knickers and attaching them to the belt around my waist. Each brush of his fingertips against my skin sent heat racing. I felt like fire was skimming over me, and my cheeks burned.
He stood, his crooked smile taking a wicked curve. “Interesting, really, that a courtesan wouldn’t know what she was doing in that regard.”
I felt Samael’s eyes on me. When I turned to look at him, his fingers were twitching at the hilt of his sword. His cloak was still pulled up, but by the way he was standing, I had the sense that he was on the verge of murdering someone.
“Are you quite finished, Sourial?” Samael’s voice cut through the air, low and threatening.
Sourial gave him a lazy shrug. “Well someone has to get her sorted. And I know it won’t be you.”
“You’d best be leaving,” said Samael, and the edge in voice made even Sourial pale.
Ernald looked up and simply nodded at the door. "Go on out then, Zahra. Get yourself acquainted with the place. There's champagne, and the guests will be arriving soon.”
“I’ll be waiting on the river walk, hidden,” said Sourial. “But I will be listening in, and if there is an opportunity to slaughter any of these Free Men, I will definitely be taking it."
Ernald laughed nervously again. “Well, I will leave you all to it. I’m going to, uh … make myself scarce.”
On my own, I walked out into something like a below-deck ballroom, with a bar, a chandelier, upholstered chairs—and a few whips. Good. Okay. Should be an interesting evening.
I stepped over to a table with champagne flutes, and bottles of champagne in brassy buckets of ice. I would keep myself so busy with filling champagne that I’d be fresh out of time for whipping anyone or vice versa. My nerves were getting the better of me, and I wondered if anyone would mind if I started the champagne myself. But no one else was here to watch me, so I uncorked a bottle and poured myself a little glass. It was delicious, a little sweet, and the bubbles went straight to my head.
I started to relax a little. So I was playing a dangerous game of double agent, but I would find a way to keep my head above water. I always did.
It wasn't long before some more women arrived, and when they took off their coats, I saw they were dressed like I was.
One of them flashed me a smile. She had beautiful long golden hair that cascaded over her little, lacy, white underwear, lips painted crimson. Another, with black curls and a beautiful curvy body, waved at me as she crossed the room. She started filling champagne glasses.
The third woman who came in made my heart skip a beat, because I actually knew her from the music hall. She called herself Ginger, and I would have recognized her vibrant red hair anywhere.
As soon as she saw me, she grinned, "Lila! New job? I didn’t know you were working as a courtesan these days.”
I smiled tightly, and felt myself going pale. Samael would be watching this very conversation. “I’m sorry, you've mistaken me for my friend. I’m Zahra,” I said pointedly.
She simply frowned and said, "Oh?"
"My name is Zahra," I said again.
She nodded slowly. "Yes, Zahra.” She smiled. “Of course.”
It might not have been the most convincing performance, but she at least tried to catch on and play along. Then one by one, I heard the guests arriving, their footfalls clacking on the deck above us.
My mouth went dry as men in sleek black shirts came into the room, their silver cufflinks gleaming. They all had slick hair, and they wore their shirts buttoned all the way up.
I started moving around, offering champagne flutes, filling glasses. Hoping no one paid me too much attention. I was relieved to see Finn wasn’t here. For one thing, this outfit would give him a heart attack. And for another, I didn’t want him on Samael’s radar. I supposed he hadn’t proven himself yet with the Free Men, and maybe that was for the best. Being one of the Free Men seemed a dangerous situation at this point.
As I moved around, I perked up my ears, trying to tune into their conversations. I managed to catch a few bits and pieces. In the corner, I heard two men talking about the baron. They were tall and lean, both with blond hair and tidy little mustaches. Both had receding chins. If they weren’t twins, they