“Come on,” says Sarah, and the opportunity is suddenly gone. She leads me from the closet, and I have to switch back to my original plan.
I breathe a sigh of relief. There was too much pressure. It was too quick. It didn’t feel right.
None of this feels right.
Now, at least, I have time. Not much, but some time to think, plan, and process.
I remember the plan Darr outlined – now made concrete with my discovery of those watches.
All I need to do is sneak into Gallus’s bedroom, take those three watches – leaving the rest – and get myself to the landing pad.
There’s an implant hidden in my jaw that I can clench to alert Darr that I have our prize. He’ll send in an AI-piloted shuttle to pick me up – not wanting to risk his own ass if mine is so conveniently still on the betting table.
Of course, the Aurelians probably have security in place that could make this more difficult than I’m anticipating. I have to be careful – check this place out thoroughly before I even consider making a move.
I have to be sure. I’ll try to subtly get the information from the Aurelians, or from one of the gorgeous women in their harem, later tonight.
If that’s the case, then plan B is to sneak out of the estate with the watches. The implant will geo-locate me, and Darr can send the shuttle anywhere.
Sarah brings me out of the bedroom, leading me down another looming, vaulted hallway, and into a different room; just as immense as Gallus’s bedchamber.
I’m already trying to make a mental map of the place, but it’s difficult. There must be a hundred rooms in this palace-like estate, including countless bathrooms, lounges, bars, and other places to get lost. I’m surprised by how empty this mansion seems, too. I see a few of the women from the harem lounging or walking about, sipping drinks, but there are very few actual staff working here.
“Where is everyone?”
Sarah looks confused. “What do you mean?”
“Well, we walked by a bar – but there’s no bartender there, for example.”
“Oooh.” Her eyes narrow in thought. “Well, I guess generally we do all that. Kendra makes a great cocktail – you’ll have to tell her what your favorite is. We also do most of the cleaning, cooking, and everything else like that.”
“I thought you said Gallus, Varian, and Cyrus let you hire you own staff?”
Sarah laughs.
“They do – if we want them! But, to be honest, it can get a little boring here all by ourselves, especially when the men are out. I mean, not to say we’re boring, or anything like that – but we’re well taken care of. We don’t really have to do anything.” She shakes her head. “I usually spend my time reading, or drawing, or just relaxing. Cleaning actually relaxes me.”
I remembered all the jobs I’d done, posing as a maid. As ridiculous as it seems, there was a quiet satisfaction in polishing or scrubbing. It was mindless work – almost like meditation – except you were being productive while you were doing it.
“Here,” Sarah takes my hand again. “Come this way.”
She leads me into yet another seemingly endless series of rooms and corridors. Eventually, she throws opens the towering doors to a different chamber.
I gasp.
This room is filled with makeup and brushes. Another woman is already inside. I met her earlier, but I can't remember her name. She was striking, though – with long, black hair that descends all the way down to her waist. She’s just finishing up making over her long, fluttering eyelashes.
"Ooooh, Sarah,” the beauty turns on her stool. “Are you going to give our new arrival a makeover?"
Sarah grins. "Absolutely! We're going to have those boys drooling over her when they get home."
That’s the last thing I need! I want to be invisible – not irresistible!
"I... I don't know,” I raise my hand defensively. “I'm not here because I wanted to join the harem..."
The raven-haired beauty laughs, leaving the room. "Yet, here you are," she calls over her shoulder as she leaves me alone with Sarah.
"Ignore her,” Sarah rolls her eyes. “She just gets a little jealous when a new girl joins up. Here, take a seat – this is going to be fun."
I take a seat reluctantly in the chair in front of the mirror. "And you don't?"
"I don't what?" Sarah asks, assembling makeup and brushes in preparation.
She’s ignoring my question, so I wait.
Instead, I turn at look at myself in the mirror. My hair is tangled, my lips are chapped, and my skin is inconsistently tanned and far less smooth than Sarah's peach-soft complexion.
My hair also isn't as luxurious as the woman who’d just left, and my body isn't as shapely as any of the other women in this place – especially not the gorgeous blonde creature behind me.
All these women look like they’re statues – as pretty as the paintings, artwork, and other rare artefacts that blend in so seamlessly in this luxurious manor.
I don't belong here.
But at least I won't be here long.
Now, I know where the watches are. All I have to do is get them and get out. Nothing else matters. I'll wait at least a week or two before I make my move, though. Darr made it clear what he was expecting from me. The transmitter in my mouth can be used to call for help, but I'm also supposed to click it three times with a grinding motion of my jaw when I locate the prize. We’ve got a number of signals worked out – a surprising array, given how limited the means of communication are.
In fact, I should have already notified Darr that I found the watches. I haven’t done it yet. He was expecting it to take days or even a week to locate the prize, so it’s a relief to have
