Page 16 of The Red Woman on Mars

“Sure.”

“Excellent.” Ivey rubbed her hands together. “I was just persuading X to tear himself away from his dull Council briefs to play a game of Martian badminton. Join us, won’t you? Two on two?”

Vivian hesitated. How could she enjoy herself while her sister lay in a hospital bed? “I don’t think I can play in this awful dress.”

“Come now, Miss Bowen,” Xavier drawled without looking up. “You managed to con your way inside the house of a counselor within your first week on the planet. Surely you wish to explore the full estate. See if you can pocket the silver.”

Vivian felt her face heat. She never should have told him she was on Mars for the money.

“Be nice, X,” Ivey scolded. She took Vivian by the arm. “Come with me. We’ll sort you out.”

Vivian allowed herself to be led up the wide staircase into Ivey’s rooms, clutching her duffel bag. At the doorway to the suite, Vivian froze, transfixed by the sight of the enormous bedroom with its tall four-poster bed, spacious sitting area, and en suite private bath. Like in the parlor, the furniture all appeared massive from her Earthborn point of view.

Her parents had once had an ensuite bath, Vivian remembered abruptly. At their waterfront home. Before the storm took it all.

Ivey stepped into her walk-in closet and returned a few minutes later wearing a white divided skirt that showed off her pale, lean legs and a sleeveless red shirt with a V-neck low enough to reveal the curve of her breasts. She held up a smaller red shirt and white skirt. “Look what I found at the back of the closet! I must have been fifteen when I fit into these. They should suit you rather well.”

“Thank you.” Vivian held up the short skirt with clenched fingers. “I’m not sure Wim would want me to wear this.”

“Oh, Wim,” Ivey said dismissively. “You cannot let that self-important bore control you.”

“Do you not understand how this works?” Vivian snapped. “Right now, Wim has complete control over me.”

Ivey let out a bark of laughter. “X warned me your meek appearance hid a spitfire.”

Xavier had mentioned her to Ivey? They’d only conversed for two or three minutes. Had she made that much of an impression?Unwillingly, she remembered the way his eyes had held hers when he’d said,Oh, I’m very tempted, Miss Bowen.He’d certainly made a lasting impression onher. With effort, Vivian shoved the memory away. Whatever attraction he might feel, he clearly despised her.

“What Wim won’t admit, even to himself,” Ivey continued, “Is that here, clothing is a game.”

“A game?”

Ivey sat down on her raised bed, bringing her face to face with Vivian. “Don’t you see we’re all playacting? The Founding Families deliberately chose to adopt the elaborate clothing, headgear, and even the style of speech of Earth’s British Regency era to establish ourselves as an aristocracy elevated above the rest of the society.”

“Are you saying it isn’t real?” No wonder this place had felt so strange since she arrived.

Ivey raised one elegant shoulder in a shrug. “We’ve made it real. Casp and X are totally bought in. Really, the whole Council believes sincerely in upholding our culture. It’s in their interest, you see. Only the Founding Families can afford the elaborate lifestyle.” Her lips turned up in a cynical smile. “And as long as the middle class is fervently trying to emulate our culture and fighting one another for our scraps, they won’t turn to each other and ask why power, wealth, and even the ability to reproduce across generations is concentrated in the hands of the few.”

Vivian stared at her in astonishment. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Casp is interested in your sister, and I’d like you to encourage Delilah to return his affection.” Ivey’s lips turned up. “I think the more you understand, the more you’re likely to see the considerable benefits to your sister if she chooses to align herself with Hayes House.”

Vivian thought of her sister blinking up at Caspian when he complimented her eye color. “I don’t think Caspian needs any help from me on that front.”

Ivey snorted. “I was watching your sister at the luncheon. Delilah is quite the flirt. I don’t think she appreciates how serious Casp’s intentions are.” She leaned forward. “My brother is a good man, Vivian. He would be a kind and generous husband to your sister.”

Vivian shrugged. Maybe Luz was right. What did Vivian know about how a man like Caspian would behave behind closed doors?

“On Mars, all resources are finite, even power. And you and your sister have considerable power at the moment.” Ivey held up her hands to her sides, palms up, like two scales. “Thirty wombs. Several hundred contenders. Less than sixty days until Presentation Day. You should understand the leverage you possess.”

“I’m not a fuckingwomb,” Vivian snapped before she could stop herself.

Ivey seemed amused instead of offended by her outburst. She waved her long fingers. “You’re a womb to Secretary Yarrow. One she is eager to fill with a designer fetus.”

Vivian could think of nothing to say in response. After all, they’d brought her to Mars at great expense for that reason. Did she have the right to insist upon her own personhood when her only role in Martian society was to bear their children?

Ivey rose and went to the door. “Wear the ensemble or don’t. It makes no difference to me except that it will impact the quality of your playing, and I’d like to boast of a win to my brother and X.” She departed on long, bare legs, leaving Vivian alone.

Vivian stared at the outfit. The skirt was designed for a Martian body type and would end lower on her thigh than on Ivey’s. But it would still be very short. She pictured wearing it in the camp. The group of men who always lingered outside the women’s bathrooms would have hooted and whistled to see her with exposed legs. They would have tried to grab her, pinch her, maybe slap her bottom. Vivian’s whole body shuddered.