Chapter 32

The Queens stayed at the Elephant Terrace until noon, but Amarisa left quite early and did not join our lunch at the Pavilion. I was sad and had a gnawing feeling that her leaving had something to do with me.

I did my other routines around the encampment throughout the evening with no hint of joy. My avatar friends thought I was upset over what had happened with Issarak earlier, and I didn't have the heart to tell them otherwise.

When I was in the stable, making sure Pisey was comfortable with her new life on earth, a palace maid appeared to me. She handed me a small palm leaf and bowed away. I stared at it in wonder and flipped the stiff brown leaf open. Some elegant letterings were scribbled over it.

It was a note I later realized, but even with a great concentration, I could only decipher one word, which was 'tonight'. Still, the message didn't make any sense. I thought of asking Tepi for help but decided against it.