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“Fine.” He folded his arms, giving up. “Madam is having one of her famous soirees in a month. She invites only nobles… with pets.”
Shit. That was the last thing I wanted to hear, but there was also a reason they never invited me to many of these parties. “I’ve never had a reason to attend, but now I do, and I have a thrall now, one in need of a debut it would seem.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
KAL
I couldn’t remember the last time I slept so well. These beds may have been on the floor, but they were perhaps the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in. The space beside me was empty from what little I’ve seen after opening my eyes in the dim-lit room, but I slammed my lids shut when I glimpsed a figure coming towards me and I didn’t think it was Thorsten.
Maybe I’m ridiculous. Thorsten has servants, and we made a mess in here, so of course, they would come to clean up, but I couldn’t shake my instincts telling me I was in danger. The footsteps were heavy as the figure approached; I could feel the indent in the pillows. This scent was also different; there were no icy pine forests and mountains, no crackling heat of fire. But a sour smell and weeds pulled from the ground and left to wilt in the rain.
A large hand grazed my thigh, but it wasn’t smooth like Thorsten’s touch, but rough. The hand drifted and stopped just at my limp dick. My body froze like one of those flash-frozen food items at the market, and every nerve was on edge.
His hot breath on my cheek, his voice ragged and haggard from his laborious breathing. The hand retreated fast once the doors opened. The pillows filled out again, and smaller steps replaced heavier ones. Tears welled up in my closed eyes. I wanted to scream and run out of there, but I was too afraid to move, much less open my eyes. That was until I heard scissors scrape together.
“Diana?” My eyes shot open, and I rolled away from her and checked my hair. Thankfully, it was still on my head. “Why are you holding scissors?” I looked around to see if anyone else was with her. It couldn’t have been Thorsten, I knew his smell and his touch, maybe Gio? He was the only other titan in the house.
“I’m your servant as well. What better way to serve than to give you a much better hairstyle than that of a wild animal? Something short and neat would look nice, a style befitting of our house.”
“I can do my own damn hair, thank you.” I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around my junk, and got out of bed. “Look, you need to leave and take whatever fucked up feelings you have with you.” I could have stopped there, but I wanted to make it hurt. “Did you have fun watching us have sex? Were you picturing yourself in my place?” I laughed, and her face shifted and contorted with fury. “I hope you pictured having a dick and some balls between your legs to make it more real.”
“Excuse me, I have to clean your nasty stains off these sheets.” She put down the scissors, and I realized how stupid I was to insult someone holding a weapon. But what could she do that wouldn’t end with her facing the consequences for her actions? In other words, I was relying on Thorsten to keep me safe.
“I’ll leave you to it.”
“You must think you are such hot shit.” Her voice cracked as she spoke. “Do you think all these beds are for you and you alone?” She smirked. “Soon, he will fill them with others like you, men who are younger and more beautiful. Handpicked and trained to be by the side of one of the most powerful men in this city, our master. He’ll soon realize that some street whore can’t compare. That is the only thing that will bring me any joy right now. Watching you be discarded and forgotten.”
I didn’t reply. There was nothing to say after that. What could I say? That I was the best? He loves me? He would never bring anyone else to replace me? I didn’t know if any of that was true. For all I knew, I could take a bath and come back to a room full of women. How would that make me feel? Hurt? Betrayed? He never promised me anything other than medical attention for my father. It’s a business deal. Did I forget that already? I was allowing this strange pull toward him to muddle my mind. I needed to get it together.
A large black trunk sat in the center of the room where the tray of food used to sit, and I opened it out of pure curiosity. It was full of clothing that looked like my size. They were all tunics, thick coats for the winter, robes similar to what I’ve seen Thorsten wear and some shoes, and also what looked like pajamas and underwear. The fabrics were cotton and in the colors of red and gold. Hm, these are either his favorite colors, or they represent something. I didn’t know anything about nobility either in this world or in his. I took a tunic, red with gold Greek designs trimmed on the long sleeves and bottom edge. I left to shower and change.
Diana had left once I reentered the room. My fingers and toes were prunes by the time I finished. I slipped on the soft house shoes and left the now cleaner room, and it didn’t take long before I ran into Hannah and Zane, who was cleaning the hall.I wanted to say something, even a simple greeting like Wow, it’s actually sunny outside for the first time or something. But nothing came out. I feared rejection.
“I don’t care.” Hannah faced me after wiping a nearby glass table. “About you being a thrall? I mean…I don’t like it, but you don’t seem like a bad person.”
“Yeah, you seem cool, but then again, I’m not into this whole thrall-servant war shit.” Zane shrugged and finished sweeping up.
“Thanks. I just didn’t know what I should say or if you guys hated me.” I fidgeted.
“It’s fine.” Hannah waved me off. “You don’t want to keep the master waiting.”
I went downstairs and passed a strange old woman by the door who looked like she was stuck in the old-time era of the roaring twenties. Her black fur draped over her shoulders, the diamond beaded hat draped over her head, her black hair shining. It was apparent she was using dyes.
Thorsten entered the main living area dressed in a long, light red tunic and loose pants and tossed his tablet on the couch. And I hated how he made me feel with every simple gesture. “Kal, meet Mrs. Winters, your etiquette coach.”
“Hello, Sir.” She bowed as if forced to do so, her facial expression not betraying her thoughts, perhaps? I didn’t know. I’m just gonna assume everyone who meets me hates me.
“Uh…Ma’am.” I bowed too, and Thorsten laughed.
“You don’t have to do that.” Thorsten laughed and headed out the door, leaving me alone with the woman.
I folded my arms, already on the defense. “So, here to teach me how to be less of a gutter rat?”
“Yes. The first step to Zen is knowing what you are.” She took off the fur and tossed it to the couch.
‘The first step to what?’ I said to myself.
“People tend to live their lives in denial of what they are. They want to be more than just another creature in their own little bubble of the world. But that is what we are when it’s all said and done, just little specks of lives that are born and end in our own little corners. I can tell by the way you move you lack confidence in your new station. Most thralls try to impress me upon seeing me, their way of letting me know my services aren’t needed.”
