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One look at the luxurious palace clarified why my father was in so much debt. The landing strip alone was as large as a football field. After stepping out of the flyer, we were greeted by aggressive heat. Karen winced and rubbed her forehead, while Meg, whom I had woken up five minutes ago, scowled.
“I need a parasol to protect me from the sun,” Karen’s mother whined. “Do you think that Lord Peirc will provide me a servant to do something like that?” Our pilot, a skinny bald man, shot Meg a disbelieving glance.
“Typically, servants help with the running of the household,” he corrected. Then he eyed Meg’s footwear with concern.
“We have to walk to the palace. Will you be able to do that in the contraption you are wearing?”
“These are designer heels. There are—”
“I don’t have an idea of what you mean,” the man said, his English slow and accented.
“Don’t interrupt me. I’ll have you know that I’m Lord Peirc’s favorite. You would be wise to be respectful to me,” Meg snapped. The bald man shot Meg a pitying look that made my stomach twist.
“Let’s just go,” I urged.
“Not until a ground transport gets sent for us,” Meg fired back.
“We don’t have any ground transports. The lord had to sell them five years ago,” the pilot argued. I decided to get it over with and began walking down the steps that led to the sidewalk, Karen following close behind me.
“Do you think that your mother will follow us?” I wondered.
“No. She’s going to sit in the flyer until a ground transport can come for her. She probably wants me to wait with her.”
“I don’t think you should do that,” I warned. “I have a feeling that things will be different now that we’re on Neretha.”
Karen bit her lip.
“I don’t want to leave you alone with a man we don’t know. Besides, Mom will be fine,” she told me, though Karen didn’t look so sure.
“You don’t believe that any more than I do,” I said as the bald man ran down the steps.
“I’m assuming that Dad has a favorite on every voyage. I heard Lady Valera joke as much with Cala,” my sister explained. The bald man nodded in agreement before leading us down the path that split the Peirc Estate in half. We walked for a mile, the looming palace getting larger with every step. By the time we reached the front steps, Karen and I were about to fall over. The bald man gestured to a row of chairs on the lawn. Most of them were filled with people of varying ages who were chatting among themselves. I linked my arm through Karen’s and we approached the group. A short brunette with tan skin marched over to us , a smirk on her cruel face. She was dripping in diamonds, her hair in an updo that had gold strands twisted into it. Her brown eyes were filled with hostility, which made me believe that this wasn’t going to be a charming introduction.
“I’m Lia, Dad’s firstborn,” she said. “Where are your mothers?”
“Mine is on Janton,” I replied, which made Lia nod.
“Right. And you? Are you one of the useless?” Lia taunted.
“No. Mom is in the flyer. The walk was too much for her,” Karen explained, her eyes filled with the same animosity.
“Let me guess, your mother is his favorite? Oh, you poor misinformed idiot. What Dad does on the ship doesn’t matter. He has one favorite, and it has been my mother for decades. In fact, she was the one that came up with the brilliant idea of a harem. They met by chance and she agreed to be his second wife. So don’t delude yourself by thinking that your mother won’t be punished.” Lia laughed. “Look at you, so plain and boring. I bet your mother is just as plain. Our father favors the ugly ones so that my mother won’t be jealous.” I was about to use my gift on her, but I thought better of it. What if Lia had a way to counteract my gift? Karen glanced at me, her insecurity written all over her face.
“So what is this?” I asked, bemused. “Are you the lady of the house?”
“Oh, I will be,” Lia boasted. “My husband and I live on the estate. I plan on securing a place of honor.”. She was like Karen on crack, which was really annoying.
“Are we done here?” I asked, wanting to escape the hostility.
“Oh, I’m done with you, Gwen. You’re no threat to me. You’re going to be Lady Valera’s pet until she tires of you.” Karen’s eyes landed on me, betrayal in her gaze.
“Dad told me not to tell anyone,” I defended, and she nodded in understanding.
“Farewell,” Lia said as I heard a commotion. I spun to see a limping Anastacia making her way to the group, followed by a disheveled Claire. I grabbed Karen’s arm and escorted her to a seat between two women who had to be in their late twenties. The pale-skinned woman who sat beside me greeted me with a genuine smile.
“Don’t mind our sister. She enjoys riling us up. You’re beautiful, so will be married off soon,” she assured me. I felt Karen tense beside me, and I couldn’t blame her for the reaction. Thus far the harem hadn’t been a pleasant place.
I stared at Lia, who was just as disrespectful to Anastacia, who began crying. When David and Lex walked in, Lia merely nodded, and Obi stepped forward and ushered my two brothers to a corner. Moments later, laughter reached us. It appeared that Obi’s reception was more welcoming than the one that Lia gave us. Molly, Nina, and Amy and Lena were the last to come in. Lia stepped up to Lena, who scowled and gave her the finger. Then she pivoted on her heel and walked away from Lia, leaving the three rejects in front of the queen. The group quieted enough for me to hear the conversation.
“I’m Lia, and I wanted you to know how things go around here,” Lia announced.
“Ugh, yeah, you’re another stuck-up version of Karen, but older. I got it. Now stop with the crap, I don’t want to hear it,” Molly said. Lia eyed Molly’s blue gown and frowned.
“Take off your dress, I want it,” she ordered.
“No,” Molly replied, her head held up high. Five women, all in their mid-twenties, fanned out behind Lia, Lia’s backup. This was getting out of hand.
“Take off the dress,” Lia ordered for the second time. Molly rolled her eyes and flipped Lia off.
“Bring it on, Lana,” Molly snapped.
“It’s Lia,” Lia corrected, before Lia flicked her finger and Molly was tossed into the air. Molly crashed to the lawn with a thud. Nina covered her mouth, her eyes going wide with panic. Molly quickly got on her feet, and charged Lia with such speed that I barely made her out. She tackled the woman to the ground and straddled her. Molly began raining punches down on Lia, who lost focus on her telekinesis. A short woman charged Molly, her eyes blazing with anger. Amy leaped over Molly’s head and kicked the woman square in the chest. The kick propelled her into the air, and she slammed into the group of women that had rushed to Lia’s defense.
“Gwen,” my father mentally shouted. He was sitting in a throne-like chair that was being carried by two burly men. I gasped out loud when I noted that Meg was being carried by two men. She was in her bra and panties, and was struggling against the men. Karen screamed, and was halfway out of her seat, but then Anastacia looked at her, and she was restrained. I eyed Molly and took hold of her will. Molly got to her feet and walked over to Amy. Lia’s face was battered, and it didn’t look like she was even conscious. The girls that had been hit by the propelled body didn’t look much better.
“I’ll deal with this later,” my father said. “But now it looks like we have an example to make. Thomas.” A guard that was standing by Obi strutted forward, a long sword in his hands. “Let me tell you something, ladies. Meg here is old and barren. She’s cruel and disobedient. I can’t marry her off to anyone. So she’ll be the best example.” Before I could blink, the soldier raised his sword and decapitated Meg. Karen let out an anguished wail that would haunt me as long as I lived. No one else made a sound, probably because no one wanted it to be their heads next. I was stunned, disbelieving of the sight in front of me.
“Ladies, here is how things work. You will obey me, or die,” my father declared. Even Molly, who enjoyed talking back to authority figures, was speechless.