Mermaid Tear (The Fated #2)

35 | Rules

As Del had warned she might, Aria fetched Iliana much earlier in the morning than she had before. When Iliana questioned her, pointing out that she had said Iliana wasn't needed until the evening, the woman shrugged.

"You aren't required to be in public until then. Corinna insisted, however, that since she is the only one allowed to prepare you, that getting dressed would take many hours."

Confusion flicked through Iliana as Aria led her down the countless tower steps. "She insisted?"

As far as Iliana knew, Corinna couldn't speak.

"She knows the hand signs," Aria explained after a pause. "And she was persistent through them."

Iliana hesitated. Silence coated the air between them for several minutes as they exited the tower and began the familiar trek to the bathhouse. Eventually, she decided there was no way to make her question less suspicious, or more persuasive.

"Could you teach me?"

Aria stumbled in her steps. "Excuse me?"

"Could you teach me the hand signs?" Iliana repeated.

Her guard stopped walking, turning to face Iliana with a complicated expression. The others accompanying them paused as well, each showing varying levels of confusion. Aria ignored them, her attention focusing on Iliana as a frown overtook her face.

"There's no point, Milady," Aria warned her.

"I don--"

"There is nothing you can offer them that could outweigh their fear," Aria interrupted. "And I only say that much because they won't know it. Understand this, it isn't that they can't understand, lip reading could get them quite far, but they don't want to know. Because knowledge is dangerous. And here in the palace, survival is everyone's priority. And it should be yours as well."

Iliana scowled. "It is. Which is why I want to learn."

"Attempting to sway your guards to your side is not wise. And no matter what you promise, that would be the obvious conclusion."

"Not being able to communicate with those you surround me with isn't beneficial either, though," Iliana argued.

"My answer is no."

And without giving Iliana the chance to argue further, Aria spun on a heel and started walking again. Her pace was harsher before, ending in Iliana having to half-run to catch up. She swore under her breath, but didn't try to restart the conversation. If Aria was going to be a dead end, Iliana would have to try someone else.

The opportunity, surprisingly, came to her in the bathhouse.

Like everytime after the initial bath--Aria reclined on a bench near the entrance after they arrived. That left Iliana alone with Corinna. Knowing asking would do no good while Aria was still within hearing distance, she bided her time. And, as expected, when the bath was done and Iliana's skin scented, Corinna led her into the same backroom she had on every other day. The second they stepped inside, Iliana placed her back against the door.

Seeming to realize something was up, the maid took a startled step back. Iliana put her hands up in a hopefully calming manner.

"I'm not going to try hurting you or anything," she reassured. It wasn't as if threatening Corinna would get her anywhere--which was probably why they were allowed to be alone. No one in the palace would care what Iliana did to a simple servant. "I just want to ask you something."

Wariness reflected in the maid's eyes, but she didn't move, either. It would have to do.

"You understand the hand signs. And, you understand me," Iliana stated.