Chapter 15

My only source of contentment over the next couple days is that Asher hasn’t come back. Per Rumi, he hasn’t shown himself since getting beat up. Guess he really did just need someone to knock some sense in him.

But the absence of Asher hasn’t solved all my problems like I thought it would. I’ve been stuck indoors since I’ve moved to a spare room in Night Spade gambling house after Rumi forbade me from stepping outside. He’s worried those soldiers might come looking for me, which, fair. But I’m dying here. With me not working and not taking care of Sai, I don’t have a purpose.

“Hey Blue.”

Pulling myself out of my existential crisis, I roll over on my bed and wave at Nina as she walks past my room. “Hi Nina.”

After blowing me a kiss, she glides down the stairs draped in robes of gold tinted autumn leaves embroidered upon a black and white ombre fabric. One of her apprentices’ carries the tail of the robes to keep it from dragging on the ground. I wave at the little girl as well, but she’s too focused on her task to notice me.

I would love to watch Nina dance on the stage in the main hall of the gambling house since I’ve heard from everyone that her dancing skills are unparallel. This is technically my only chance to see her since our working hours are the same, but that would involve me leaving the room and I am not allowed.

Rumi won’t even involve me in the process of smuggling me and Sai to a different country. He said Sai’s helping. Meaning Sai, my fifteen-year-old brother, is more useful than me.

I grip my stomach feeling it tighten from nerves. Recently, every time I think about Sai who is currently on his own doing who knows what makes me stress to the point of pain in my gut. He’s going to age me by decades before he even turns twenty.

“Blue.”

Not expecting to see Dia here, I pull myself to a kneeling position happy to have a visitor. “Hi.”

“How are you?”

“Bored. How are you? How’s the shop?”

Dia rubs her palms down the front of her dress and drops her gaze. “Actually, Cyra wanted to talk to you about something. I know you’re not supposed to go outside right now, but—”

“No. Please get me out of here.” If Cyra needs me then Rumi can’t possibly complain that I went out.

I grab my white fur lined cloak and wrap it around me before putting the hood on to cover my face and hair. It’s way too hot for me to wear this cloak, but I loaned Sai the other one yesterday since it was raining.

Motioning for Dia to lead the way, we head outside towards the shop. I intentionally slow our pace to give myself more time to enjoy being outside. My deep inhale catches the scent of rust along with the smell of alcohol and perfume. Ahh, I miss this.

All too soon we’re at the shop. Cyra and Lady Auclair are standing in the lobby when Dia and I walk in. Only when I see the uneasy expression on Lady Auclair’s face do I wonder why they asked me to come.

Are they going to fire me? As soon as I have that thought, I realize how dumb it was. I’m about to leave the country, which means I’ll have to quit at some point in the near future.

“Can we talk to you for a moment Blue?” Cyra requests.

“Nh.”

I follow Cyra into the office leaving an anxious-looking Dia alone in the lobby. When the door clicks shut, I feel my heartrate pick up. Still, I continue to assure myself that nothing is wrong and there’s no need to worry.

After sitting in the chair Cyra offers me, she takes a seat behind the desk facing me. Lady Auclair takes her place behind my chair effectively blocking my exit.

“Blue, we want to discuss Flame’s situation with you. As you’re aware, we have told everyone that she’s been under the weather.”

I nod my head showing I’m listening prompting Cyra to continue.

“In truth, she’s with child. We have confirmed that it belongs to a royal and a doctor verified yesterday that it will be a boy. As the royal has no heir currently, he made the proposition to take Flame in as his mistress and allow the child to take over the family name when he comes of age.”

“Nh.” The more I hear, the less I understand how I fit into all of this.

“I’m sure you know at this point that Flame was Adine’s first child?”

It feels strange hearing someone finally say those words out loud. As if for the first time, both Flame and I are being acknowledged. “Yes.”

“The contract binds a child of a worker to be left here. This has been Flame up until now, but it just has to be a child of Adine’s.”

It clicks then; the reason for me being here.

Cyra slides a paper towards me. It’s only a momentary glance, but I can see it’s a contract for me to work here until I die or provide a child to take my place. I crinkle my nose when I see my real name written across the bottom of the page next to the line where I’m meant to sign.

My eyes dart behind me to Lady Auclair who appears very uncomfortable with the conversation. Then, I face Cyra again who has an expression that tells me that this is just business for her. It’s business, it’s not personal, as she says.

“Your sister has performed her duty admirably. Through her sacrifice, it gave you the time to have a childhood she could not. It’s only fair that you step in and give her this chance.

“And of course, as soon as you have a child, you’re free to go. If you wish it, you won’t even have to be here for a year.” Cyra picks up a pen and holds it out for me to take, but I keep my hands in my lap.

“Blue, you’re an adult now. The time to be a selfish child is over.”

All I can do is stare at the pen. Nothing Cyra’s said is incorrect, but it’s still an unsettling request. As I’m trying to convince myself to do something, either try to escape or sign the contract, a pounding on the door startles all of us.

“Open the door! Now!”

I hear Rumi shouting on the other side of the door and my resolve to sign the contract crumbles. He must have come to pick me up. For once, I love this overprotective side of his.

I’m sorry for leaving the gambling house Rumi. From now on, I’ll do everything you tell me to do, no complaints. Just get me out of here.

Cyra looks at the door then at Lady Auclair. “Do not open that door,” she orders.

I turn pleading eyes on Lady Auclair begging her to please open the door. I’m aware that I’m now legally an adult, but this is beyond me. I need an adult that’s better at adulting to adult on my behalf.

Lady Auclair spends a few more seconds torn between my pleading gaze, Rumi’s screams on the other side of the door, and her wife’s demanding stare. In the end, she opens the door. Internally, I pray to the Divinity of Life to bless Lady Auclair for sacrificing herself for my sake.

As Rumi thunders into the room, Cyra’s eyes hide her dissatisfaction over Rumi’s forced entry into this conversation. She resembles a salesperson that lost a chance to make the transaction of a lifetime.

Rumi stomps to the table snatching up the contract mere moments before Cyra has a chance to pull it back. We all wait for him to read it as if he’s the one that will be making the decision instead of me.

“What is this?”

“Oh, can you not read Rumi? It’s just your standard contract, nothing to be worried over.”

The air becomes charged as Cyra and Rumi glare at each other waiting to see if one of them will look away first.

“Rumi, you should respect that Blue is an adult and let her make her own decisions.”

Rumi tilts his head keeping his eyes locked on Cyra. Then he places the contract back on the table before speaking the words he seems to have been holding in for quite a while.

“Cyra, go burn in the abyss.”

I wince as does Lady Auclair. Cyra for her part doesn’t even blink, but her eyes definitely turn a shade or two darker.

Rumi holds out a hand for me that I reluctantly take. “We’re leaving, and Blue’s not coming back here.”

“Hold it right there,” Cyra commands as we stride hand-in-hand towards the shops front entrance.

Rumi doesn’t even respond to her much less listen. Ty and Fawn step in front of our path to the front door. Rumi has no choice but to halt his steps while tucking me close to him as if he’s preparing to protect me from everyone in this room.

After releasing a heavy sigh, Lady Auclair is the one that speaks. “It’s not our intention to force Blue into anything she’s uncomfortable with. However, I think this conversation is worthy of some discussion.”

“No. Now move.” Rumi says Ty and Fawn as he stares them down.

“For her whole life, everyone has looked out for Blue. Doesn’t Flame deserve a chance?” Cyra exclaims.

I hear the whispers from the stairwell telling me we have an audience.

“Excuse me. Yoo think Blue somehow had it easier than Flame. Flame was orphaned here where she had food and shelter. Blue had to figure everything out at ten. She even raised her younger brother on her own! How was any of that considered easy?”

Lady Auclair tries to cut in, “My love, trying to force her isn’t fair to Blue.”

Cyra rounds on her. “When does this become fair for Flame? You’re only partial to Blue because she looks like Adine.”

“Then let Flame go. Keeping her here is, and has always been, your choice Cyra. Don’t blame Blue for that.”

With these last words, Rumi pushes pass Ty and Fawn with me in tow. For some reason, likely because Lady Auclair isn’t forcing us to stay, they let us leave without any resistance.

“She was born into this, the same as Flame. You can’t run away from the fate you were born into.” Cyra asserts as Rumi throws open the door.

My eyes stay forward as we leave, but my mind can’t help but worry about what I’m leaving behind me. Both Flame and I are Adine’s daughters; I just happen to be the lucky one. None of it’s fair.

Rumi turns around back to the shop, but he places a hand on the back of my head keep me from looking behind me at Cyra’s face. “Yoo ruined Adine, yoo broke Flame. You’ve taken enough blood from them Cyra. Enough!”

No one says anything after that. I follow behind Rumi never once checking behind me. I don’t want to face them after being a coward that couldn’t just say no.

“Rumi. How did you know where I was?”

“Dia. She realized something was wrong, so she came and got me.”

As if she heard her name, Dia calls after me. “Blue.”

I tug my hand against Rumi’s grip around my wrist but there’s not much force. It’s a request for us to hear her out. Even if it’s not anything good, I want to at least say good-bye to Dia.

Rumi stops, but he stays close to me. When Dia walks up to us, the guilt is apparent on her face.

“Thanks for getting Rumi Dia.”

She shakes her head as if my thanks is the last thing she wants. So, I don’t say it again. Instead, I give my last few words to her as my good-bye.

“For Flower, you have to make sure you don’t give her any aggressive customers. Men scare her, and if they hurt or threaten her, she freezes up. I know Autumn has a strong personality, but she breaks easily. People’s opinions matter to her even if she acts like they don’t. Keep a close eye on her.

“Doll came when my mom worked here so you wouldn’t know, but her husband used to beat her like it was a hobby. She ran away with Ty and Fawn all the way here when she was only seventeen. She doesn’t trust others easily, so you need make sure that she knows she’s not alone.

“Finally, I know you fight with your mom a lot, but Kitten loves you. She’s different from my mom. Kitten would never leave you here to rot. So, if you ever get the opportunity, leave and find something better than Wirra.”

My hand cradles Dia’s cheek as I wipe away her tears. It’s not the good-bye I wanted, but I guess I’ll have to be happy with this.

After giving her one more hug I leave Dia and the shop behind me.