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The incessant sound of beeping woke her. Fiera glanced around and saw that she was in a military style med lab. For a moment panic set in and the beeping grew wilder.

“Fiera, it’s all right.” Kuen moved into her line of sight. “You’re still on Cova. You were stabbed by the assassin two days ago. Do you remember?”

“Two days?” Fiera’s momentary relief turned to dread. “The head of my House will hit me with some rather severe penalties.”

“Your stylists explained that to Gaspare and me yesterday. I simply called and told Iacchus Santorini that I was extending your contract for another week and paid all associated fees as well as the rather significant amount you charge for your patrons. He seemed a bit surprised that you’d agreed. I let him think what he wanted to when I told him you were indisposed and would call him when you were awake enough to form a coherent thought.”

Fiera’s amusement escaped in a pained laugh. “He’ll think I’m sleeping with you. My reputation will be made. The Blue Butterfly captured the attention of the one man who all courtesans both hate and fear.”

“Well, in a way you have caught my attention.” Kuen smiled.

Fiera laughed painfully. She glanced at the readouts. “How much Xenospar did they have to pull out of me?”

“You know what you were stabbed with?” Kuen asked.

“I realized what it was when I told you I felt like I was breathing in glass. There are only a few substances that will impart that sensation. Xenospar seemed the most likely since the other two are virtually impossible to fashion into any kind of weapon,” Fiera said.

“You’re remarkably well informed for a courtesan,” a gruff voice said. A man who could only be Gaspare’s father joined Kuen. Kuen saluted but was motioned back into his seat by the man. “I am-”

“You’re High Admiral Fabrice Benoit. I’m aware of the names and faces of those who make the lives of my people a living hell,” Fiera said flatly. “Your CAF does more damage in the Colonies in a single year than all of the ignorant Core Worlders who just think they’re the ones in charge.”

“So you are from the Colonies.” High Admiral Benoit’s expression was unreadable.

“That much was obvious, High Admiral. The question you’re wanting to ask me has nothing to do with my origins but more who my family is. I’m sure Gaspare and Kuen told you what I remembered when I broke the DiME programming put on me by the bastard and his associates.”

“The bastard?” High Admiral Benoit asked.

Fiera wanted to sigh but breathing deeply hurt. “My father, High Admiral. You would have heard of him under his code name, the Silver Fox of Sorus. Leader of one of the more successful resistance movements out in the Colonies.”

“Eire Rezouac.” The High Admiral’s voice was cold.

“Yes, High Admiral. And right now, if my father were in my gun sights, he’d be frakking lucky to walk away intact.” Fiera was getting angry.

“I take it you’re angry with him over your current state?” the High Admiral guessed.

“No, my current situation is my own doing. I’m talking about what happened with the Lusitania and you know it.” Fiera glared at the man. “High Admiral, I am in pain and short of breath, which means I am also ill-tempered than usual. I don’t like playing word games when I’m not being paid to. You can stop with the maneuvering.”

“Very well. How much did you know of your father’s plans for inserting you into the Central Worlds?” High Admiral Benoit asked.

“Nothing other than I was going to be given a cover story and placed on the Lusitania. If I’d known that he planned on blowing it up I’d have told him to shove the mission up his afterburners.” Fiera as just as blunt as the High Admiral. “What he did was nothing short of mass murder. There were far too many innocent lives lost in that tragedy.”

“You were completely unaware he was planning on using your insertion as a method to assassinate thirteen Assembly members who openly supported anti-Colony legislation that was being debated at the time?” the High Admiral asked.

“There were Assembly members on the Lusitania?” Fiera stared at the High Admiral. “As far as I knew, councilors never came out that far so how would I know that they were there?”

“You’re certain you want to say that?” High Admiral Benoit asked.

“High Admiral Benoit, I am not a politician. I’m also not an assassin. I don’t gain anything by lying to you.” Fiera’s irritation flared and the heart monitor sped up.

“Your heart rate has increased,” the High Admiral commented.

“Of course it has,” a blonde woman said as she walked into the room. “You’re agitating her. Given what she was stabbed with I swear you’re trying to kill her.”

“I just want the truth, Emele,” High Admiral Benoit said.

“She already told you what she understands to be the truth. You just don’t want to accept it because you want someone to blame for what happened and she’s the perfect scapegoat that you can have executed,” Emele said.

A dark shape rose next to her, and Fiera realized it was Kuen standing up. “You are not executing Fiera for her father’s crimes. She’s already made it clear she had nothing to do with what he planned.”

“You would dare challenge a commanding officer?” The look on the High Admiral’s face was hilarious and Fiera was hard pressed not to laugh again.

“Father, you’re not his commanding officer anymore. Kuen Nakano is a civilian,” Emele said. “You made sure of that when you let the High Command oust him at the Nakano ketch’s word five years ago.”

The High Admiral’s eyes narrowed, and he looked at his daughter. “How do you know so much about this?”

“How do you think? I’m the private physician for several of the members of the High Command as well as our own family. Gaspare in particular was rather vocal about his feelings towards your idiocy in that matter.” Emele checked the readouts. “Ms. Rezouac, if you’d like I can increase your pain killers without causing mental fugue so you can more easily deal with this walking EMP over here.” She jerked her thumb at her father.

“I would appreciate that. Is there also a way I can sit up? I don’t like laying flat. I feel like I’m drowning,” Fiera said.

Emele frowned and checked her equipment. “All right. Kuen, can you sit her up? Slowly so she doesn’t black out again, please.”

Kuen slid his arm behind Feira’s shoulders and helped her sit up as Emele raised the top of the bed. The nanites kicked up the pain killing aspect and Fiera found it much easier to breathe.

“All right, now all civilians can leave the room so I can talk to Ms. Rezouac,” High Admiral Benoit said.

“Kuen stays. I don’t trust you’ll leave the controls alone,” Emele snapped. She turned and headed off.

“High Admiral Benoit, I don’t know what you want from me. I knew very little of what my father planned – just enough to do my job, but that’s it. And I didn’t even know much of that.” Fiera rubbed her forehead. “What do you think I actually know about the most secretive man in all the Colonies’ plans?”

“You had to have some idea of what you were going to do when you arrived in the Central Worlds,” the High Admiral said.

“No, not really. My instructions were simple – board the Lusitania and make my way into the Core. Once here I was to find out what I could about any actions the Assembly was taking against the Colonies and get word back to them. Now, before you ask, I had no memory of any of this until certain events broke through the DiME programming.”

High Admiral Benoit glared at her. “Were you aware he was using DiME programming on you?”

Fiera shook her head. “I just knew I was spending a lot of time with a couple of my father’s close associates. Then I bought my ticket for the Lusitania.” She winced. “That’s where my memory gets hazy. I don’t have a clear idea of what happened during the destruction because the injuries I went into debt to deal with were real. My father risked killing me in order to insert me into Core life. There wasn’t even a guarantee that I would end up anywhere useful, but he trusted in my natural personality seeing me through.”

High Admiral Benoit crossed his arms across his chest. “What injuries did you receive?”

Fiera sighed. “My skull was cracked, I had several broken bones, my lungs were bags of blood rather than producing oxygen, my internal organs were more ground meat than functional. There is a reason I ended up with some rather serious medical debt.”

“How were you supposed to get information back to the Colonials?” High Admiral Benoit asked.

“That’s a vile term, you know,” Fiera snapped. “As to how I was supposed to get it back, I wasn’t. An agent of my father’s would work with me and collect the information. I had no idea who it was or how that was going to work.” She scowled. “I have a fairly good idea now, and frankly, if I had her within reach, I’d probably try to strangle my aunt.”

“Your aunt?” High Admiral Benoit asked.

“High Admiral Benoit, I know Gaspare and Kuen told you about what we figured out before you arrived. I might be out of pain, and breathing is a bit easier now that I’m sitting up, but do you really think that – after being stabbed by a blade made of Xenospar – I want to talk all that much?” Fiera asked with some exasperation.

“You’re a Colonial spy. Frankly, I don’t care if you die or not. As far as I’m concerned Emele should have let the Xenospar tear your interior organs to shreds,” High Admiral Benoit said.

Kuen moved faster than Fiera could have believed and slammed his fist into the older man’s face. While the High Admiral was still stunned, Kuen dragged him out of the room.

Fiera closed her eyes and tried not to laugh. Her father was terrified of these men and women in the High Command, especially High Admiral Fabrice Benoit. If this was what they could expect, the war that was inevitable would…

Fiera sighed. The Colonies would still lose. The Central Worlds had more ships, troops, and firepower than the Colonies could muster, no matter how hard her father tried to spin it in their favor.

Kuen returned a short while later. “Gaspare is ripping his father apart verbally for his stupidity. I got a look at some recent intelligence reports. I can see why he’s so angry with your father.”

“What has he done now?” Fiera asked.

Kuen’s expression was grim. “Nine more attacks on passenger liners that he’s apparently openly taken credit for. He is demanding the Assembly reverse a recent decision or the violence will continue.”

“What got passed through that would have gotten him that upset? I didn’t think any of the new laws were that bad,” Fiera said. “Wait. Kuen, how long have I been unconscious?”

“Two days, and there haven’t been any votes in the Assembly for a month,” Kuen said.

“Can you find me a list of all the things that have been passed in the last six months?” she asked.

Kuen handed her a tablet after typing in her search parameters. She read through each description carefully. A cold sense of dread settled into her stomach as she recognized what she’d missed before.

Gaspare joined them sporting a black eye and a split lip. “He’s not happy but I think he got the hint that we will not tolerate his taking his very reasonable dislike of Eire Rezouac out on you, Fiera.”

“My father has a good reason for being so angry, though I don’t agree with his methods.” Fiera set the tablet down. “In the last six months, there have been seventeen resolutions passed that, on the surface, don’t look like anything special. When you dig into them though there are provisions specifically targeting certain demographics in the Colonies. It’s to the point where people are probably very close to starving.”

“What?” Kuen and Gaspare both looked horrified.

Fiera picked the tablet back up and pulled up the list. She highlighted the offending provisions before passing the tablet to Kuen. Both men looked over what she was bringing to their attention. “By the stars,” Gaspare said.

“All of these provisions were pushed through by my mother.” Kuen’s voice was flat. His face was expressionless. Fiera saw the rage in his steel-colored eyes. “I know because I was instrumental in prodding a few Councilors to see her way on some of these.”

“We’re being systematically stripped of our rights, our dignity, and our very livelihoods. Our elderly parents are dying in the streets from malnutrition because they are sacrificing their rations to keep the grandchildren alive since that’s what we do.” Fiera’s eyes burned. “I could have warned them sooner of this if I’d been aware of these provisions.”

“You couldn’t have stopped it though,” Gaspare said.

“It isn’t a matter of stopping, but of preparing my people to survive it.” Fiera swallowed the bile that rose in the back of her throat. “How is your mother?”

It took Gaspare a moment to realize she was talking to him. “Emele says she’ll be all right. The poison was slow acting and was something that she could counter. My mother isn’t pleased with the situation. She would have rather had the assassin face criminal charges.”

“I doubt we’d have been able to bring any against her. She strikes me as someone who was far too clever for that,” Fiera said.

“Lakshmi only leaves evidence behind if my mother wishes someone to know who is behind the crime, or if she’s framing someone else,” Kuen said.

“I doubt Michi Nakano ever takes credit for her own crimes.” Gaspare gave Kuen a doubtful look.

“Mother uses something she’s previously acquired from the person, or something that they would recognize as hers that can’t necessarily be tied back to her officially. Everyone knows my mother’s favorite perfume, for instance, yet it is so common that you cannot say for certain that a vial of it is hers or might belong to a woman in the family. Or a secret lover that you hoped to hide. Lakshmi is particularly adept at creating false records of things like that.”

“She uses Lakshmi’s skills to perpetuate her crimes and yet can’t be prosecuted because there’s never any proof.” Gaspare sighed. “There has to be a way to bring her to justice.”

“Michi Nakano is one of the reasons – I would almost say the primary one – that my father hates the CWA. He uses the crimes against the Colonies to bring people into his own personal vendetta.” Fiera sighed. “I love my father. I really do. But right now, I’m very angry with him.”

“Do you think your aunt will tell him you’ve broken your DiME programming?” Gaspare asked.

Fiera shrugged. “I don’t know. She could, but that would run the risk of letting him know she failed. You do not tell my father that you failed. It’s not really in your best interest. He can and will find a way to eliminate issues.”

“Do you think he’ll see you as a threat?” Gaspare asked.

“I –” Fiera paused. Her heart sank. “Much as I’d like to say no, I can’t. He could very well decide to remove me from my place here in the Core. In my case he’d just find some way to get me deported back to the Colonies, which would more than likely end with me getting killed rather than me making it home.”

“You think your father would actually kill you?” Kuen seemed almost sick at that thought.

“Da wouldn’t dare try to kill me. My ma’s a terror when one of us is in danger and if she ever found out he arranged my death she’d divorce him faster than he could think the word.” Fiera shook her head. “Think about what I do for a living, Kuen. Do you honestly think I’d be allowed to leave the Core with as many secrets as I carry inside my head? I’d be a threat to the wealthy elite.”

“You raise a valid point. What do we do now?” Gaspare rubbed his forehead. “Things are just getting more and more complicated.”

“Kuen, would your mother be too shocked at you choosing to spend your free time with a courtesan?” Fiera eyed both men, giving them thoughtful looks.

Kuen snorted. “She prefers I utilize paid companionship for my ‘urges’ rather than creating problems for her by picking a favorite out of the young ladies in my social caste.”

Fiera rolled her eyes as Gaspare snickered. “Then arrange to become my favored patron. I will have more freedom in turning down jobs if I think there’s even a chance it’ll conflict with something you would expect me to attend on your arm.”

“That’s easy enough to arrange,” Kuen said.

“And what time he isn’t taking up I can contract you as well,” Gaspare said.

Fiera nodded. “This way I keep my protectors and you two get to make certain I don’t get into any trouble without you.” A crooked smile crossed her pale face. “Trouble always seems to find me whether I want it to or not.”

“Then we will be at your side as often as we can,” Kuen said.

Fiera suddenly felt drained. Gaspare noticed her rapidly waning energy and with Kuen’s help got her comfortably reclining. She dozed off, leaving the two men to discuss whatever it was they were talking about. She was too tired to care.

Two days later, after being given a clean bill of health, Fiera collected her stylists and returned to Bouarus. She had both contracts with Kuen and Gaspare tucked into her bag.

Iacchus was waiting for her. “You are a very expensive commodity, Fiera. I’ve had to turn away several interested patrons who were looking for you.”

“The bonus for the two contracts I negotiated will more than take care of any fees accrued while I was away.” Fiera passed over the two contracts.

“Two more contracts?” Iacchus read through the details and choked when he saw the names appended in the place of her patrons. “You managed, in spite of the troubles rumored to be plaguing that party, to secure both Kuen Nakano and Gaspare Benoit as favored patrons?”

Fiera grinned mischievously. “It’s amazing what you can do when you know how to speak the language most appropriate to the situation.”

“She stole their hearts, Master Iacchus,” Devorah said. “I swear that must be it. She was rarely out of their company for the entire time.” She giggled. “It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out.”

“Why do you say that, Devorah?” Iacchus asked sharply.

“Lord Nakano and Lord Benoit will be living with each other, so Mistress Fiera will have to deal with them arguing over her,” Liliana said.

“Somehow I think that’s a challenge your mistress finds both amusing and exciting, Liliana.” Iacchus filed copies of the contracts officially in his own records before passing them back to her. “I hope you can keep up your end of the contracts with those two.”

“I should have no difficulty in maintaining my relationship with them.” Fiera tossed her carmine curls over her shoulder. “Do I have any messages?”

“Lady Kakoric is becoming even more insistent that she be allowed to schedule a meeting with you,” Iacchus said with a wry smile. “I told her you’d put her on your ‘no contracts’ list and that she would have to approach you at a party if she wanted to know why.”

“She knows why,” Fiera said. “She just isn’t willing to accept the fact that I’ve seen through her tricks and lies.”

“Ah, she’s one of those kinds of clients. Do you think I should ban her from all of my Houses?” Iacchus pulled out his pad and tapped a few things in and paused, looking at Fiera.

“That would be a very good idea, Master Iacchus.” Fiera’s smirk was almost vicious. “She could be quite dangerous. You were aware she’s a former kericopac player, yes?”

Iacchus stared at her in shock. “What?”

“Oh yes. She was apparently one of the top players in her league until her twin brother vanished. She opted to marry a politician and changed her name in order to get fame based solely on her own actions – and her husband’s decisions in the Assembly.” Fiera could see Iacchus slotting various bits of information gathered over the years into place. Iacchus smiled slightly, inclined his head to her, and walked away after pressing something on his pad.

“Why did you tell him that lie about Lady Kakoric playing kericopac?” Devorah asked.

“It’s not a lie. Both she and her twin brother were vicious on the field.” Fiera shrugged. “I can’t say what she was like when she wasn’t playing, but if her current personality is any indication, I’d say she was a troublemaker off the field as well as on it.”

“You really don’t like her, do you?” Liliana asked.

‘I have my reasons.” Fiera rubbed her forehead. “There is a lot going on behind closed doors, Liliana. Much of it I can’t discuss with you since it falls under the client privilege clause in my contracts.”

“Did you ever talk to Xenon and Calixtra about your jobs?” Devorah asked.

“Only those things that were easily seen as public knowledge. I never knowingly betrayed the confidence of my clients.” Rage bubbled up in Fiera as she thought of her unintentional betrayals. “That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, just that I never willingly gave consent for that information to be taken from me.”

Her two stylists shared a confused look. Azari bustled into the room before could respond. She set out two glasses and a bottle of wine. “Master Iacchus told me to tell you that you had a visitor, Mistress Fiera. He said it isn’t one he’s willing to turn away, and that you have five minutes to make yourself presentable for Michi Nakano’s personal assistant.”

Fiera pursed her lips. “Lil, Dev, leave. Now. I do not want either of you anywhere near these rooms while that woman is here. Azari, tell Master Iacchus the next time he sets an appointment for me I will cite him for violation of the terms of my contract and fine him, a part of his House or not.”

“O-of course, Mistress Fiera. Should I not set out refreshments?” Azari asked, startled into nearly dropping the small tray of cakes she was setting on the table.

“Finish what you’re doing and then leave. Make sure Sidonie stays away until I call for the two of you. The same goes for you, Lil and Dev.” She returned her gaze to her two stylists. “I don’t want either of you around while I deal with Lakshmi Khurana.”

Fiera went to her jewelry case. She pulled on the blue opal set and gave her hair a quick twist, securing it in place with several jeweled sticks. The blades that matched the set went in as well. Her holdout blaster went into its special holster under her left sleeve and the two plasma blades she almost always carried slid into their places on her right arm. She freshened up her makeup and was in her seat before a House servant showed Lakshmi in.

The dusky skinned woman was dressed in an elegant business suit, her ink black hair twisted in a severe knot on the back of her head. Fiera was quick to note the two obvious weapons the woman was carrying and wondered just how many others the Deva had that the young courtesan couldn’t see.

“Ms. Khurana, I wasn’t expecting a visit from someone so well connected today.” Fiera poured the wine. “Please, have a seat.”

Lakshmi sat down stiffly. “What do you know about the attacks that happened on Cova while you were there?” she demanded.

Fiera pursed her lips. “I heard that at least two assassins attempted to kill Lord Nakano and Lord Benoit. Also at least one of those two made an attempt on Lady Benoit’s life, I think. They were taken into custody by the security team.” She shrugged. “It didn’t affect me directly, so I didn’t pay that much attention to it.”

“You’re lying.” Lakshmi’s eyes were cold. “You were present for both attacks and witnessed the disposition of both of my sisters.” Her hand flickered towards one of the more obvious weapons. “I will know the truth.”

Fiera eyed the woman. She was supposed to be better even than the two women who’d attacked the party. Fiera was good but wasn’t sure she could take her on. Yet she seemed to know when Fiera was lying. If it was the truth she wanted, that was what she was going to get.

Fiera’s lips curled at the corners. “I helped incapacitate the first one and killed the second one personally for her attacks on Lord Nakano and Lord Benoit.”

“You’re just a common born courtesan,” Lakshmi said.

“And? Do you think the wealthy elite hold the monopoly on training their pretty ornaments to kill?” Fiera pulled one of the sticks out of her hair and tossed it on the table. The ten centimeters of matte black kuyper steel glittered against the azure wood. “I do not go anywhere without my weapons, and I am never unarmed no matter whose company I am keeping. My paranoia has saved my life – and the lives of numerous patrons – over the past five years.”

Lakshmi’s eyes narrowed. “Eshana and Chanda would never have fallen to a mere courtesan.”

“Eshana didn’t fall to me. I incapacitated her but she was still alive when I left the scene of the fight, so I don’t know who took her down. I killed Chanda because she wasn’t expecting me to be armed.” Fiera picked her blade up and slid it back in place with one hand. “Even assassins can make fatal mistakes, Ms. Khurana.”

“What are your plans regarding Lord Kuen?” Lakshmi asked.

“I have a professional contract with him and with Lord Benoit. I intend on making money by serving as their escort as various parties.” Fiera shrugged in what she hoped was a casual manner. “I am, as you pointed out, a courtesan. I have no interest in politics. Or the games played by the wealthy. I am out for myself and only myself. I do what I must to secure my own future.”

Lakshmi nodded once. “Then you have no real interest in anything but Lord Kuen’s money.”

“Well, and the reputation I’m gaining by being the only courtesan in any of the Houses who will tolerate his presence for more than a few minutes. Seeing him and Lord Benoit compete for my attention is rather…flattering, actually.”

Lakshmi relaxed a fraction. “You have no care about what his business is, or what reason he has for having you present.”

“No, and as you’ve probably heard, I am extraordinarily circumspect when it comes to client privilege. I don’t talk about what’s said or done in my presence.” Fiera paused, tapping one finger against her blood-colored lips. Lakshmi raised one eyebrow. “Well, not usually. I count your sisters as a special circumstance.”

“And how many ‘special circumstances’ have you had in your tenure as the Blue Butterfly?” Lakshmi stared at her.

“One. This is the only time I have willingly spoken of what happened while I was working on a contract. If someone drugged me, or used some other means to extract information, I’m not entirely capable of controlling what comes out of my mouth. I can only do so much.” Fiera sipped the wine and waited.

Lakshmi waved her hand. “Everyone can be broken, even me. We were taught that from an early age.” The dark woman steepled her fingers and looked over them at Fiera. “Most people have a price and can be bought, if they’re offered enough.”

“There is nothing in all the worlds that I can be offered that will make me betray a contract.” Fiera set the wine glass down and met Lakshmi’s gaze with no obvious sign of fear.

Lakshmi’s eyes narrowed before the woman smiled, a truly chilling sight, and sipped the wine. “I believe you. There are few out there who have nothing to lose. You seem to be one of those.” She took another sip before setting the glass down and rising. “I will tell Lady Nakano that you are not an opponent, merely something pretty her son has acquired. Please do not make me change my designation.”

“I certainly hope to prove to you and Lady Nakano I am precisely what I appear to be – an ambitious courtesan with no desire in my head other than amassing enough wealth to open my own House eventually,” Fiera said.

“A worthy goal, and one you’ll certainly find yourself closer to with the contracts with Lord Kuen and Lord Benoit,” Lakshmi said with an approving nod. She left the room.

Fiera waited until she was certain the other woman was gone before checking every centimeter of her rooms. Nothing was out of place. She went to the comm and put in the code for Gaspare’s townhouse.

To her surprise Kuen answered. “Fiera, I wasn’t expecting you to call for a few days.” He must have seen something in her expression. “What’s wrong?”

“How fast can the two of you get here?” She started pulling the sticks out of her hair. “I need to talk to you, and I don’t entirely trust my comm not to be tagged.”

Kuen blinked, and then his face turned to stone. “Gaspare will be back in an hour. I’ll make the arrangements for us to head over after.”

Fiera shook her hair as the last of the ornaments holding it in place came out. “I wish it were sooner, but I’ll take it.”

“Fiera, what’s wrong?” Kuen’s expression remained stony, but his tone let her know he was concerned.

“I just had a visit from a woman I never want to speak with ever again. She is more frightening than her sisters and I don’t know that I could take her in a fight, unlike Chanda.” She let those words sink in and saw the understanding dawn on his face.

Kuen swore in several languages. “Did she hurt you?”

“Not physically. I’ll explain everything when you two get here. I need to call my servants and stylists back and let Master Iacchus know you’re coming so he doesn’t attempt to force another appointment on me,” Fiera said. Kuen nodded and ended the call. Fiera summoned her servants and stylists back to the room.

The four women arrived within moments of each other. “Fiera, are you all right?” Liliana asked. “You look terrible.”

“My two patrons are coming, and I need to look a little more presentable than I do now,” Fiera said, carrying her weapons back over to the jewelry case. “Azari, tell Master Iacchus that Lord Nakano and Lord Benoit will be arriving within the next few hours and that there is to be no dispute about them being brought to my rooms immediately.”

“At once, Mistress,” Azari said, bowing. She carried the wine and glasses out with her.

“Sidonie, I want a high protein meal for three set up and ready when I call for it. Factor two heavyworlder appetites and one normal,” Fiera continued.

“Who is the second heavyworlder, Mistress Fiera?” Sidonie asked.

“Lord Nakano eats similarly to me, probably due to his height and level of activity. Just be certain the food is ready. Have Azari help you bring it up when I call for it,” Fiera said.

“Of course, Mistress.” Sidonie retrieved the plate of untouched cakes and left the room.

“How would you like us to help, Fiera?” Devorah asked.

Fiera rid herself of the rest of her weapons. “I need to look as calm and put together as I possibly can, given I just stared my death in the eye and survived.” Her hands shook and she clenched them into fists to steady them.

“Fiera, what did you do to attract Michi Nakano’s attention?” Liliana asked, going over to the closet. “Dev, come help me find something lovely for her to wear. We should also probably lighten her makeup and do something with her hair.”

“I am currently the favored courtesan of Lady Nakano’s only child. Do you think she isn’t going to notice me?” Fiera sat down in her chair before her legs gave out under her as the adrenaline wore off. “I had to talk fast to keep Ms. Khurana from deciding I was a direct threat. I don’t know how I managed it.”

It didn’t take them long to find a lovely afternoon dress for her. A quick shower followed by a judicious reapplication of a much lighter touch of makeup, some simple pieces of jewelry – including the phoenix brooch – and her hair being put up in a very simple knot with half left to flow loosely down her back was all it took to get her ready. She sat down to read while she waited for the two men.

They arrived at the time she expected. She rang for Sidonie and almost as soon as the men had found comfortable chairs, she had food in front of them. She was avoiding intoxicants and instead provided a tea that was supposed to allow for increased mental acuity. She didn’t know if it worked, but she did enjoy the sharp citrus flavor.

She dismissed her servants. As soon as it was just the three of them, Kuen looked her in the eye. “Please tell me that you weren’t visited by Lakshmi.”

“I could tell you that, but I’d be lying.” Fiera sipped her tea. “She came to find out what really happened to her sisters. I told her the simplest form of the truth in order to get her to back off.”

“And put yourself in her sights as a threat,” Gaspare said.

“Oh, I was already on the ‘potential threat’ list because of how much time I’ve spent with Kuen. I let her know that I’m just a money hungry courtesan and that she – and by extension Lady Nakano – has nothing to worry about. I’m robbing you two blind while I build my reputation, and then when you’re done with me, I’ll move on to other high profile clients so I can eventually settle down and start my own House.”

“A typical dream for any really good courtesan,” Gaspare said. Fiera nodded. “She believed you?”

Fiera shrugged. “She seemed to. I don’t trust either of those women though.”

“I’ll cultivate the thought with my mother that I know you’re just after our money, and that I find your attitude both amusing and refreshing,” Kuen said. “I’m certain she’ll appreciate the irony.”

“It’s the fact that Lakshmi pushed hard against Fiera for information on her sisters that bothers me,” Gaspare said. “What did you tell her?” Fiera repeated what she’d told Lakshmi. “So now Lakshmi knows you are – physically, at least – a match for the Devas.”

“No. She knows not to underestimate me like her sisters did. I knew it would get far more unpleasant if I didn’t tell her the truth.” Fiera nibbled at the food. “I’m a good liar, Gaspare. I have to be in my line of work. However, lying to that woman was not an option.”

Kuen looked at her. “Did you tell her how you almost died from Chanda’s attack?”

“I’m not a complete idiot, Kuen. If I had, I doubt we’d be here discussing the issue.” Fiera rubbed her side. The wound still ached a little and she knew it would still be a few days before she was fully back to normal. “So now we plan for my mother taking an interest in our relationship.” Kuen looked at the blonde man. “Gaspare, you know as well as I do that plans rarely survive the first battle – and this was the first of many conflicts with those who serve my mother.” Kuen stretched and Fiera heard his spine pop. He started in on the plate of food and the conversation turned to upcoming events.