Eliana only slept during the daytimes now, when Samsu was out.

She felt more at ease without the eyes of a guard constantly watching her, and could finally stop trying to awkwardly balance herself at the same time as holding the blanket up as a screen when she used the chamberpot. The privacy was a luxury she had become unaccustomed to.

Although the atmosphere was more peaceful, she was still troubled by her dreams. The spirits of her past haunted her whenever she slept, their faces performing a grotesque dance as they drifted before her closed eyes, cackling with shrill voices as she recoiled and twitched as she slept. Mari's brothers, her mother, Isin, the foolish guard, countless men, women and children who had been put to the sword during the conquest – some of their faces were shadowy, others were as crisp as when she last saw them, but all were laughing at her.

Her mother's face was as blurred and indistinct as it had always been, whereas Isin's with its expression of surprise, and the guard's with its gaping red smile, were as bright and clear as a butterfly's wing.

As she slept that day, the fourth of having her food withheld and relying on Ashan for scraps, they whirled around her, spinning her, making her dizzy even in sleep. Their high-pitched chanting filled her ears – sounds halfway between a curse and an animal cry. Her mother stretched out dark arms, then danced away mockingly when Eliana reached for her. Isin's disembodied head stared at her accusingly, while the guard threatened to take her secret to Samsu.

They span her faster, closing in, reciting incantations in strange languages and anointing her with blood. The guard reached out a gory hand, straining to touch her. She stepped back, and back, edging as far from him as she could... until her foot stepped backwards into nothing, and she fell into the yawning nothingness of the underworld with a scream.

She was still screaming as she woke, damp with sweat and fallen off her cushions onto the cold floor. Shivering, she pushed herself back onto the bed and wrapped the blanket around herself. Her face was wet with tears. The room was empty, with no-one to see; she had never felt more alone. She longed for her sister's comforting arms, and could no longer remember what her little niece looked like.

The weekly visit to the bathhouse had not happened this week while she was under punishment. Her hair was greasy, her gown spotted, and the collar chafed at her throat. Eliana felt hungry, dirty and, at that moment, utterly hopeless. She had been here for two moons now, and Samsu showed no signs of freeing her.

She was no longer living; simply existing. She could not bear it any longer.

As if in a trance, Eliana slid the length of the golden chain through her hand, admiring and hating it all at once. In other circumstances it would have been a pretty thing. But now, what had bound her would free her.

Wrapping it around her throat once, twice, three times, she leaned away from the wall.

The links bit into her skin as the chain tightened. Nothing happened for a moment, but then she choked and gasped, her face beginning to tingle as her eyes bulged and the blood pressure in her head increased to a thunderous hammering.

She looked out at the garden as her vision began to close in, a circular blackness blotting out nature's beauty as a cloud drifting in front of the sun.

The last thing she heard before drifting into unconsciousness was Ashan's voice, calling her name.

'Eliana! Eliana!' she had not imagined it – he had come to smuggle her what little food he could, and his heart skipped a beat as he saw her entangled in the chain, throwing all her body weight away from it, her face purpling as she slipped into the space between life and death.

He had never run so fast as he did in that moment, reaching her in seconds and fumbling desperately to unwrap the chain from her limp body.

Cradling her in his arms, he did the first thing he could think of – he grabbed the water pitcher and emptied its contents over her face.

It worked; the sudden coldness shocked her back to consciousness.

Her eyes slowly regained their focus – was she dead? No, Ashan's face floated above her, a confusion of terror and anger. She turned her face into his arms; her throat still felt constricted, but now it was with disappointment. 'Just let me die,' she whispered.

'Never,' he growled. 'This is not you, Eliana. You are letting him win – I never would have believed it of you. Where is that strong, spirited girl I fell in love with?'

'She died – let me go with her.'

'I will never let you die. As long as I am here, you're stuck in this world, and I'll continue to make it as bearable as I can for you. You have to trust me that one day, you'll be free of this chain and of this palace, but we must wait for the right time, or else we'll just make a bad thing worse. Do you trust me?'

She did not have the strength to nod or shake her head; even if she could, she was not sure what answer she would make.

Ashan laid her on the pillows and covered her with the blanket. As he did so, Samsu walked through the door.

He assessed the situation in a second. Tutting, he shook his head. 'I admired your strength and courage, karkittu. I can't pretend that this is not a disappointment. Suicide is a coward's death, and you are no coward. With all your fortitude, I did not expect you to try to take the easy way out.'

She didn't react, just continued to lay there with her eyes shut, breathing deeply and trying to bring her heart rate back to normal.

'Well, you can put the idea from your mind,' Samsu continued. 'You will not be permitted to kill yourself as my Eshnunna did. She chose death over obedience, you will not. I shall have to set guards over you again. You will learn to live as a docile and compliant woman, and if anyone is to send you out of this world, it will be me.'

He collected the tablet he had come in for and looked at Ashan, 'is she alright?'

'I think so, sir. Just a little winded.'

'Good. Don't tell your mother, but I believe I'm growing rather fond of my little pet.'

Her stomach churned as his footsteps receded. Fond of her? She would rather he hated her as she hated him, then they would each know where they stood.

Ashan took out the food he had brought and stored it in her hiding place. With a gentle caress of her injured throat and a kiss on the forehead, he followed Samsu out.

Within minutes, before she could think about attempting the act again, a new guard was stationed in the room.

**

That night, there was a meeting in Samsu's chambers.

He, Ashan, the Brute, and two other generals that Eliana did not recognise sat on the floor cushions having a heated debate.

They spoke in the Babylonian dialect, but Eliana understood the sense of the conversation. Samsu was having trouble keeping his city safe. Slave raiders from the Sutean tribes were ravaging the cities of the Babylonian empire.

'It's an insult!' roared Samsu. 'I will not let it stand. These people belong to me, I will not have them stolen away and sold to another. Why can't any of you dung-brained beasts find a way to stop them? You are supposed to be the best that Babylon has to offer.'

'We have tried all we can, sir,' said one of the unnamed generals. 'We simply don't have the men to increase patrols empire-wide.'

'It's unacceptable! You will find a workable solution or I...'

Her heart in her mouth, Eliana croaked from her place against the wall, 'I have a suggestion.'

The Brute leapt to his feet, infuriated that she should dare to interrupt. He strode towards her with his arm raised, ready to strike. 'You dare to speak when men are talking, little girl?' he hissed, his voice full of menace.

He was within range when Samsu called, 'stop!'

Freezing in place, the Brute twisted his head on its thick neck to look at his prince. 'Sir?'

Samsu's mouth was contorted in an amused smile. 'Let us hear what she has to say. It may have some comedic value, if nothing else.'

Eliana ignored the last remark. 'Pass a law prohibiting citizens from buying slaves that originate from any of the Sumerian city states. If the raiders can't sell the slaves, they might move on and bother someone else. If you cover the honey, the wasp flies elsewhere.'

'Idiot girl!' the Brute drew his hand back to strike her.

'Hold!' barked Samsu. 'If there is an idiot here, it is you. All of you. A chained-up whore can think of a better solution than any of you! You ought to be ashamed. You are all dismissed; useless, pig-headed morons to a man.'

The soldiers filed out in silence, the Brute shooting Eliana a poisonous look as he passed. She was not concerned – he would not hurt her while Samsu forbade it. She knew little enough of the man, but she could be sure of that.

After the last man had left, Samsu came to stand over her. She looked up at him and could not decipher the expression on his face. 'Perhaps you have a brain after all, karkittu. I was beginning to think that you were quite stupid.'

'I was raised Ensi's daughter, sir. I have a little understanding of things.'

'Well, I may come to you from time to time to see if your way of thinking is an improvement over the same old ideas that my men come out with day after day. But,' his voice dropped to a growl, 'if you ever presume to offer unsolicited advice or to contradict me, I will deal with you accordingly. Do you understand?'

'Yes, sir.' She nodded, feeling more hopeful than she had for many weeks. Perhaps if Samsu found a use for more than just her body, she could begin to make a difference to people's lives as she had always wanted.

'Good, now turn over.'

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Author's note

Thanks all so, so much for all your lovely and encouraging comments on the last chapter. I was beginning to lose faith in and enthusiasm for the story, but you all sparked it up again. I hope you can see from the end of this chapter that things might be starting to look up a little for Eliana.

I really appreciate all your comments – I so wish that I had the time to reply to all of them; life is a bit chaotic at the moment and it's all I can do to fit in the writing time to update every night. I just wanted to let you know that I read every single one, and I'm always grateful for the feedback whether you're saying you loved it or offering constructive criticism. I'm storing it all up for when I come to redraft when the book is finished, and some of it I'm hoping to be able to quote in a covering letter when I start to submit to publishers and literary agents in the new year.

Love you all – thanks for the support! TPx