Cotiso let out a breath and was about to get up when Corina volunteered.
“I’ll help. Master?”
“Go, go,” Tati said.
“Thank you,” Maria said with her hands joined at her chest in gratitude. She retreated behind the entrance, yelling, “Get back in there, that water is not going to get any warmer, you hear me? Nooo! I said throw that filth away first!”
Corina had just lifted the flap of the tent to go out when her eyes widened with shock. She stopped and took a good look outside, then she turned to face Cotiso with a devious look in her eyes.
“Mister Cotiso, how much did you say you paid for her? Three silvers?”
“Yes.”
“And, exactly, how bad did you say she was?” she asked while she leaned backwards to take another look outside.
Cotiso shrugged, unsure where this conversation was headed. “I didn’t say she was bad.”
“I meant when you spoke of how dirty she was. Her looks.”
“Oh! Really bad. I mean, she seemed okay, but… Oh, it was terrible.”
“You coming?” Maria called.
“Yes, in a moment,” Corina called back.
She let go of the cover of the entrance and spun around. “Well, in that case─”
Corina struck a seductive pose and eyed Cotiso like she was daring him to a challenge. “I’ll tell you what, Master Tati is going to make you a very tricky deal. He’ll give you a gold coin for her right here, right now. But you have to decide now to take it or not before you see her again.”