“Naughty little thing,” I muttered. “Look at you, Amber… You begged for it like a real whore.”
I withdrew my fingers while she recovered from the force of her orgasm, gasping and starting to giggle as the force hit her head-on, making her cry out in ecstasy.
“Good fucking girl,” I said, grinning down at her. “Now go back to sleep and don’t tell a fucking soul I was here. I just needed to touch you, chérie. It’s been so long since I felt you.”
I retreated toward the door, the memory of her dilated eyes on mine haunting me as I closed the door firmly behind myself and started walking down the hallway.
She was the perfect princess, and the perfect fucking slut. And the fun had only just begun.
Chapter Seven
Amber
I woke up with a smile on my lips that wouldn’t go away as the day started. The events of the previous night replayed in my head over and over again. Olivier…
Yes, I decided. I made the right decision coming here.
The girls gathered in the common room for breakfast, all of already dressed in more casual clothes.
I filled my plate with delicious-smelling pastries, pain au chocolat and fresh croissants with divine, flaky dough brimming with jam. Only when I noticed the other girls’ half-empty plates, I realized they were much more restricted when it came to food. It made me embarrassed, thinking how much restraint they showed with their food choices while I’d piled my plate high. I was tempted to just take off some of the food when Zara joined me, her eyes bright with new-found determination.
“How was your night?” she asked, not stopping to let me reply. “I had the worst night’s sleep. I tossed and turned all night thinking of Olivier. What about you?”
Now, she stared at me with her eyes bright and innocent, and I had to swallow the nervous giggle making its way onto my lips. I couldn’t tell her the truth. What would she think if she knew about my night, with Olivier’s fingers between my legs? Surely she wouldn’t approve, and I couldn’t lose my only friend in the competition.
“Alright,” I replied, flushing as the lie forced its way from my lips. Zara didn’t seem to notice, and she grinned at me, her eyes widening at my plate.
“Those Danishes look amazing,” she exclaimed, and my heart warmed with affection for her. I was half expecting her to call me out on all the food I’d gotten for myself, but she was just as sweet as always, and filled me with wanting to be her friend. “I’m going to get some too.”
While she got her food, I sat behind one of the round tables in the room and dug into my food. The maid from the previous day, Melanie, appeared with a jug of coffee I gratefully accepted. She gave me a conspiratorial glance that made me blush even more. I had a feeling she knew more than she let on.
I watched the other girls as I devoured the delicious pastries. We were all so different, yet all of the girls that were my competition were unmistakably beautiful. I couldn’t compare to them. I was just a petite, curvy redhead from the wrong side of the tracks. I felt even more inadequate knowing what all the girls looked like out of makeup and fancy clothes, knowing I wasn’t as beautiful, as articulate or as special as they were. Self-doubt nagged at me in the back of my mind.
“Hey,” Zara breathed as she plopped down on the seat next to me. “I need to get up earlier tomorrow, all the good stuff is gone now.”
I nodded my agreement as she launched into a speech about her family back at home. She had plenty of siblings and parents that came off quite controlling when she spoke about them. But who was I to judge? My own family was far from perfect.
“What do you think we’ll be doing today?” Zara finally asked, and I shrugged.
“Probably something to do with the competition, right?” I offered, and she nodded.
“I’m sure. God, I hope Olivier is there. I need to make a better impression than I did last night. Do you think I messed everything up, Amber?”
“Of course not,” I replied, though jealousy bubbled in the pit of my stomach in a treacherous brew. “I’m sure you’ll get another chance today. Try not to worry, love.”
She nodded, nervously twisting her hands in her lap while I devoured the most amazing raspberry éclair I’d had in my entire life. Just as I was finishing up with my food, Melanie and another maid appeared in the center of the room, this time sans the coffee jug, and asked for us to pay attention.
I watched all the beautiful heads in the room turn toward the maids, not missing that only one of them turned to look at me instead. Freya. She glared at me before smirking, then turned her attention to the maids.
Why is she so intent on making me miserable? I thought. She must hate me… Or maybe she just thinks I’m competition.
Even though the thought was negative, it filled me with hope. I saw her as competition too, and since she was dead-set on sabotaging me, I was certain she and I would not be friends in the near future. I didn’t care. I had Zara, and one girl on my side was enough to get me by.
“Girls,” Melanie spoke up. “Today you will have an exam to start your day off.”
“An exam?” Freya asked, her light brows shooting up. “What kind of exam?”
“Maybe you should listen,” Melanie frowned, glaring at the Nordic beauty. “Instead of interrupting so rudely.”
“Listen?” Freya let out a breath. “You would do well to remember your place. You’re just a maid, aren’t you?”
I felt uncomfortable for the poor girl, but it seemed like she could handle her own. She sighed, smoothed down the white apron of her uniform and approached Freya, lingering above her sitting form with a beatific smile on her face.
“Yes, I’m just a maid,” she replied, her voice sugary sweet. “But I am in charge of you girls, and I’m reporting directly both to the Queen and Olivier. Now, would you like me to tell them you disobeyed me?”
This was a different girl than I’d seen the previous day. The scared little mouse was gone and a strong, capable woman stood in her place, ready to defend herself. I felt proud for Melanie. It must have been difficult to stand up to a bully like Freya. I had barely managed it myself.
The ice-blonde stunner swallowed her words, though her eyes were shooting daggers at the poor maid. But Melanie took no offense with it, grinning at the girl before returning to stand next to the other maid, a beautiful dark-haired brunette with the most mesmerizing grey eyes.
“This is Carlotta,” she said. “We’ll be overseeing everything in the castle, and most of all, you girls. So try to stay on good terms with us, if you value your time in Luxuria.”
She directed the last statement right at Freya, who held the weight of her gaze with her lips pursed. I bit back a giggle. It serves her right, I thought.
“Now, the exam will happen in thirty minutes,” Melanie went on, smiling at the rest of us. “Please finish your breakfast, then join me back here in the common room so I can take you to the east wing of the castle.”
She left with Carlotta, and a moment after, Zara leaned down next to me to whisper in my ear.
“An exam? What do you think it’s about?”
“Probably something to do with etiquette?” I guessed aloud. “Or maybe they’ll be testing how much knowledge we have of Luxuria, or worldwide events?”