Concubinage excerpt:

"My dear, you have been out in the sun today, haven't you?"

Hanithi evaded the question with a polite smile. His escort, a wine merchant from Akkil, lacked the status to secure a place within the temple of Shalat, forcing Hanithi to watch the High Prince's procession from the plaza among scores of other middle-ranking courtesans.

The omission did not smart quite as much as the humiliation of being forced out from underneath the sun shade by Nesper's ample girth.

"You must take greater care with your complexion, my dear," said his hostess. Wrinkling a sunburned nose, wincing at the mild discomfort, Hanithi assured her that he would. "Your advice is precious to me, my lady," he said.

Tanarharit, her attention already on her next guest, urged him to enjoy the hospitality of her house. While the merchant gravitated toward the servants bearing trays of food and wine, Hanithi sidled past milling nobles, tradesmen, and courtesans, dodging inquiries from attentive slaves as he left the atrium and stepped outside.

A secluded garden beckoned just off the inner courtyard, down a shaded walk. In summer, ripe herbs and fruit trees would make this a fragrant oasis, cooled by the fountain at its center. For now, it simply offered a pleasant retreat in which to enjoy the final hours of a warm spring afternoon.

"What is such a lovely akharu doing without a companion?" asked a voice.

Sitting on the wide edge of the pool, a young man trailed long fingers through the water. Beaded sandals lay discarded on the tiles below him.

"You do not seem to have one either," replied Hanithi.

The young man, who could not be older than twenty, had the beardless, indolent look of a well-bred courtesan. In short, a potential rival.

Laughter greeted his remark. "Rest assured that I did not come alone. Sadly, though, my client prefers to celebrate this holy day with business rather than the pleasure of my company. But come, whoever chose that pink garland for you? It clashes horribly with your robe."

Hanithi, ready to turn on his heel and return to the atrium, frowned at him. "Unless you mean to exchange garlands with me, spare me your comments," he said crossly. "It is rude."

Still laughing, now slipping his garland of white flowers over his head, the young man tossed it to him. "If you prefer mine, it is yours for the asking," he said. "I am Inandré, by the way, and you still have not answered my question. How does such a lovely courtesan manage to be without a companion on the day of the Great Marriage?"

Hanithi could not decide which bothered him more: Inandré's lazy, seductive manner or his ready laughter. "I never said I was alone."

"Oh, but you are!" said Inandré, grinning. "How else do I find you here, so forlorn and eager for my conversation?"

"Had I known I would be so accosted, I would have stayed inside," replied Hanithi.

Inandré chuckled. "Your sweet blush tells me otherwise. Now tell me truly: why are you not with your client?"

"Because at this moment he prefers a good meal over good company," said Hanithi. "I am sure he will want me later, but right now I have had too much to do with crowds of people. I desired a few moments of quiet. Sadly--" He glared meaningfully at Inandré. "It seems to have eluded me."

Inandré watched him with intent dark eyes. "That pink garland still looks horrid on you," he commented. "Come, take that off and I will give you mine." "It will look no better on you."

"When men look at me they are not thinking about the flowers around my neck, except how to get them and everything else off me," laughed Inandré. "As for the women, they are usually eating themselves with envy over my jewelry or wanting to know the name of my designer. At least I will have the pleasure of seeing you wear my flowers."

"You are shameless."

"A modest courtesan rarely finds success. When I want something, I pursue it—and what I want right now is that horrid garland from around your neck." Hanithi removed the flowers and started to hand them to Inandré, but to his surprise the young man gracefully rose and bowed his head. "I will appreciate it more if you put it on me yourself."

"Are you flirting with me?" asked Hanithi.

"Yes, and shamelessly."

"Should akhari be doing that with their peers?" Inandré purred as the garland slipped over his head and draped over his shoulders. "If you have to ask, then you obviously have not been a courtesan for very long."