+15

I nod as I bwatch /bthem move. The younger one has coppery hairb; /bshe reminds me of Abigail’s curlsb. /bA feeling of closeness forms in my chest. She takes out a long white dress, as sheer bas /bthe one I’m wearing. The older one approaches me with hesitant steps and gestures to begin undressing me.

“It’s okay, ma’am, I can do it myself.”

b“/bOh, miss, don’t bcall /bme ma’am.” She tries to undo the knot of the dress at my neck. “And don’t

The garment falls and pools at my feet. I bstep /baside, and then the younger one crouches to remove

“bMay /bI know your namesb?/bb” /b

“Our names aren’t important,” says the younger one.

“I insist. I’d like to know who I’m dealing with.” I hesitate a moment. “Besides, you’re human.”

“We areb./b” They nod. “I’m Naida and she’s rissa.”

“bra/b,” I reply.

this bis /b

my shoesb. /b

our job.”

We know.” rissa bces /bher hands on my head. “The whole bcastle /bwhispers about you and the six hundred rubies

your hair–loose or tied up?”

“Loose.”

bCost/b. How

would you

like

The woman nods and begins to undo the crown of braids that rested on my head. Meanwhile, Naida slides the dress over my body. It bleaves /bshoulders bareb, /band the bsleeves /bcling halfway down my arms before falling in a cascade. She wraps a jeweled belt around

my

biWais /i/b

“Aren’t these bdresses /bba /bbit too much?b” /b

“The master likes you to wear them.” bA /bcoppery lock falls over her forehead and she tries to blow it away. “He wouldn’t let someone bsaw /byou in ragsb, /bit’d be ba /bdisgrace.”

you

bdress /b

poor

If

she leads me

I feel my hair tickle my bback /bbas /bthest of the braids is undone. rissa massages my scalp, and when she sees I’m fully bdressed /bagain th

to the vanity stool. I look at my reflection–I look bwless/b. Those vampire women did a good job trying to hide my deplorable appearanceb. /bFour bdays /bof illness don’t bleave /byou with the best skin or undereye circles in bgreat /bshape.

One of them brushes my bhair /bwhile the other retouches my face powder and applies red lipstick with soft dabs on my lips.

N

“You said the whole bcastle /bwhispers about meb—/bbisn’t /bthis normal for youb? /bbI’ve /bheard that bMaster /bCassian changes bloodmaids quite frequently.

They exchange ba /bmeaningful look.

“He’s never paid that much for anyoneb, /bconsidering how fast they wither.” It’s rissa who speaks while her fingers work to gather some strands and clear my bface/b. To be bought for that amount, and by a Pure no lessb…/b”

of

my

Of courseb, /bit’s obvious he must be ba /bPureb. /bA Diluted one would never bhave /bso many bprivileges /bor riches. Pures are those who are born as they are, obviously from the union of two other Puresb. /bOn the other hand, there are two ways to bget /ba Diluted one. The first is if a vampire and a human have a child–something that rarely happens since bit’s /bconsidered a disgrace to the race. The other is when a vampire turns a human, which sadly happens often.

I don’t know many differencesb, /bjust the most important bones/b. A Diluted can never walk in sunlight unless they want to turn to dust. That’s why Pures are so dangerousb–/byou can find them anywhereb, /bbat /bany time. A Diluted can be killed with a white oak stake blessed with holy waterb. /bbYes/b, that water bthat’s /bbing scarce bsince /bno one blesses it anymore. A Pure? No. Among them, two factions bhave /bformed that are usually bitter enemiesb. /bbI’ve /bheard that sometimes, when we feel the earth shake, it bhas /bnothing to do with Mother Nature–it’s themb, /bfighting each other.

“bI /bdon’t feel honored,” bI /bbspit/b. “I didn’t want thisb–/bno one does. It bdoesn’t /bmatter who buys me or for how much, I still feel miserableb./bb” /b

“Of course.” She corrects herself immediately. “I didn’t mean to offend. I understand no one would choose this fate.”

Naida looks at herpanion disapprovingly.

b“/bIs the bentire /bstaff bhuman/b?” bI /bask in ban /battempt to bease /bthe tension.

They nod silently.

“I thought they’d be of his kind.”

Silence follows, and then they burst intoughter, which bthey /bquickly bsuppress/b, looking around to see if anyone else witnessed their outburst.

“Miss, the things you say The younger one crouches and adjusts my neckline. I look at her strangely. “Vampires think our bwork /bis bfar /btoo low bfor /bthem. They would never work with their hands. The only task bthey /bconsider worthy enough to do themselves is security.”

12:18 bPM /b

That makes me feel more contempt for them. My parents are humble people who work to keep three children fed, and knowing they think that’s something disgraceful boils my blood.

“And how did you end up working for him?b” /b

They share ba /bknowing nce.

“I asked him for the job–or rather, bI /basked his right hand,” rissa banswers/b. b“/bAt first the master bwas /breluctant to have human employees, but he eventually epted. After all, we make his life easier. We do what they don’t want to do with their hands, things that aren’t worth their unlimited time. Back then, my mother bwas /bvery ill and I needed the money to buy medicine. When she died nearly ten years ago, with no children or husband waiting for me, I saw no reason to leave this ceb./bb” /b

Naida clears her throat, trying to dissipate the mncholy that’s wrapped around the three of us.

“Drystan brought me here. He found me in an alley after some drunk men beat me and stole everything

bI /bcover my mouth with my hand.

b“/bGod, that’s awful, Naida…”

“Don’t mention God–he hasn’t listened to us in a long timeb.” /b

I had-

b-even /bmy clothes.b” /b

struggle

We fall silent, as if thatst sentence was a blow to the head. They continue working on my appearance with such diligence that I str recognize myself beach /btime my eyes briefly meet my reflection.

“You’re ready now.”

to

Ysternum

They encourage me to stand, move the stool away, and I gently touch the fabric of the dress. The V–shaped neckline plunges down and stops at my waist, where the stones on the belt shine. I’ve never looked so beautiful and elegant before. I smile at my reflection and quickly wipe it away when the feeling of hypocrisy overwhelms me.

“One bst /bthing.”

Their hands approach me, one working on my neck, the other on my ears. When they step back, a ruby ne brests /bon matching earrings.

“Rubies for the ruby queen,” rissa jokes.

my corbo with

+15

They vanish quickly the same way they came, offering a small curtsy before leaving. The door remains openb, /band one of the famous guards appears -the ones who will now be responsible for watching over my safety… or for keeping me in bce/bb, /bwithout any chance of escape.

I take a deep breath and leave the room, passing by the guard. I don’t need to look closely–one small movement is enough to tell he isn’t human. If the bloodmaids‘ security were left to humans, it would only be a matter of time before one sympathized and helped you escape. I walk down the bhallway /bfollowing his bsteps/b, and soon another joins bus/b. They nk me on either side. We descend the grand staircase, and I see the candle mes flicker in the enormous rustic chandelier, where crystals fall like dropsb–/bbso /bshiny I wouldn’t be surprised if they were diamonds.

I take my final steps toward the dining hall where I’m bexpected /bfor dinnerb, /bheart pounding. I feel it in my throatb, /bthreatening to fall to my feet if bI /bdare part my lips. One of the guards opens the door for me and waits. I hesitate for a few seconds, and the sound bof /ba shrill giggle is what pushes me forward.

The door closes behind me and the scene bleaves /bme stunned, frozen in bce/bb. /bA golden–skinned woman with a dazzling smile bis /bsitting on Cassian’sp. He looks at her with what might be a smileb, /balthough to me it looks more like the sneer the devil gives before consuming your soul.

The girl doesn’t stop letting out flirtatious bgiggles as /bshe shifts on hisp. Cassian bcaresses /bthe bare skin her violet dress leaves bexposed /band looks at her with half–lidded eyes. Honestly, bI /bthink he’s paying more attention to the vein in her neck.

I clear my throat to bcatch /bhis attention and end this awkward moment.

“bra/b.” My name slips from his lips so slowly it seems like he’s savoring bevery /bsyble. “Join us. I was starting to miss my new toy.”