CHAPTER
Thirty

One Year Later

Esther stood on the roof above her rooms, looking down at the court of women. She had visited Xerxes’ harem once but had been met with a sense of mild hostility and never returned. What had happened to the favor she once felt from everyone who saw her?

She glimpsed Amestris and her train of maids emerge from the halls into the courtyard, cross the tiled stones, and enter a door that led to her private rooms. That Esther’s rooms were closer to the king’s brought some comfort, but what good did it do if she rarely saw him? He had his fill of other women, and perhaps she had grown wearying to him. Less beautiful. She had aged a little, though at twenty-one she was certainly young enough to attract his attention. Had she somehow offended him?

“You are fretting again,” Parisa said, coming alongside her near the parapet. Of her seven maids, Parisa had grown the closest to her, the one she most confided in.

“You read me too well, my friend.” She smiled and touched the girl’s hand, then sighed and turned away from the court. “I have none my equal here.” She glanced at Parisa. “I mean no offense.”

“There is no offense to be taken, my queen. I am honored you call me friend, but you are right, you have no equal in this place. You are not equal to the king and Amestris is a queen of sorts, but she is not the queen of Persia, as you are. You do realize that gives you advantages to do whatever you want, of course.” The girl moved her hand in an arc, as if all of Persia were Esther’s for the taking.

Esther laughed. “You exaggerate. I am a bird in a cage here. I cannot travel freely about the city without an army of guards surrounding me. I cannot even walk about but must be carried in a litter. I do have free rein of my rooms, but I cannot visit the king without his request. And the women of the harem favor Amestris. It did not seem as though they did at first, but she has somehow bewitched them to take her side, and I’m not sure what she is up to. Do they plan a coup to unseat me like Vashti?”

Parisa linked her hand through Esther’s, something Esther had often allowed her to do, and led her toward the opposite side of the roof, where she could look down on the main palace gardens. “There is always gossip and intrigue among royal circles, my queen.” She pointed to the beauty below them. “And it would not surprise me to learn that Amestris intends to somehow, someday take your place. But she has no standing with the king right now. Her sons are her only claim to anything close to the throne. When Darius is of age, and if the king names him co-regent, then Amestris will be someone with whom to contend. But for now, you have nothing to fear.”

Esther listened to the whisper of the wind and the call of the birds in the trees below her. Arched doorways lined the enclosed garden, and nobles held conversations in huddled sections of the vast space, their voices blocked by the dense foliage.

“I am not afraid,” she said after a lengthy pause. “Amestris is a lonely, bitter woman, and I think if I were in her position, I might feel the same. To marry a man, to bear him children, and then to be set aside by someone so much younger like me . . . well, I just feel sorry for her sometimes.”

Parisa chuckled. “Amestris needs no one to feel sorry for her. She is a conniving woman, and trust me when I say that you would do well to keep your distance and never tell her anything. She will use it against you. Even if she tries to befriend you, do not let her. You are the queen. You do not have to be her friend.”

Esther met her maid’s gaze, lifting a brow, surprised by the outburst. “Has something happened that causes you to speak so sternly? This isn’t like you, Parisa.” The girl had always been easy to talk to, but she had never spoken against others in the palace.

Parisa looked down as though studying her feet. “It is just . . .” She paused and shifted from foot to foot. Uncomfortable silence followed. She looked up at last and met Esther’s gaze. “My queen, forgive me. I know I spoke harshly against one of the king’s wives, and it is not my place to give you advice. But there has been talk among the servants, and perhaps it is something you should know.”

“Tell me.” Esther’s skin tingled as a sliver of apprehension slid up her spine.

Parisa leaned closer. “The rumors are old and not possible to prove, but some say that Amestris was behind the plot to remove Vashti.”

“That is not new. The gossips have suggested it from the beginning.” Esther crossed her arms, slightly relieved but a little put out that her maid would simply relive old stories.

“That is not all. There is also talk that she was behind the plot to kill the king.” She lowered her voice. “The one Mordecai discovered.”

Esther shook her head. “That was fully investigated, and nothing came to light to suggest such a thing. Could it be possible that the gossips are simply unhappy with Amestris and seek to smear her reputation?” She would need to put an end to this talk. It was not good to speak ill of others no matter how much Esther disliked them. Even Haman was a man she refused to defame out loud, despite how much she disdained him privately.

“There is one more reason, my queen.” Parisa bowed her head briefly, and when she looked up, her gaze held fire. The meek maid had been replaced by a woman who could not keep silent.

Esther straightened. “What is it?”

“There is talk that Haman is up to something. He is keeping it very private, but his wife has become quite close with Amestris. One of the guards told Hathach that they are plotting something. He fears it is something against the king.” She blew out a breath. “Or you.”

“Me?” Esther choked on a laugh. “Why would Haman care about me?” Though she had always wondered if he wanted the king’s position. Would he assassinate Xerxes to gain the throne? Would Amestris help him to do such a thing when her son’s own life would be at stake? It made no sense.

“Amestris would care to see you deposed. Haman would care to see the king removed.” She looked quickly about her and clamped her mouth shut as the other maids climbed the stairs to join them.

Esther bent her head closer to Parisa’s ear. “Amestris would not help Haman with such a thing. It would affect Darius. She would not jeopardize her son’s future.”

The rumors couldn’t be true. Though as far as rumors went, Esther tended to trust Parisa more than the others. Why tell her such a thing? What could Amestris possibly see in Haman or his family? Especially his wife? Zeresh made Esther’s skin crawl. But then, so did Amestris.

“We will speak no more of this,” she whispered as the others approached.

“There you are,” Zareen said. “We wondered where you had wandered off to.”

Esther turned slowly toward the stairs. “We were just admiring the gardens. But now it is time to get out of this sun and work in the cool of my rooms. I have a new idea for a colorful sash to weave. Are you up to joining me?”

They all spoke at once of their delight, something she wondered at times if they truly meant. But they belonged to her. What else could they do but agree with her? Even Parisa for all of her boldness still called her “mistress.” She had no choice but to please her.

Esther sighed. She missed Jola. With her she could be honest. But there was no way she could invite her friend to the palace. Besides, she wasn’t sure she could bear to see Gad again. Queen or not, she had still been rejected by a man she once thought had loved her. Much as she now felt with her own husband.