“No, no, you can stay.” She chewed the ragged edge of a fingernail. She looked over at me, a rare conciliatory expression on her face. “I don’t know what to call it besides deviance.”

“Does it matter? Do you have to call it anything? It’s personal. Let’s leave it at that,” I said. It came out harsher than I wanted, clipped and sharp. It came out defensive.

Shayat held her hands up. “All right. I guess…I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s strange, though, I’ve never…the others were unattached. This is strange.” She laughed. “My father wanted me to get married before I started up the crew,” she said after a few minutes of silence. “I even hired a matchmaker, but not much came of it. She was trying to match me when you were teaching me languages.”

“I’d think you’d be an easy one to match,” I said.

“Apparently you’re not the only one who isn’t marriageable. Caravaners are hard to match. The distance, you know. And some of the suitors told her I was too…willful. And there have been rumors about me. That I will bring bad luck. I spend a lot of time when I’m in Rabatha quashing those rumors. There’s always the chance they’ll kill the caravan if they are left untended.”

“I will not contribute to the rumors.”

A grin flashed across her face. “Well, you’ll have enough of them to deal with on your own. The way you dress, the time abroad, and now you’re coming back with Sorcha. If I had questions, don’t you think the rest of the ghetto will have them, too? Honestly, Ariah, I’m not sure anyone would believe you if you told them everything. You’re the only one who poses no real danger.”

I laughed. “Mercy, you’re right.”

“Yes, so let’s just wait and see who the landlords turn away.”

I laughed again. “You should have left me in Vilahna.”

“I know,” she said. “Tamir tells me that every day.”

“I’m glad you didn’t.”

She rubbed a hand through her hair. She gave me a peculiar look, one that carried in it a newness, like she had never really seen me before. “Well, if the tahrqs are right, I only have this one life to live. Better not to waste it.”

Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26