After an entirely silent car journey I stood in another foyer. I couldn’t tell if Yaru was happy with how things had progressed that afternoon. And I wasn’t sure how I felt anymore. I didn’t even think I wanted to feel. I wanted to be back in the safe cocoon of a body that couldn’t move. Where no one expected anything of me.“Yaru. You didn’t tell me you had another new courtesan under your guidance,” a man said, sauntering over. “When you asked where I’d be I thought you were just coming to say hello. Maybe ask for a favour.”“No, no favour. This is Auralia. She’s a sweetheart, and I couldn’t refuse Daniel once I’d met her.”The man came over and stopped right in front of me. Taking my hands in his, he looked me over. Unlike some of the others, he appeared more fatherly, his eyes coming back to my face and lingering there the longest, searching my eyes.“The first day being introduced is a shocker, isn’t it?” he asked eventually. I found myself nodding, my shoulders sagging a little,

As I walked over to the men, I did my best to look graceful, smiling at anyone who caught my eye, but I still felt strange. How had I gone from lifeless on a bed to strolling through a room full of people, wearing almost nothing but a form of advanced body paint?“Oh my, that’s an interesting look. Perhaps we could find somewhere a little more secluded and I could get a closer look at your flowers,” a man said, blindsiding me as he stepped out in front. My jaw dropped as he reached out a hand, ready to slip it around my waist. I couldn’t check my momentum in time, getting far closer than I wanted before I could stop.His fingers reached lower while my brain tried to catch up.“I’m sorry,” I said, sounding far smaller and more timid than I wanted. “I’m still veiled.”“Oh.” It was as if I’d slapped him. He recoiled, withdrawing his arms and putting distance between us. “I thought you were fair game. I apologise.”“That’s okay,” I replied, feeling my cheeks flush. This seemed to relax him

Coming closer to the door revealed one of the courtesans I'd seen the day before. She was held backwards over the bottom of the stairs, her arms restrained by one of the security guards as the other gripped her thighs, his trousers and boxers pooled around his feet. Tears fell from her eyes as she was being used, evidently in pain both emotional and physical.Gulping, I froze to the spot. My heart broke for her as the guard sped up his thrusts, reaching his climax. As he rammed into her for the final time, she let out a small cry. I finally managed to tear myself away, my stomach threatening to expel what little food I'd eaten that day.“There, Belle,” I heard the guard say behind me. “Told you to just let me get on with it. Now hold still and Rich here can have his turn.”I stopped, horrified at what I'd just heard. Did I go back and try to help her? Was there anything I could even do? A scuffle made my decision for me.“Jeremy, you idiot, she's getting away,” another voice yelled. A

I tried my best to relax as I sat near Tomichii in his relaxation room. Nearby, I could hear the moans of another courtesan as she lay backwards over a table, a man burying himself over and over again inside her.We'd been here since lunchtime, Yaru not wasting any time in reminding me Tomichii was still the most overtly interested person to come to my unveiling. Besides the other resurrected, anyway. Yaru hadn't brought him up again so neither had I.“Tired?” Tomichii asked when I failed to stifle a yawn. I saw Yaru's eyebrows raise. Apparently appearing tired was a big no-no, something he'd mentioned on the drive over when I'd told him of my night full of adventures.“A little,” I replied, doing my best to look sheepish and apologetic. “I confess I didn't sleep very well last night. I was too excited.”“Oh, really? And what could have caused that?”“I was thinking about coming back here. You have a wonderful building here, especially the garden. And...” I pretended to be embarrassed,

“Thank you, Courtesan,” Kioshi said when I'd answered every question of his. Before I could respond, he got to his feet.“I must go now, but I hope someday we can repeat this.”“I'd love that,” I said, both disappointed he was leaving and pleased he wanted to speak to me again.I voiced neither as he walked away, merely sighing and letting my eyes wander back to the scenery around me. For almost an hour I'd forgotten where I was, focused solely on him.Not long after he left I got up and wandered out into the garden further. It was beautiful, and the wind blowing gently in the trees was calming. Once again I marvelled at how little I was feeling the cold. The paint must somehow act like a layer of clothing.“Well, I knew you'd charm Tomichii,” Yaru said, appearing at my side. “But even I didn't expect you to get Kioshi talking.”“He wanted me to help him perfect his technology.”“Oh, I think he was considering more than that,” Yaru replied, his eyes lighting up.“You saw everything the