Her first and strongest impression was that this was a place that didn’t stink; the air held the refreshing fragrance of a rose incense that drove all the unpleasant odors of Punjar before it. The room was as lavishly appointed as any she’d seen in Punjar. The bare rock walls were draped with airy fabrics of pastel blue, yellow, and white; there was a large mirror on the right hand wall with a table in front of it, on which were a set of combs and several jars. Stools and chairs were spaced about the floor; another door in the opposite wall led to a second chamber beyond. This was quite obviously a woman’s room; there was still danger for a fugitive like Selima, but the soft tones of the room mitigated it a little.
The voices from the corridor outside grew louder, and it soon became clear
