Eliana determined to stay away from audiences for a few weeks, to allow time for Susa's rage to calm. There was no shortage of ways to occupy herself – now nearly five moons through her pregnancy and with two children to keep out of trouble, there was always something that needed doing. She kept herself so busy that two weeks flew past almost without her notice.

'You need to take more care of yourself, my lady,' Mari warned. 'If you do not rest enough, you'll do the baby harm.'

'The baby is fine, Mari,' smiled Eliana. 'I don't have time for rest – Sarri has the energy of a young gazelle, and Kisuri needs constant attention. When they are not placing demands on me, Samsu is – he always wants some new song, or my take on a problem in the city, or... some other form of relief.'

'I know you feel fine, but I'd feel better if you would take some tonic.'

The worry on Mari's face was enough to get Eliana to agree. The girl chewed at her lip, and her brows knitted together in concern. 'If you really think it will help, I will.'

Mari twisted her fingers together nervously. 'I'll bring you some with your dinner.'

Eliana was anxious to soothe her. 'I really don't know what I'd do without you looking after all three of us – you've been such a rock to me, through everything. If I ever have any real power, I promise I'll free you as soon as I can.' She gave a little laugh, 'perhaps you can even go off and marry your gardener! Kisha mentioned that you were seeing somebody.'

To her great surprise, Mari's eyes filled with tears. 'Excuse me, please, my lady,' she mumbled, darting off to her room.

Whatever was the matter with her? Eliana wondered. Perhaps things have gone wrong with her gardener – I won't mention him again. Not for a while, anyway.

When the girls were in bed and she brought Eliana's dinner that evening, Mari looked more unwell than ever. Her skin was pale, her eyes wide and feverish. 'Are you alright?' Eliana asked, concerned.

'Fine, my lady,' came the short answer as Mari poured liquid from a clay jug into a red glazed drinking bowl.

'You don't look at all healthy.'

'I'm fine. Really.' Mari passed the bowl to Eliana with shaking hands.

Taking the bowl, she raised it to her nose. For a split second, she was almost sure she saw Mari flinch. Perhaps she had imagined it.

She took a deep breath; inhaling the fresh sweet smell of the tonic. 'It smells delicious, what's in it?'

'Just some herbs and fruits, my lady,' she mumbled.

Eliana lifted the bowl to drink. Just before the liquid touched her lips, Mari let out a strangled cry and leapt forward, slapping the bowl from her hands and making her jump. It tumbled to the floor, shattering on the tiles.

Thoroughly taken aback, she was stunned into silence for a moment as Mari fell to her knees and curled into a ball, sobbing.

'Mari – what on earth...?'

The slave girl shook her head and sobbed harder. Eliana knelt on the floor before her and took her hands. 'You can tell me,' she said, kindly. 'Was it poisoned?' She forced the words out calmly, but her heart hammered. She prayed Mari would not have done such a thing.

Her heart plummeted as Mari nodded miserably.

'But... I trusted you. Why would you do it?' She asked in bemusement.

'S – Susa,' she gasped out, trying to calm herself.

'Hush – breathe deeply, then tell me.'

Taking long, shuddering breaths, Mari took a few minutes to bring herself under control. Eliana felt sick – there were only three people in the palace that she felt she could trust, and one of them had betrayed her already. She thought hard, trying to work out how she might have offended Mari, why the girl might have tried to harm her.

As if she read her mind, Mari said, 'Susa promised me my freedom if I gave it to you. I'm – I'm so sorry.'

Through her personal hurt, Eliana's heart went out to the girl. Susa had placed her in an impossible situation – she couldn't be sure what she would do herself if someone offered her freedom at a terrible price. Of all the changes that had been forced upon her, she could get used to everything but the loss of freedom. To ride out, to visit the market, to wander the city and talk to the people... express her opinions openly, speak to whom she chose, not care what she looked like... all freedoms she had taken for granted, and would give anything to have back.

Anything? Would she really murder for them?

She supposed it would depend on who she was told to kill.

'It was not a deadly potion,' Mari was saying. 'Not for you.'

'For the baby?'

She nodded.

She clenched her fists, shaking with rage and fear. It made sense. Susa wanted her to miscarry. Their husband would suspect foul play if she suddenly dropped dead, but women lost babies every day. Thank Enlil that Mari had had a last-moment crisis of conscience... but this was merely Susa's first attempt.

'I'm so sorry, my lady,' tears began to fall down Mari's face again. 'I can't believe I even considered it – you have always been so good to me.'

'I don't know how I can ever trust you again,' said Eliana, sadly. It was true – she would view every morsel put in front of her with suspicion from now on.

'Please, please let me do something to make it up to you,' the girl begged.

'What can you do? I may never eat or drink without fear again.'

'Then... let me be your taster. I'll try everything before it touches your lips.'

Eliana considered for a moment. Mari put herself at risk by offering – they both knew that Susa would not stop at the first failed attempt to rid her rival of a potential son.

'You would do that?'

Mari gave a vigorous nod, her hair sticking to her damp cheeks.

'And there's nothing else I need to know?' Her mind returned to poor Isin, and the plan that she had hatched with Mari. The private conversations she had had, her feelings for Ashan... all the things that Samsu and Susa had come to know about inexplicably.

'My gardener...' she hesitated, tailing off.

'Yes?' Eliana prompted.

'He's not a gardener... it's... it's Asag.'

Eliana gasped, 'that beast! Oh, Mari! How could you? He's so vile, inside and out. He's the ugliest man I've ever seen, and glories in cruelty almost as much as the Brute.'

'He's not so bad, really,' Mari shrugged. 'Once you get used to his looks. He is kind to me, he talks to me like a real person, not as a slave. And he pays me – most of the soldiers would never consider such a thing. I thought I might be able to save up to purchase my own freedom... then Susa offered it for nothing.'

'And... you told Asag things about me?'

'I did not mean to, my lady, I swear it! Susa and Samsu paid him for any information he could get from me, and he gave me a share – it was just fragments, like when I saw you and Ashan so comfortable with each other, I didn't think it would do any harm. Once I found out, I made sure to keep my mouth shut.' The tears fell faster.

'But, what about Isin? You sacrificed him for pocket money?' Eliana could have wept all over again for him, dying so senselessly, sold out by a greedy girl.

'No! Never! I truly wanted Sarri safe and away. But I do know how Isin came to his end.'

'How?' She was not sure she could bear to listen.

'Asag told me – Isin went to his favourite tavern the night before he died, with his fellow scribes. For farewell drinks on his last night in Nippur. Samsu suspected him, was having him followed. He sent men to the tavern – they bought Isin's drinks all night, until he was roaring drunk and dropping hints all over the place, so pleased with himself, so looking forward to his new life as a father.'

Eliana dropped her head into her hands. So Isin had all but killed himself! Stupid boy – letting his tongue run away with him.

She sighed heavily. 'I can't hear any more, Mari. Can we just... pretend that none of this happened? Start afresh? If you agree to be my taster, I shall agree to trust you, as far as I can.'

Mari gripped Eliana's hands. 'Truly, my lady? You would do that? I swear you'll have no more loyal friend in the world.'

Eliana nodded. 'Prove it so, and I promise I'll find a way to free you. If you ever give me cause to mistrust you again... well, I don't know what I shall do. But I hope I never need to think of anything.' She got to her feet and went to her bed with a sorrowful heart, leaving her food untouched on the table, and Mari still weeping on the floor.

Author's note

This chapter dedicated to the lovely Littleginger112 for the alternative cover she made for the story - check out the multimedia on the right! :)