran a finger over Lexi’s lips.
She’d seen other women in the Tryb whose faces were daubed with color. On Earth many women had permanent cosmetics applied, but Lexi had never felt the need to alter her body in such a frivolous way.
The two attendants seemed bent on adorning her, and Lexi had learned it was easier to allow it than to fight back in any way. She wanted to keep up the pretense of being a docile captive for as long as possible. They’d be lulled into a false sense of security, making her eventual escape that much easier.
But she shrank back when Mara tried to rub the red paste on her nipples. Mara pleaded with her, near tears, even though, as far as she knew, Lexi couldn’t understand a word.
“Please, Zala, we only want you to look your best. How can you attract a strong hunter to provide for you if you don’t display your charms?”
Lexi hadn’t tried out her ability to speak the language, but she longed to shout out, “I’ve been taking care of myself all my life. I don’t need some crude warrior staking his claim on me as though I’m a piece of property!”
Still, it wouldn’t do for Mara to go to Mother Eva and complain. So, she gritted her teeth and allowed the woman to paint her nipples bright red
They wrapped a strip of patterned cloth around her waist, fastening it together with a knot on one hip. The fabric barely reached her knees, completely exposed one side of her body, and offered a glimpse of her private parts with every step she took. Nadina draped a short fur cloak over her shoulders, tying it loosely around her neck.
Horrified, she realized they planned to take her to the feast wearing only the short sarong as a skirt and an open cloak tossed over her shoulders. Her red-tipped breasts would be on display in front of all those leering men.
The women tied her wrists together in front of her with a long strip of leather. They led her through the halls like a dog on a leash. Every twist and turn in the passageway took them closer to the hypnotic drumbeat — and to the source of her humiliation.
Chapter Eight
For the last few hours, she’d crouched in a shadowy corner, the other end of her leash wrapped around an outcropping of rock. She could see and hear everything, but no one in the crowd could see her. Her attendants took turns guarding her. One stayed nearby while the other joined in the festivities for a while, coming back with plates piled high with meat or savory treats.
When Mara came back from her break, she returned with three cups overflowing with the potent liquor.
They persuaded her to try a little. It tasted sweet, at first, like a mixture of honey and crushed fruit. Lexi drank deeply.
As the liquor went down her throat, it ignited a streak of fire all the way to her belly. After a few swallows, the drumbeats vibrated through her bones. When she stared into their depths, even the flames seemed to dance to the hypnotic beat.
Suddenly, the drums stopped. The crowd fell silent. All eyes were on Mother Eva as she stepped onto an outcropping of rock that served as a natural stage. She raised her arms high, and her voice rang out loud and strong despite her advanced age.
“Children of the Tryb, let us give thanks to the gods for this bounteous feast.”
Shouts rang out. Many in the crowd threw their hands in the air as well.
“Our skilled hunters have brought down this mighty beast, the largest we’ve seen in many a year. Let us thank them as well. Ayron. Khan. Nazery. Eli. Balek. Come forward.”
She motioned for the men to join her on the platform. Lexi recognized them immediately They’d dressed as warriors for the feast. Chests bare, displaying bodies packed with muscle. Gold chains decorated with glowing gemstones and animal claws hung from their necks, gleaming in the firelight. Dark loincloths slung around their hips showed off the powerful thighs and calves needed to track a huge beast for miles.
Each man wore his hair in a different style, showing his individuality. Khan gathered his wild mane of brown hair into a towering topknot, secured by leather thongs strung with shards of bone. Eli’s black hair hung in two long braids interwoven with more of the glowing stones on fine gold wire. Nazery had rubbed a dark red paste into his hair and wore it cropped close to his skull, while Balek’s bald head had been oiled until it gleamed in the firelight. He sported a headpiece of dark, pointed ears that fit over his own. When he smiled, showing off the teeth filed into fangs, he looked even more like a dangerous jungle cat.
Ayron stood apart. He hadn’t given way to vanity, adorning himself the way the others did. Wavy dark hair shot through with streaks of silver-gray flowed down to his shoulders, held back off his face by a simple leather band tied at the back of his head. Around his neck was the glowing green stone he’d worn when she first saw him. His only concessions to vanity were the matching gold cuffs around his wrists.
