The lawyer appreciates my response to Bess’s attention—I can tell by the way his cock flexes inside me. We come together, all of us, our limbs and breath mingling in a soft chorus of pleasure.
And I almost forget that I must murder a man before the week’s end.
Late the next afternoon, before the start of the evening’s activities, Bess pulls me aside. Her eyes are cool yellow stars, remote and untouchable. “With the men you’re used to servicing, becoming attached wasn’t a problem. In a place like this, with repeat clients, it can be more complicated. Remember to keep your gates closed.” She touches her chest. “Never let yourself confuse attraction with emotion, or lust with love. Your clients or your fellow courtesans may conflate such things, so you must remain the wiser one, and know when to distance yourself.”
I don’t miss the timing of her lesson—immediately after our threesome with the lawyer. I must have shown too much passion, too much of what I felt. I need to do better about controlling myself.
Her subtle rejection stings a bit, but I’m glad she delivered it before I let myself grow too attached to her.
“I’ll be absent from the parlor tonight. I’m entertaining two of my best patrons,” Bess continues. “You’ll be under Elbeth’s guidance, and Zadi’s.”
I bow my head in graceful assent. “I look forward to learning more from them.”
Bess nearly smiles, her eyes brightening with approval. She glides away without another word.
Zadi sidles up to me a moment later, wearing a black corset and scarlet silk pants. “I heard the Monarch did a threesome with you last night. Is it true?”
“Yes.”
“My gods! There are girls here—not to mention myself—who have long desired such an honor. You must tell me everything. What parts of her did she let you touch?”
I have no intention of gossiping to Zadi, but before I can say as much, Legayle’s sturdy figure appears in the doorway of the parlor. She beckons to me, unsmiling. Something about the tension of her usually genial face makes my stomach swoop with dread.
“A moment, please,” I tell Zadi, and I hurry to Legayle.
“There’s a gentleman to see you,” she says under her breath. “A masked fellow, out back, in a carriage. Says it’s urgent.”
My stomach hurtles down into a bottomless black pit. I can’t think of anything to say in response, so I manage a nod before rushing along the hallways I’ve learned to navigate in the past few days.
The gentleman who owns me has come to call. Which can only mean one thing.
Tonight I must lure a stranger into bed, and then kill him.
4
Once I climb into the carriage, my masked employer doesn’t waste time with pleasantries. His tone is roughly urgent. “His ship has docked already. I didn’t have much warning. Take this.” He shoves a cloth-wrapped bundle at me. “The guests and patrons are checked for weapons, but you can smuggle it inside. Wait until you get him into a private room. Make sure he is thoroughly aroused before you do it. One good slice across his throat, and then stab his heart and his eye socket for good measure, understand? All three, just to be sure.”
“Who is he? How will I know him?” Fear leaks into my voice, and the masked gentleman shifts impatiently on his carriage seat.
“He’s a little taller than you. Young, a good-looking bastard. Brown hair. He will likely be clean-shaven—he usually bathes and shaves after arriving in port. He hires courtesans to show off his wealth, to make himself feel princely, when he’s nothing but a scummy, bilge-drinking rogue. And he likes redheads, as I told you. He’ll be wearing a big hat and an ostentatious coat with simple clothing beneath.”
“That isn’t much to go on.” I unfold part of the cloth, my anxiety spiking at the sight of the weapon inside. The dagger is naked, its blade secured by two leather straps.
“You’ll wear it on your thigh, under the dress,” says the masked man tersely. “Once the deed is done, lock the room and tie a red ribbon to the lamppost on the corner. The body will be taken care of, and your place at the Orchid will be secure. Quickly now.”
I hesitate, swallowing hard.
“You need motivation?” My employer leans forward, his gloved hands curled into fists. “Your target is a pirate captain. A cruel, wicked thief who rapes women. He also captures and sells child slaves. You can imagine the horror those little ones endure.”
My gaze snaps up to the eyeholes of his mask, deep and dark. “But the captains who sail beneath the flag of the Pirate King do not trade in slaves, or harm women.”
“There are other ships that defy the Pirate King’s law. This captain is a rogue, as I told you. You’re doing the world a favor by ending him. Now go, and remember—I know where to find your mother, and your friend Aisu. Go!”
He lifts his great boot, as if he’ll kick me from the carriage. I scramble out before he can do it, picking up my gauzy white skirts and hurrying away so his carriage wheels won’t spatter me with mud. I almost drop the weapon he gave me, but I manage to hold onto it and keep it covered with the cloth.
I duck back inside, just as one of the guards rounds the corner of the Orchid on his usual patrol. He doesn’t stop me.
Hurrying through the kitchen and down the hall, I dart into one of the empty rooms and flick the switch to mark it as occupied.
I sink onto the stool by the dressing table and take a moment to compose myself. With every breath, I inhale the fragrance of vanilla, sandalwood, and gardenia, the signature blend of the house candles. A blissful, soothing scent.
A dozen deep breaths, and my panic settles enough for me to think clearly.
The man I’m supposed to kill tonight is a rapist, a seller of child-slaves. A thief.
That’s what my employer told me. But he also threatened my mother and my friend, forced me to suck his cock, and nearly kicked me. So I’m not inclined to trust him, or any man.
Men are lascivious, greedy, selfish, disloyal bastards. Not worth my time or my pity.
If I kill just one man, I’ll get to stay here. I’ll have enough money to support both Sylvie and myself—enough money to keep her alive and far away from me.
I want to stay here—I do. I can learn to repress my natural fire, to play the role of the elegant goddess. I can live with the fact that someone here is clearly in league with my masked employer, conspiring with him, owning at least partial knowledge of his schemes.
For years I’ve practiced the art of closing my eyes and my mind to the things that distressed or disgusted me. I can do it again, for the goal of remaining in this beautiful cage—
No—no, it’s not a cage. Why would I even think that? It’s a palace. It’s what I’ve always wanted.
This will be simple. An hour or two, and then my horrible task will be over. I won’t even have to dispose of the body—it will be done for me. By whom, though? Who will overlook the obvious transport of a corpse from the house? Who arranged for me to have a place here? How is my employer tied to the owners of this brothel, and why does the masked man want this Captain dead?
What if it’s true, that the pirate sells children? Perhaps my employer lost someone he loved to that despicable trade. Maybe, as he said, I’ll be doing the world a favor by ending the Captain’s life.