Chapter 13
thirteen
Orelia moved quietly through the bright hall, surprised to find it empty. Floral perfume filled the pristine space decorated with flickering trulights that mimicked candles. She didn’t know the orbs could do such a thing.
Distant laughter came from somewhere up ahead, but thankfully Orelia didn’t run into anyone as she continued down the hall, passing a few closed doors that stretched to the ceiling.
She pushed her shoulders back and took confident steps, trying not to let her eyes wander to the intricate molding on the walls; if she was going to pull off being here, she had to act like she belonged. Voices grew louder and she paused, peeking around the corner.
A colossal white marble horse stood in the middle of the main room. Its feathered wings stretched across the entirety of the space, and the muscular horse had been carved to perfection. It stood tall and proud with ears forward, body set in motion with one front leg curved in a grand high step.
Even more impressive were the three people seated on the horse’s back, an area that had been chiseled down to a flat seat. Two human women painted in gold fondled a naked dwarf with a missing hand and a lopsided, drunken smile.
Two batalins stood at attention on the far wall, but they were currently too occupied watching the people on the horse to notice Orelia.
Laughter filled the elegant room, lit with twinkling trulights of every size that reflected on the polished, white marble floors.
The walls were lined with ivory gossamer curtains, and the pleasure girls’ outfits were just as sheer.
Two strands of thin, white fabric ran over their breasts, meeting just below their navel.
The same pattern draped down their backs, leaving their ribs and hips fully exposed with a gold rope tied around their waists.
Two shirtless, painted men appeared from a side hall wearing matching fabric wrapped around their hips, attached by the same gold rope.
Beron didn’t hire men, and few in Minro would have been enjoyable to look at in such little clothing.
Orelia couldn’t stop her wandering eyes.
She gripped the corner of the wall as more human men of every skin tone entered the room with white-feather crowns adorning their heads.
Her gaze traveled down their chiseled bodies glistening in gold paint, and Orelia found herself chewing on her bottom lip as she ogled them.
She shook her head, disappointed in herself. She was no better than the customers scattered about the room.
Barefooted pleasure workers lounged on white couches next to patrons drinking clear liquid with stars in their eyes. Men with men, women with women, a mix of both, and others she wasn’t quite sure of trailed their fingers over each other’s skin, lost in pleasure.
“Who are you?” a silky voice asked.
Orelia turned to see a beautiful human woman about her age with straight chestnut hair.
Her body was painted in gold like the others, everywhere except her face.
She played with the rope around her waist that sat above finger-shaped bruises showing through the translucent fabric of her dress.
“I’m quite expensive but well worth it,” the woman said with an all-too familiar smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Oh, I’m not a customer.” Orelia looked around, hoping she hadn’t drawn the attention of the batalins.
Thankfully, they were occupied with an unruly stiv slurring his words and spilling his drink.
She spoke softly. “I’m a witch. I worked as a healer in the brothel in Minro, and I want to help. I can heal those bruises on your hip.”
The girl’s charade faded, and her eyes flitted around the room. “Follow me.” She grabbed Orelia’s hand and pulled her down a hall lined with individual rooms marked by a gold numeral above the doors. They entered a room near the end and the girl whispered for her to stay there, shutting Orelia in.
She took in the windowless room decorated much like the main space.
A bed with rumpled sheets sat in the middle while the corners of the room were decorated with vases full of white roses.
The floral perfume negated the scent of sex and sweat, a much cleaner smell than the suffocating incense at Beron’s.
The petite brunette returned with another pleasure girl with luscious, wavy red hair. “Doyle sent three of our girls to Minro recently. Do you know them?” the redhead asked.
“I met Millie,” Orelia said. “But I didn’t get to meet the other two before I left.”
The redhead grabbed the other girl’s hand and choked back a sob.
The brunette patted her friend’s hand and spoke to Orelia. “I’m Arielle, and this is Tara, Millie’s sister. Doyle wouldn’t let the two of them go together.”
Tara wiped away a tear. “Is Millie okay? Did you get to talk to her?”
Orelia put a reassuring hand on her bare shoulder. “My best friend Teegan works at the brothel too, and I promise she’ll look out for her.”
Tara gave her a broken smile. “I’ve been so worried about her. I tried to keep my little sister away from this life, but Doyle managed to snatch her up anyway.” She sniffled. “He always finds a way to get what he wants.”
The girl’s smiles wilted as they looked at one another, and there was a pinch in Orelia’s heart at the despair on their faces. They knew they were never getting out of here. Even in a place as big as Ricaboro, Orelia knew ‘stuck’ when she saw it.
“Arielle said you’re a witch?” Tara asked after she dried her eyes.
Orelia nodded. “I used to be the healer in my brothel back home. I know how horrible your customers can be, and I’m so sorry you have to go through that. Millie said your boss doesn’t have a witch on staff, so I’d love to help if you’ll let me.”
Their grim smiles only tugged at her heartstrings further.
Tara crossed the room and sat on the bed, pushing her red hair behind her shoulder.
“Doyle used to keep a few clerics around, but he let them go a couple years ago. And lately there’s been a darker clientele he’s allowed in.
Ones that prefer their whores bruised and bloody before they get them alone. ”
Her stomach turned. Orelia sat next to Tara and looked into her walnut-colored eyes. “That’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
“That’s life,” Tara said with too much apathy.
“But at least we have each other to get through it. He only lets a few of us get roughed up, and Maren volunteers every time. I’m not sure if it’s to prove she’s strong enough to handle it, or she’s protecting the rest of us from having to endure it.
She’s the one that really needs healing. ”
It dawned on her that perhaps that was why Rae refused to be healed. She always took on the more unpleasant patrons, and Orelia thought it had been to prove she could handle it. Maybe it wasn’t that at all. Maybe she was looking out for the others the way Maren was looking out for the girls here.
“After I’m done helping you two, maybe you could bring her to me,” Orelia offered.
Arielle fidgeted with the rope around her waist. “I’ll try, but you being here is risky enough. Doyle will come looking for us soon.” Her green eyes flicked to the door.
“Right. Well, let me hurry then.” Orelia faced the redhead. “You first?”
“Do Arielle,” Tara said. “My wounds are in less obvious places.” She glanced down to her lap.
Arielle stood by her friend, giving her arm the same supportive squeeze Orelia had done so many times for her girls.
“I have bruises on both hips and one on my back,” Arielle said as she turned around.
Orelia noted the purple, fist-sized circle edged in black between her shoulder blades, barely hidden under the dress. Her jaw clenched. Years of seeing injuries just like this one and she still hadn’t gotten used to it. “You’ll feel a tingling sensation, but it won’t hurt. I promise.”
After Arielle nodded, Orelia gently placed one hand over the bruise. Yellow light shined under her palm, followed by the glowing shapes appearing on her fingers and wrist, brightening the room.
Tara’s mouth fell open. “Wow.”
“What is it?” Arielle asked, looking over her shoulder.
“You’ll see when she heals your hips.”
When Orelia was finished with her back, Arielle turned, and the witch placed her hand on the pleasure girl’s right hip, letting her light shine. Arielle’s eyes lit up. “I wish Doyle would let witches work here. We could really use your kind in this place.”
“Mine fired me,” Orelia said, her throat going tight thinking about the friends she’d left behind.
“Is that why you came here? Are you going to be our new healer?” Tara asked in a high-pitched voice.
She hated having to disappoint them, but Orelia said, “I’m actually traveling to Dorsey and was just passing through.”
Their shoulders collectively slumped.
“Can you make objects float?” Arielle asked. “I’ve heard witches can do that.”
The two girls looked at her eagerly, waiting for a show.
Orelia curled her fingers toward her, calling on the bar of soap sitting on the washbasin across the room.
It rose and drifted over to the two girls watching with wide eyes, smiling from ear to ear.
When the soap was directly in front of Arielle, Orelia straightened her fingers, and the soap froze, hovering.
Arielle grabbed it out of the air, and the two girls giggled. “That’s amazing!”
Orelia chuckled at their amusement and went back to focusing on healing Arielle. When she was finished, the girl wrapped her in a tight hug. “Thank you so much. What’s your name?”
“Orelia.”
“That’s beautiful,” Tara said. She adjusted herself as she sat on the edge of the bed, wincing. “Last guy wasn’t patient enough and he tore me down there. It stings everywhere, but I’m not exactly sure where the tear is.”
Orelia knelt in front of her. “Unfortunately, I have to heal wounds there all the time. I’ll only touch you where I need to.”