Page 4 of When the Universe Sings

I nodded, fingers spreading out across the skin of my thighs—the peachiness of my coloring a contrast to the pale green veins spiderwebbing beneath, though I knew some paid extra for an hour with a yeska from my planet. Not that we had any here; I was the only Selhveniain on the ship. My stomach twisted at the thought. In fact, it was the reason why I hadn’t been at dinner.

One of the male guests who’d spent most of the night watching me had the same peachy complexion, the same waving red hair. Once I’d noticed him, I’d almost fallen, catching myself at the last moment and burning my wrist.

I hadn’t wanted to face the others or acknowledge the slip I’d made. So instead of going to dinner I’d packed each emotion down, hiding it behind the layers of silks and scar tissue in my mind until I couldn’t find it anymore.

“That male tonight was from your planet,” Lunastra continued.

I froze, knowing better than to think he’d been from my home tree. No, he was merely one of the lucky ones who had not lived in one of the raided villages. But I looked at her all the same, schooling my features into the mask I’d learned to create in the first few cycles on Ebyd III.

Cautiously, she made her way across the room, her body like the waves of the silks hanging from the center of the ceiling. It was quiet for a long time, save for the hum of the cooling unit, and I realized Lunastra was staring at the brand on the inside of my bicep.

The same brand she wore on hers.

“They told me you did not make a sound that day. Most do.”

Frowning, I turned out my arm to look at the pale scar. It looked a bit like an eye with its perfect circle and starburst center. The points of the star represented twelve of the thirteen Class One planets that ruled our galaxy and the circle for Seyf V’ah, our galaxy’s capital. I had a second brand on the nape of my neck with a series of symbols running down my spine delineating my home planet, my date of birth, and who my owner was—the Galactic Federation of Intelligence.

The brand wasn’t pleasant. Then again, the press of a soldering gun to your skin never was. I’d been a child when the first one had been burned into my flesh and I’d screamed until blood bloomed in the corners of my eyes. Since that day I’d learned through years of torture and starvation that pain was merely another piece of your mind you could quiet.

I did it every single day.

“He told me there is almost nothing left of your people. That the entire planet was razed and most survivors now live in safehouses or outposts around the galaxy.”

The mistress clicked her tongue, claw-like nails clicking against the ornate steel frame of the bed. I could only blink at her, this pain, too, stowed away deep in my heart. The only time I found it again was the moment between dreams and waking. Even the sight of another being from my home planet could not truly touch the longing and heartache that festered, infected and oozing, just beneath my skin.

“You’ve made back our investment.”

I turned to look at her so fast a slice of pain pulsed through my neck. Maker knew I’d been waiting for this moment, though I didn’t know what would happen now it had arrived. Making back the house’s investment didn’t mean I was free, it only meant I would begin to accrue a small amount of credits, though I had no idea what I would ever use them on.

Lunastra herself, though mistress ofDaskquahwith all her privileges, was a yeska the same as I.

“So…what is it you want, Juniper?”

I could not ask for my freedom. To be honest, I was unsure what I would do with it. There was no home to return to, no family to reunite with. But I saw the image of the male from my nightmares again, burned behind my lids. He was there any time I closed my eyes, his wide shoulders surrounded by flames, pointing to the home tree only feet from where I crouched hidden. Heat that had nothing to do with desire pulsed through the crooks of my arms, the back of my neck, and I exhaled.

“I want to make them pay.”

Lunastra did not ask who I meant, only nodded before leaning forward and brushing her lips against my cheek while she rose from the bed. She strode with easy grace toward the door, pressing two fingers to the indent so it hissed open. The light from the hall illuminated her silhouette as she turned to look back at me.

“Then that is exactly what you will do, dearest.”

CHAPTER

THREE

“Somethingnew for you from the mistress.”

Lyrace leaned against the door of my quarters, beautifully outfitted in an amethyst suit playing up the lavender and gold veins slithering up his neck, a small silver box between his pearlescent hands. I glanced up from the vanity nestled across from the door and put down the brush I’d been running through my waves to tame them. Once I nodded, he made his way in and placed the box down on the polished metal table in front of me.

It was not unusual to receive gifts from patrons, though I usually gave them to Lyrace or Kafita unless they could be sold for credits. However, it was unusual for Lunastra to gift me anything. Such gifts were typically followed with a request, or a special guest who would be joining us tonight. It was how I’d received the two opalescent hair combs waiting in front of me and the crystal bottle of Nycium perfume beside it.

The heavy lid took me a few tries to pry open. I passed it to Lyrace, who tucked it beneath his arm. Nestled inside was what looked like thousands of gems, but when I pulled one from the box, they all lifted, held together by fabric so opaque it looked invisible.

“It is from the sister moon of my planet,” Lyrace explained. “The most beautiful clothing is made from our crystals and Mistress had this made for you for tonight.”

I spread them out in front of me, tracing the curve of one smooth stone and studying the rainbows it cast onto my hand from the halo orbs overhead. Between this and the silks, it wouldlook like I was dressed only in the glittering crystals, something I knew would tantalize our clients.

“Who is it she’s bringing?” I rasped, rising from my stool and slipping off my dressing robe.