Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130317 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“Thank you for coming to rescue me,” Mia said in a low voice. “I, uh, don’t think Brother Beemux wanted to be bothered with me.”
“Oh, he’s one of the males who doesn’t like the idea of women reading.” Sister Zellah’s voice was hushed but Mia could hear the bitterness in it. “In fact, he and several of the Elders have gone to The Prophet with the proposal that reading shouldn’t even be taught to the female children of the Dome. They believe it’s better for them to grow up ignorant—supposedly it will make them better wives if they can’t read and ‘fill their heads with nonsense.’”
“What?” Mia exclaimed so loudly that the other woman shushed her, a worried look on her face. “Sorry,” Mia lowered her voice to a whisper. “But that’s terrible! I mean, isn’t it?” she asked, watching Zellah warily. Was she dealing with a true believer like Teebra or a skeptic like Kissie? She didn’t need to get reported if Zellah was the former instead of the latter.
“Yes, it’s terrible,” Zellah said, causing Mia to breathe an inward sigh of relief. “But what can any of us do about it? The men rule here in the PPP Dome—we women have no say in the matter. We can’t even stop our daughters from growing up illiterate,” she added bitterly. Then she cast a glance at Mia. “I’m sorry if I’m shocking you. Maybe I’ve said too much.”
“No, of course not—I feel the same way you do,” Mia said quickly. “Er, how does your husband feel?” she added. She knew from her conversation with Teebra and Kissie the day before that Zellah was a widow, but she thought it would be better not to let the other woman know that she already knew something about her.
Zellah shook her head.
“I have no husband—not anymore,” she said bleakly. “My Kal died in an accident not long after we got here to the Dome. I’m a Concubine of The Prophet now.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mia told her—and she really was. There was a desolation in Zellah’s lovely face that tugged at her heart. “Er, though I’m sure it’s amazing being with The Prophet all the time,” she added, trying to be careful.
“It’s a great honor to be chosen as a receptacle of The Prophet’s seed.” Zellah spoke dutifully, as though she was just repeating what she was expected to say.
“Oh, uh—I’m sure it is,” Mia said. “Come on—why don’t we sit down?” she added, nodding at two of the empty desks. “You can show me how to work the holo thingy and tell me about your life as a Concubine—if you feel like talking, that is,” she added.
“Thank you. It’s kind of you to take an interest—not many do.” Zellah smiled—a small, sad smile, but a smile nonetheless, Mia thought. They took a seat in the empty desks and Zellah started showing her how to work them.
“Just type here on the light-keyboard,” she explained, pointing to the lighted red outline of the keyboard that was being projected from somewhere under the glass desktop. “Tell it what you want to know and as long as The Prophet has done a lecture on it, you’ll get results.”
“Oh…” Mia frowned. “Um…I was actually hoping to get some information on the Dome itself. Not the social structure—the physical structure. Like the blueprints?” she asked hopefully. “I’m, uh, interested in architecture and I’ve never seen anyplace like this,” she added, by way of explanation.
Zellah brightened.
“You’re in luck—my late husband, Kal, was the architect for the Dome. I know just how to get to his plans—though I’m afraid there’s no lecture associated with it,” she added apologetically, as she typed rapidly on the light-keyboard.
“That’s all right,” Mia said quickly. “I guess I’m really lucky I ran into you!”
Zellah shrugged her slim shoulders.
“I’m here a lot. It beats the Inner Sanctum,” she added and made a face.
“Oh? You don’t like living there with The Prophet?” Mia asked, guardedly. “It’s certainly a very grand building—my husband and I were there yesterday for a Judgment and Review Session,” she added.
“Then you were only in one of the antechambers. You ought to see the Inner-Inner Sanctum,” Zellah told her. “That’s where the Prophet lives with all his Concubines—and where he performs his Binding Ceremonies and gives his vid addresses too,” she added.
“And you live there with him?” Mia asked.
Zellah nodded.
“Yes, but if I stay there, The Prophet wants me to, uh…let’s just say that he likes to punish his Concubines often.” She made a face.
“Oh, er…sorry.” Mia felt her own cheeks heating with a blush when she remembered how Sev had “punished” her the night before. God, she still couldn’t believe she’d let him do that!
For some reason the memory made her breasts feel heavy and her nipples tingle—or was that the damned Chastity Devices? Trying to ignore the strange feelings, she turned her attention to the blueprints that Zellah had called up for her. They came up in 3-D holo form—the entire Dome traced in blue light on the glass desktop.