By the time the first of the noble carriages rolled through the manor gates, the chosen slaves had already been dressed and arranged to wait obediently for their entry.

  Katharina was not a fan of the thin satin fabric that now clung to her body, revealing the vast amounts of nothing she had underneath. But if that was what it took to be allowed within reach of the prince's power, she would cinch the colorful Slokel around her waist and smile politely.

  Outside, the masters were being led through the manor grounds and toward the flower gardens, where a recently constructed seating area awaited them. Here, a refreshing serving of tea and eye candy, in the form of the finest crop of the manor, would sate their exhaustion from the long trip to the manor.

  Every chosen slave had been armed with something useful or wondrous. Trays of porcelain and silver overflowing with delicacies not of Katharina's world, steaming teapots, delicate instruments meant to impress rather than be played.

  Katharina had been given flowers.

  The roses in her arms felt like a quiet mockery. They were fresh and full, their petals soft and unblemished, far more luscious than the simple roses in the garden, clearly grown somewhere far from the manor. Worse than that was the faint sensation clinging to them, a whisper of aura that suggested they had not bloomed naturally at all.

  She adjusted her grip, careful not to crush them.

  Part of her worried that with the meaningless task of holding roses, she would never be allowed close enough to the prince. Those tasked with pouring tea or offering refreshments would have reason to approach him. She would not. Still, the bouquet made her easy to overlook, and that, too, had its uses. If nothing else, it would allow her to fly under the radar and maybe even suppress herself.

  As soon as the thought of dabbling in aura crossed her mind, Katharina felt it. That sharp pain that came with being regulated by the brand. Madam R?fnas' hawk eyes pierced Katharina across the hall where they waited. She strode over, reached out, and caught Katharina by the arm, pulling her aside with a grip that brooked no resistance.

  "Behave," she said quietly.

  Damn, I haven't done anything... yet.

  "I know you think the prince has an interest in you," R?fna continued, her voice low and controlled. "But that is a dangerous want."

  She leaned closer, close enough that Katharina could feel her breath. "You have shown me what you can do," she whispered. "So do not think for a second that you can escape my gaze."

  How does she always know?

  R?fna straightened, her towering figure reminding everyone that she would be the penopticon appraising their performance.

  "You do not speak. You do not think. You smile, and you serve. That is all."

  With that, she released her and walked along the rest of the chosen, leaving Katharina to fall back into line.

  But before she could do so, the brand stirred; now was the moment she had been waiting for.

  Katharina let herself surrender to the pull, forcing her legs to stride confidently toward the gardens and the visitors waiting there.

  Leopold naturally took his seat at the end of the table that had been set out for them. Asbj?rn followed suit, taking up the most coveted seat right beside Leopold, fully aware that if jealous glares could kill, he would have bled out like an emperor the moment he sat down.

  Soon their entertainment would arrive. Each year, Asbj?rn would make sure to outdo the performance his slaves had put on the previous year. And Leopold was sure this year was no exception, as he could already feel the conspiracy brewing in his friend. And apparently it was too good to keep to himself as before the rest had settled in their seats, Asbj?rn discreetly leaned in and whispered what turned out to be the most seductive words Leopold had heard in a while.

  "I am sure you will be delighted to know that my little blond will make an appearance." A small pause followed, where Leopold had to consciously prevent the thrill his friend was looking for from showing on his face. "And that she got picked all on her own merit."

  Those words were just too riveting.

  Once all had settled in, Ravnsund's famed gems made their way, carrying tea, trays of refreshment, and whatever else was needed to entertain.

  Leopold's eyes didn't have to search as her golden locks caught the sun and swayed in the crisp late spring breeze, a bouquet of roses ornamenting their procession in her arms.

  The air around the girl showed barely a hint of aura; there was a certain sweetness to the little she let shine through, a comforting and obedient sensation, but not one meant to tantalise or draw the eyes. Just enough to please a Master. Leopold was sure that if he cared to spare the rest of them a moment of his attention, he would see many far more impressive and beautiful than her, yet he found himself not wanting to let her go from his gaze.

  Asbj?rn leaned in just enough to speak without being overheard. "R?fna tells me she has come a long way with her aura control," he said under his breath. "I was going to let her serve either way, but she insisted this time was earned."

  Leopold inclined his head in acknowledgment, his expression unchanged. Inside, the thrill was unmistakable. He had expected as much, of course, but hearing and seeing the girl hiding it so well made it all the more satisfying.

  One of the ladies seated within easy speaking distance let their two-person conversation stretch only long enough so that her interruption would not be rude, then inserted herself with a voice that carried just the right degree of daring.

  "Lord Ravnsund," she said warmly, "It is truly a pleasure and an honor to be a witness to your lovely manor."

  Leopold turned his attention at once, not because the compliment mattered, but because of the woman delivering it. Lady Constantine. A beautiful brunette, always eager to engage in conversation, and even more so to engage in flirtations.

  Surely she would be able to hold his interest long enough for his eyes not to drift to the blond standing at the edge of his peripheral vision, beckoning him to look her way, with her indifferent expression and her at times indecipherable mind.

  I should't entangle pleasure with business.

  But Leopold knew it was his own fault for letting his friend read him so easily; he had caught on right from the beginning, on the summer evening of his very own soiree, where they had been bothered by Lord Rahkan, or maybe even before. And now to tease him, Asbj?rn had allowed the blond girl to be chosen for something that should have been pure business.

  Leopold found himself growing bored, constrained to observe the blond girl through aura alone, as blatant staring was unbecoming. Instead, he let his gaze wander, sweeping over the table and the carefully selected entourage he had brought with him.

  Each of them served a purpose. Some were present for political standing, others for their ability to sustain lively conversation even in the presence of the most tedious nobles they would inevitably visit. And a select few existed solely to maintain his public image precisely as he preferred it to be.

  Lady Constantine was among them. A baron's daughter, to everyone else, it looked like a minor miracle she had been permitted to attend at all, but she had earned her place through sheer persistence. Leopold did not begrudge her the opportunity to climb a little higher.

  And besides, she had proven herself a great distraction when no one was around.

  Finally, Leopold's eyes had made their way around the whole table and arrived at the young lady beside Lady Constantine.

  It was obvious that she had been bored with the conversation from the start; she no longer had even half an ear paying attention. Instead, she was carefully leering at the young man who stood unmoving as a sculpture beside her, only the breeze that played with his hair and satin dress told that he was, in fact, alive.

  Whenever the wind would tousle his dress, his chiseled form underneath would be betrayed by the thin fabric. Leopold couldn't help but enjoy how women's minds were just as prolific in their imagery of what they desired as the men right beside them.

  Asbj?rn too had noticed the young lady casting stolen glances at the muscular young slave man who stood close by them. But instead of teasing the lady, Asbj?rn knew exactly how to be both a charmer and a salesman.

  "They are beautiful, aren't they, my lady?" The tone of his voice was light and objective, as though they were merely looking at roses.

  The young lady blushed, but just as Asbj?rn had intended, Leopold could tell from the flashes of desire that played in her mind that it was not because she had been caught staring; it was the privilege of having Lord Ravnsund speak so casually to her.

  "Yes, my lord, quite decorative indeed."

  Asbj?rn chuckled softly. "Quite," he agreed. Then, with a playful tilt of his head, he added, "Though it would be a shame if standstill decoration were their only use. Wouldn't you agree, my lady?"

  Lady Constantine's interest sharpened immediately; she was not about to be outmaneuvered in conversation by some timid girl who couldn't control her gaze. "Oh?" she said. "And what use would that be?"

  Katharina couldn't help but feel visceral revolt at how their conversation treated them as nothing more than decor. For a while, she had felt the prince's eyes drifting to her, but now even he was caught up in light banter about these beautiful individuals they didn't even consider human.

  Suddenly, the distinct pressure of a playful and inviting aura filled the air and made the nobles' voices simmer to a halt. It was not nearly as suffocatingly heavy as that of the prince, but it was without a doubt belonging to someone of great standing.

  Master Ravnsund had risen from his seat next to the prince and drew the attention of every pair of eyes present.

  Master Ravnsund gave a light bow of his head with ease, polite reverence of the esteemed company, that suggested he had delivered far too many of these speeches, yet his voice carried a sincerity that softened the nobles' stiff backs.

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  "My friends," he began, "it brings me great joy to welcome you once more to Ravnsund Manor. Your presence honors our halls, and your company gladdens our table." His eyes flicked briefly toward the prince. "And I am especially grateful to share yet another season in the esteemed presence of His Highness, whose friendship remains one of the finest privileges granted to me."

  Polite smiles of agreement rippled across the table.

  "May today be pleasant, may the tea be refreshing, and may the entertainment prove worthy of such distinguished guests."

  At the other end of the table, a woman dressed in satin and a gold-patterened Slokel stepped forward. It was Sabuh radiant as any of the noble ladies present, with her striking appearance captivating enough that even Katharina found herself gawking for a moment.

  A murmur rippled through the gathered nobles as Sabuh lowered herself gracefully and let her aura unfold. Golden light spilled into the air, coalescing into delicate birds that fluttered above the tables, their wings catching the sunlight as they circled and danced. Gasps and delighted laughter followed, attention drawn wholly to the spectacle.

  This is it, they are all distracted.

  Katharina drew her presence inward, suppressing herself as carefully as she dared, letting the little aura she had used to please the temper of the Masters fade until she felt almost hollow. For a brief moment, it worked. She felt herself slipping into the background, becoming less than noticeable, less than worth a second glance.

  Madam R?fna's eyes snapped to her at once.

  She wasn't about to disturb the display by intervening in Katharina's little tricks, as long as nothing uncouth was happening. But the glare in her eyes clearly read 'I see what you are doing, don't you dare play me.'

  And the brand seconded this sentiment as it tightened its burning tendrils into Katharina's being. Peculiarly enough, Katharina found she could still manipulate her aura, still guide it with careful restraint, but her body was locked exactly where it stood, decorative and obedient once more.

  Don't worry, Madam, I am just having a little taste of his power.

  Katharina had felt the pressure of the prince and his gem many times before, but the sensation had always come to her, intruding on her like a mist intruding on the evening. This time, she would be the one to approach.

  Just as she let her aura ooze out, erasing her existence from anyone who inhaled her intent, she imagined a thin stream no thicker than a thread lifting off her body, drifting through the air on the late spring breeze, being careful not to graze the other nobles at the table.

  Katharina did not want to risk drawing the prince's attention now that the sight of the aura birds so conveniently consumed him. So instead, she let the thread land and tether itself to the opulent gem hanging from his left ear.

  Its presence was overwhelming. A crushing, radiant pressure that did not explode outward but pulled inward, like a star condensed into a pit so deep light itself could not escape.

  And though its incomprehensibility was frightening, Katharina was not about to pull away.

  I have to know this power, know it well enough to replicate.

  Though it was strictly against their instructions, Katharina closed her eyes; it wasn't as though anyone would notice.

  Katharina coiled the thread around the gem and spun it like a web that took in every ripple of the aura. To her surprise, there was a familiarity to it, yet an uncanny stillness made it hard to place.

  It feels almost as if this is his aura...

  Yet the aura in the stone was no longer tied to the prince, even if it carried remnants of his presence, and no sparks were flying, or unexplained clashes between her aura and this. Katharina eased the thread deeper, no more than the width of a hair, teasing the power as one might dangle a rabbit before a lion.

  The more she dug, tried to grasp hold of the power, and borrow it for herself, the more she realised just how much was stored within this gem.

  What the prince had lent her on the day she received the phone was nothing, a drop in a planet-covering ocean, yet receiving it had been so painful, as ripping every pore open. So even if she could take just a little bit of what is stored in this stone, it would rip her apart and obliterate her very soul.

  However, Katharina couldn't even take an atom. How had Madam R?fna stolen her aura so easily, when Katharina could only look but not take?

  The seconds were ticking away, and soon the performance would end. Katharina could feel the heat in the air of how much aura Sabuh had expended.

  Katharina drew the thread back, slow and careful, folding it into herself before it could be noticed. There was no clever angle here, no hidden seam she could pry open with enough patience. Whatever Madam R?fna had done to take her power had not been theft at all, but something else entirely.

  The realization settled heavily in her chest. She would have to place herself where she could be offered more moments like this. More reasons for the prince to keep her close, to let his guard down, let him mistake his own curiosity for generosity.

  And give her power.

  Am I choosing this because it will truly be how I win, or because he is all I have seen of this world?

  She opened her eyes back up, staring straight at the prince, who seemed oblivious to the fact that he had been inspected, and it dawned on her that either way, the answer was the same.

  Sabuh dropped to her knees, theatrically drained for the pleasure of the Masters; the show was over, and so was Katharina's window to learn the shape of the power she sought.

  While their procession returned to the manor, Katharina glanced a final time in the direction of the opulent red gem that sparkled as it dangled from the prince's ear.

  She wasn't yet sure how, but there was one thing she had decided.

  That will be my ticket.

  Leopold and Asbj?rn had retreated to one of the countless extravagant drawing rooms the manor had to offer. The ornamentation and decor scattered around the room were distinctly inspired by the Kingdom of the Kalarie Islands, with heavy beaded drapery lining the walls, and the furniture so low to the ground it looked made for children, compared to the tall stature of Leopold.

  "I must say, Leo, you play your role almost perfectly."

  The sudden jab came as no surprise now that they were alone.

  Leopold reached for a bottle of something the same color as the brown tea that had been served, but certainly a lot more alcoholic. "You as well, Asbj?rn, I did not realize you had so much time to spare for entertaining noble Ladies."

  Before he could pour himself a glass, a hand had stopped him.

  "Listen, Leo." An expression so serious it looked misplaced on Asbj?rn's face was what Leopold met as he looked up. "You may be able fool the rest of your entourage, but I see how intrigued you are about the blond."

  "So, it is no secret that I enjoy the presence of beautiful women, that will not tarnish my reputation." But Leopold could already read in Asbj?rn's thought that that was not the direction of this conversation.

  His friend laughed softly while he took the bottle out of Leopold's hand and poured them each a glass.

  "What I am saying is that if you do not purchase her yourself, your little mystery will slip from your fingers before long." This wasn't a question of making a profit off Leopold's interest in the girl; this was a genuine offer from a friend. Leopold could tell how Asbj?rn had noticed a change in Leopold ever since the blond had appeared; he had been enjoying life much more, filling his endless boredom with the mysteries of this girl brought, but soon Asbj?rn would have to take this away simply because that was how business was.

  "Since you are my most dearest friend, I am willing to give you an offer that merely covers what she has cost me, of course, on paper, she will still have to be sold at the proper rates."

  Leopold felt a terrible aversion to this offer; he did not want the girl to fall into someone else's hands, yet he did not want to ruin the mystery by forcing her to be his.

  "Asbj?rn, you know I..."

  A polite knock on the door to the drawing room cut the conversation short, and Leopold felt a sense of relief that he could put off the answer to this dilemma even further. Though his friend, of course, brought a valid case, Leopold did not find his friend's ability to put him on the spot particularly pleasant.

  Asbj?rn did not answer the knock. Instead, he tilted his head expectantly at Leopold, wanting an answer before letting anyone enter.

  Leopold merely smiled at his friend and took the liberty of answering their visitor. "Yes? Who is it?"

  "It is I, Lady Constantine, your highness." An excitedly timid voice sounded on the other side of the door.

  Leopold could feel the incredulous thoughts flowing from Asbj?rn at the fact that Leopold had so blatantly denied him a straight answer. Asbj?rn merely shook his head as he barely choked a scoff. "I will give you until the auction hosted by Lord Rahkan, which is on the fourth of Himare."

  Then he walked to the door and swung it open, revealing the lady waiting in hopeful anticipation.

  "Lady Constantine, what a pleasure for you to come and join us. Unfortunately, I have business to attend to, so you will have to make do with his highness." He said with honey-coated words.

  Lady Constantine placed her hand in the correct spot on her cheek, putting on a false expression of disappointment, as proper etiquette expected, even if this was exactly what she had been hoping for.

  "Of course, Lord Ravnsund, a businessman of your caliber must always be very busy."

  His friend had left him alone to fend for himself against the insistent Lady Constantine. Leopold stared into the glass in his hand. What a waste it would be to leave this fine liquor, he swirled it once before downing it in one swig. Finally, he cast a lazy glance out the window, where the finely dressed slaves were now removing any trace of the tea serving.

  "Would the lady care for a stroll in the garden?" Leopold didn't even need to manipulate the lady with his aura; anything he suggested was already sweet as honey in her ears.

  "That you delight me, your highness." She said with a polite bow, lewd thoughts already filling her.

  The bouquet Katharina had been holding had been among the first things to be discarded when tea time came to an end. Instead, Katharina was now carrying in her arms a heavy garden chair that had to be put back in storage; she had no idea where they had been fetched from, but luckily, the brand seemed to know exactly where she was going, and so she had decided to mindlessly follow its tug through the gardens to some unknown destination.

  From behind one of the hedges up ahead, Katharina could hear a distinctive giggling of a high-pitched lady's voice, followed by undetermined chatter and a man's voice.

  Clearly, someone was having a little private meeting. And from the quiet pressure in the air, Katharina had an inkling who it might be.

  But the brand wasn't about to divert Katharina's cleaning just to give them privacy, which in itself was a little odd, but perhaps she mattered so little in their eyes that they didn't pay her presence any mind.

  With every step, she got closer to the giggling. She worried that whoever it was would not be pleased by her presence, but suddenly it stopped, and the garden became suspiciously quiet.

  She turned a corner, and there she saw exactly why it had become quiet.

  A few paces down the path stood none other than the prince himself and the lady he had been openly flirting with during tea time, in a position that could only be described as halfway down each other's throats. Not particularly romantic for anyone else watching, but at least they both looked like they enjoyed it.

  Didn't expect them to be so forward, but I guess he really can do whatever he pleases.

  Katharina made her steps as light and soundless as possible with the heavy garden chair in her arms, but that only made her acutely aware of how loud the crunching of the gravel beneath her feet sounded.

  As Katharina carefully turned her face to check that she hadn't been noticed, she was met with the horrifying sight of the prince's bright blue eyes staring straight back into hers, as he slowly pulled away from the lady.

  He looked at Katharina, while a hedonistic smile formed on his lips, almost as if he was happy that she had seen them.

  Before she could pull herself from the surprise of his unrestrained behavior and continue her task, she watched as he reached for and plucked a dry branch from the hedge beside the noble woman. Engaging her in a flirtatious moment of seductive whispers.

  When a sudden and unmistakable, gentle golden light slowly started to flow from his hand into the branch. The lady before him whispered an oscillating flow of 'Oh my', 'how beautiful', and 'your highness', in anticipation of the gift she was about to receive.

  Katharina watched as he effortlessly made the dry branch bloom into a neat little rose, as a reaper walking the dead back to the living. This sight painfully reminded Katharina of her own even drier winter branch that lay tucked under her pillow, still waiting for her to bring it back to life.

  Does he make those for everyone, or did he do it to remind me of the dry bud tucked under my pillow?

  It didn't take mind-reading for Katharina to know that he was, without a doubt, taunting her with this little display, but she was going to stay calm. Perhaps working on getting the branch to bloom would be exactly what she would have to do to get within his vicinity.

  Shit, I should have kept one of the roses from the bouquet, and switched it for the branch...

  "Oh my!"

  The sudden high-pitched shrill of the noble woman had nearly made Kathrina drop the chair on her feet. She had turned and only just realised that they had been seen, her face turning a shade of red even deeper than the rose in her hand.

  However, the crimson quickly receded from her cheeks, as a dawning look of pitying repulsion filled her face.

  "Bring this to my belongings." The words were cold and dismissive. Before Katharina could even nod in acceptance, the woman had let the rose fall onto the seat of the chair, still in Katharina's arms.

  Katharina had barely turned the corner of the next hedge before she heard the noble woman speak again.

  "That thing scared me. I find it is rather off-putting, not decorative at all." Her voice had switched right back to bubbly flirtation. "In my humble opinion, Lord Ravnsund really should get its head sheared. Blonde hair like that is just unfitting for a slave. Don't you agree, your highness?"