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I'd been so focused on the hope of catching Braxl's attention with my ill-conceived stunt against Jaro that I'd scarcely considered the other two bidders. I scrutinized them as the bidding escalated, while Braxl remained fixated on the wine label. Either of them would suffice.
One of them was a notorious pirate, notorious for targeting mining vessels during their passage through asteroid belts.
The other led an extensive network of smugglers employed by the Nova Dominion to deplete planets of their resources, later selling them back to desperate inhabitants.
While not as ideal as the prominent warlord's up-and-coming son, they were viable options.
I struggled to keep up with Luxana's rapid-fire auctioneering, numbers soaring as the men grunted, glared, and clenched their fists in the back-and-forth struggle.
The bid was climbing dangerously high, making me uneasy.
Finally, the pirate threw out a figure so exorbitant it left me dizzy. I could scarcely fathom possessing such a sum – an amount that could purchase a small spacecraft.
The smuggler hesitated and declined to match the bid.
Luxana beamed at him. "Final bid, sir? You have an opportunity to counter. Going once, going twice?"
"I'll double it."
The pirate and the smuggler gasped, turning their attention to Braxl. My heart pounded, and I held onto my dress, a smile forming. Braxl peeled off the wine label, seemingly impervious to Luxana.
"Lord Sar? Indicating you'd like to double Lord Dusan's last bid?" she inquired.
Braxl nodded. The pirate looked like he wanted to protest, disbelieving that I had been snatched from his grasp at the last moment by a man who hadn't bid at all.
"Lord Dusan? Can you match and surpass it?" Luxana practically danced, thrilled with the windfall of credits.
The pirate crossed his arms, cursing under his breath. The smuggler chuckled, relatively unperturbed by his loss, since the pirate had also failed.
"Very well, I declare bidding closed on the lovely Jasmine.
Lucky winner: Braxl Sar of Prexis Prime. The Elite Auction concludes for the night." Madame Luxana's feathers ruffled with satisfaction.
I exhaled deeply, astounded by the staggering sum I'd fetched. Braxl had paid more for me than the other two women combined.
Holy shit.
I kept my hands at my sides, fighting any urge to wobble. I was grateful for the cool breeze wafting through the door as the smuggler and pirate exited in a huff, even though their departure left me alone. The fresh air helped anchor me in reality.
It's done. I've been bought.
The plan was set in motion.
I gazed at Braxl, my focus almost hazy.
Finally, he met my gaze, his eyes flashing with orange and gold around the black elliptical slit. He tilted his head slightly, rubbing his jaw. Setting the bottle down, he retrieved his wage card from his pocket, placing it on the table. Luxana scanned it so swiftly she almost dropped her reader, as though afraid he might retract his bid.
With the Auction concluded, guards from the other winners materialized from their concealed positions on the walls. The other two women vanished with their victorious warlords, a mixture of disbelief, fear, and excitement in their eyes. I whispered my hopes for their future under my breath. The Resistance fought tirelessly against the exploitation of humans by aliens. It felt even more significant now, as I watched two women officially escorted off the planet, destination unknown, in search of a better life.
Perhaps they'd find a haven where Luxana's embellished virtues would be honored, rather than on a harem ship, as Jaro had suggested. Perhaps they would.
But I doubted it.
With luck, finding myself aboard the spacecraft of Braxl of Prexis Prime meant I'd have an opportunity to further expand the reach of my Resistance cell.
"Jasmine, you are now released from the Elite Auction. Please join your fortunate winner," Madame Luxana announced, extending her feathered wings in a sweeping gesture toward Braxl.
The warlord lowered his kicked-up boots from the table, watching me as I approached. I caught Dahlia's gaze as I walked. She smiled and gave me a thumbs up.Oh, the dear girl. Perhaps someday she'd grasp the extent of her unwitting role.
