It should be safe – the cash is hidden in a cavity under a loose floorboard, back in the little room I rent, upstairs at The Stag. Once I get my cut from selling these watches, I’ll finally have enough to sneak away from Darr, get off Deemak, and finally reach Oasis. I can start a new life there – putting my life of thievery behind me.
Just one planet over, I’ll be safe from the Aurelians – and Darr.
I look up to the sky. It’s too bright to see the binary, or double planet, that orbits Deemak – but I know Oasis is up there. At night, it’s the most gorgeous view; floating in the sky above us like a raindrop suspended in the air – glinting in the moonlight, and twinkling with the reflection of millions of stars.
Oasis mocks those of us who eke out a living here on Deemak every damned day. It circles us, a cool, blue gem compared to the fiery sun that warms both our worlds. Due to a quirk of orbit, Deemak shields Oasis from the worst of the heat; bleaching our world into a harsh, desert planet – and making Oasis a rich, water-filled haven.
Most see the planet as a slap in the face – a mark of our ill fate.
Not me. I see it as the promise of a new life.
Sarah leads me into the manor. The size of everything here is overwhelming. Huge, vaulted ceilings tower over me. Everything is built larger in the Aurelian’s household, scaled up for the massive frames of these immense aliens. I understand now why this estate was so starkly different to all the manor houses that surrounded it – the Aurelians must have had it built specifically for them, to accommodate their larger size.
Affording an immense estate like this is impressive enough. To have had it custom built? Truly, these Aurelians are beyond wealthy.
Paintings adorn the walls, of all shapes, sizes, and styles. Beautiful, abstract colors compliment the ornate pattern of the tiles beneath my feet. The household oozes wealth. When Darr told me how rich these Aurelians were, I’d thought he was exaggerating. Now, I realize it’s the opposite – he had understated their wealth.
Gods, I wish that I could just grab one of those hand-carved wooden figurines, or a single piece of the finely crafted artwork hanging from the wall. It’s all got to be worth a fortune – enough to get me to Oasis and start a brand-new life.
But, no – Darr is as careful as he is greedy. He has a very specific buyer in mind. If I come out of the manor empty-handed – or with anything other than those ancient watches – it won’t just be a beating I’ll receive from him. He has an angry streak that runs so deep, I might not survive disappointing him.
I push thoughts of Darr out of my mind and return to studying the manor.
“It’s beautiful,” I breath, speaking honestly – feeling a sense of awe as I gaze around at the interior of this veritable palace. The wealth of these Aurelians is truly mind-boggling.
“Of course,” Sarah says dismissively – it’s hard to believe anybody could ever get used to this opulence – but apparently, she has. “But that’s not why most of the girls joined the harem.”
Sarah giggles, giving me a knowing look. I blush furiously.
Sarah then opens a massive set of wooden doors that lead into a huge room with a cavernous ceiling. Couches line the sides of the room, which has a skylight high above that lets the natural warmth of the sun flood across the gleaming tiles. In the center of the room is a shallow pool of water, running the full distance from one end of the room to the other. The water ripples, glimmering in the reflected sunlight and showing off the beautiful tile patterns beneath the surface of the water.
Three women are in this room, talking idly on the couch, eating fruit. They all smile as I enter.
“Ladies! We’ve got a new arrival!” Sarah gestures to me – and suddenly, even more women start filling in – more and more of them, until I start to wonder where they could possibly be emerging from.
As the room fills up, I’ve never felt so… inadequate.
They’re all exquisite beauties – every single one of them. More than that – they all range in shape, and size, and skin color. Some are tall and willowy; with a grace I will never match. Others are bold and curvaceous. Long haired, short haired, pale and dark, I’ve never seen so many gorgeous women around me all at the same time. They range in age – from their early twenties to early thirties, and each dressed provocatively to show off their gorgeous bodies.
The Aurelians have tastes so varied, how could a single woman ever satisfy them?
Woman after woman introduces herself to me. I lose track of their names almost instantly – after no more than five have made their introductions. One of them brings me a cool, wet cloth, and I press it gratefully against my bruised eye. Only one thing is uniform about all of them – around each of their necks hangs a beautiful, exquisitely made necklace adorned with sapphires.
I had been worried the Aurelians might be too focused on me – but the moment I see all these gorgeous women, that concern instantly fades away.
Focused on me? Among these women? Impossible – I feel ashamed to stand amid them.
I look frumpy and I’m dressed in a drab maid’s outfit that makes me look like a sack of potatoes. Compared to these women, I might as well be a houseplant. They’re all model-gorgeous, with musical laughs that flutter through the air like the sound of birds singing. Their smiles are all radiant. Their eyes twinkle. They’re like angels – a legion of them.
How many? I don’t know. I stopped counting after twenty. They’re all
