Chaps. 7-9 Summary

Chap. 7. Soon after Katsa began to train as a killer for King Randa, a woman named Helda comes to Katsa's training sessions. For some reason Helda is not afraid of Katsa and begins to talk to her, partially because Helda's son is a Graced swimmer. Helda works in the King's nursery and offers herself as a woman servant to Katsa. Helda explains that Katsa needs a woman servant to tell her about things like menstruation and the relationship of men to women. Katsa has no mother or sister, so soon realizes that it would be a great idea to have Helda as a servant.

Now, Helda works out the knots from Katsa's hair and comments that Katsa may be beautiful to Giddon and other young men in the court. At the dinner, Katsa is seated next to Giddon and a man...