Free Sterling by Emily June Street Page A

in finding the position. One of Papa’s mages used to say that such fortuitous events were guided by magic’s unseen hands. Perhaps those forces had finally seen fit to assist me.

    * * *
    F irst Scelpts set me to cleaning all the bedchambers, five including the master’s. It took me two sennights to get through them, and each day stretched into an eternity of work. Scelpts was too harassed by her own burdensome duties to take much notice of my poor performance.
    At night, in the quiet solitude of my underground room, I sobbed and sobbed, thinking of Papa while my back and legs and hands ached. I felt alone as I never had in my life. How could he be gone? Not Xander Ricknagel—he was too strong, too noble, too righteous! And he was Papa , the only person who had ever loved me.
    I spent the first moments of every dark morning flat on my back, staring at the ceiling, believing I could not go on. I had no idea how to salvage Sterling Ricknagel’s future; little news about the outside world trickled through our busy household. Had Costas Galatien reclaimed Galantia? What of Province Ricknagel; who ruled there now? I had no answers to even the most basic questions, and without answers, I could not see a way into a safe future.
    So I remained where I was, desperate, depressed, and downtrodden.
    We were paid after the first two sennights. Orgin handed me three green jhass. I stared at the paltry coins, considering the labors I had endured. On this wage it would take me sidereals to save enough money to buy passage onward via coach, public or otherwise. And what would I do about my constant need for cosmetic? The bottle from Erich’s mistress was already half-empty. I tucked my coins into my pocket while my desperation mounted. I was Lady Sterling Ricknagel, by the gods! I owned a house twice this size in Shankar!
    But I could not reveal myself.
    The scrubbing, washing, sweeping, and hauling never seemed to end. Scelpts spent most of the hours working in different parts of the house, thank Amassis, for surely she’d see that I didn’t know what I was doing. It took me twice as long as it ought to prepare a bedchamber. I hadn’t dared touch the hearths, for cleaning them seemed too complicated and messy, and I hadn’t the faintest idea where to begin.
    One morning we looked up from our tea to find Orgin racing through the kitchen door. “A guest is arriving this afternoon!”
    Scelpts nearly dropped her teacup. “We aren’t ready for a guest!” She cast a reproving glance at me. “Sera hasn’t even begun on the hearths and flues—”
    “Yet a guest we shall have, and I expect the master will not be long to follow,” Orgin said.
    “Who’s coming?” Scelpts demanded.
    “A woman,” Orgin replied. “I doubt she’ll bring her own people.” Scelpts and Orgin exchanged a knowing glance, but I did not understand.
    “What kind of lady travels without servants?” I blurted. Upper class women went nowhere without their handmaidens. I should know. The only time I’d traveled without Serafina was to Engashta, and that was because of the war.
    “The kind that isn’t a lady,” said Scelpts. “We’ll put her in the yellow bedroom. Run along, Sera, and get it ready.”
    I made my perfunctory curtsey to the two head servants and hurried upstairs, where I put gold silk sheets on the yellow room’s bed, though I hadn’t mastered the trick of making the corners tight and smooth. Gold silk was expensive. Our master could not possibly be in much need of economizing if he could afford it.
    Once I’d finished tidying the room, I went to the kitchen and filled the washing jug with fresh water. Scelpts was chopping vegetables for dinner.
    “She’s arrived!” Orgin dashed into the kitchen. Scelpts untied her apron and smoothed down her dress. I followed suit. My poor grey dress did not look especially clean; I’d been wearing it every day under hard use.
    We hustled upstairs to greet the guest. An expensive vehicle with