A kiss

* CHAPTER 16 – PP69

VENUS

Work resumed the very next day and I stood with the nine others, once again waiting for Naomi to show up it seemed she enjoyed keeping us waiting but my foot was killing me. The previous day, we had been dismissed so that we could inform our families about our new job. I went to Emmaline’s house and she helped me redress the wound after I had taken a hot

However, the aches were back, my

feet feeling swollen and heavy.

There were seven girls including me and three boys. Every now and then, April would wink at me secretly. She had been impressive on the field and I had not gotten another chance to talk to her. Her friend, Jess was laughing with her over a joke I was too far to hear and the blonde had a quiet beauty. They appeared to be very good friends and that only reminded me of how alone I was.

The opening of the great doors announced Naomi’s arrival and I tried to wobble onto my feet despite how painful it was to stand on the swollen foot. Guards escorted her like she was some princess, flanking her every side. The other nine stood as well, the previous smiling faces now grim and serious.

Naomi was in a simple white dress but her elegance shone through anyways. Her eyes searched each of our faces, her chilly blue eyes pining everyone with a stare.

“Good morning, everyone,” she greeted, raising her voice enough to be heard.

“Good morning, Prefect Naomi,” we chorused and I could tell that our response pleased her by the slight tilt of her head and the brief shutting of her eyes. When she opened them again, they were clear

and heated.

“Congratulations to you for scaling through our exercise yesterday. Some of you used your knowledge, some their quick feet and a few of you were merely lucky. However, luck will not secure you a permanent position in the Paradise Palace. There are rules here that are to be followed to the letter. Any insubordination and you will be thrown out faster than your feet can touch the ground. I will lead an excursion. Follow closely.”

She spun around, the guards spanning out to create an impenetrable wall around us. I was at the rear end, having trouble with walking. April deliberately walked slow until she and I were side by side. She offered me assistance silently by throwing my arm around her shoulders and carrying my weight for me. The guard behind me frowned but said nothing. We moved on, me mouthing my thanks and April smiling in reply.

“I cannot show you the whole palace today because I have other business to attend to. So, I will highlight the important rules you are never to forget.” She pointed to the floor above us with a finger. “Number one rule, the upper floor is offlimits to all s**ts and you are not to even go near the stairs. on the penalty of death. The only one allowed up there is…” she paused, her lips thin in disdain, “..Matilda. She is the Alpha King’s personal attendant and you all will meet her sometime soon.”

CHAPTER 16 1

PAN

Neal, you are the sea and not heard, meaning that, anything you see or hear within these walls chand not wrape these walls. I might not look it but I am very skilled at ripping heads off with the edge of my blade.**one will endanger the Alpha King under my watch. There are four MistresSOS under the king’s care. You will be assigned duty posts but if any of the mistresses take interest in you, vw will mutanatically become a personal attendant. The other things, you will learn as you carry on

You will be referred to by numbers, not names because firstly, of the occasion when two people have the same name and rondly, because no one cares enough to actually use your names,”

Immediately, a s**t appeared from somewhere with a steel tray, bearing number buttons, She getured at us to proceed and one by one, wach person went forward to pick a number. When it got to our tum, April picked hers and adjusted so I could have access to the tray, Naomi frowned at my bad timp and I tried not to make the pain too obvious, Luckily for me, a guard drew nearer and whispered shortly in her ear. While she was distracted, I swiped a button off the tray and April helped me stagger backwards.

The guard returned to rank, his face mean and hard. Naomi gestured for the tray to be taken away and it was whisked away by the nameless servant.

Your buttons have different colours and due to that, different tasks, Green buttons work in the garden, reds work in the west wing of the palace, yellows are responsible for kitchen hygiene and blues work in the east wing. Blues will be watched closely because in the east wing are the only stairs to the

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She paused again, a bright smile suddenly stretching her small lips. “S**ts are treated here much better than in any place in the world. If you do as instructed, you will have no issues here and you in stay as long as you like. Some se**ts found their mates while working here. Immediately report to your duty posts. You are all dismissed.”

We scrambled around, some trying to make east from west. April’s was a blue button, same as mine but Jess’ was a yellow. She pouted in exaggerated sadness, pulling off an adorable puppy face.

“All except you, Number PPO, Naomi spoke out of the blue,

1 frome, looking down on my button although I already knew it was my number. April stopped moring too, wondering what the prefect wanted.

“You may leave, PP71,”

April was dismissed, patting my shoulder in a show of solidarity. Soon, only I, the prefect and a few guards were left in the hallway/1 could see my reflection in the marble tiles below and I could not recognize myself. My hair was growing out again and I would have to cut it short once more.

“Yes, Prefect?”

CHAPTER 16 PP60

“I thought the palace doctor saw to your wound yesterday. Why are you still limping? Isn’t your wound healed yet?”

1 bit down on my lower lip, a habit from childhood, thinking up something to say. She did not waif for me to respond.

“If you can’t walk properly, I will assign you to the library for today. New books arrived last week and they need to be arranged according to genre and section. That won’t be too hard for you, would it?”

“No, it-”

“Well, then,” she cut me short,” The library is by the third door in the east wing. Wobble away. And PP69, don’t take my lenience for weakness. I can be very scary.”

I sat on a stool, still in awe of the s** library. It was big enough to be an entire house and the mighty wooden shelves stood tall like giants. Thick covers and paperbacks were on every shelf and it was my kind of paradise. The cart of new books was pushed in by a guard who left immediately after he arrived. Rolling my shoulders, I opened the cart and started separating books according to genre. Each shelf had a genre tag and it made my work a lot easier.

Out of the blue, I heard the door open and I hurried back to the first room to see who it was. I saw no one and goosebumps spread on my skin. Was the library haunted? I reached for a heavy book to defend myself with but I misjudged the weight and balanced heavily on my bad foot. Crashing to the left, I closed my eyes, anticipating my impact with the ground. However, the ground was warm with hands around my waist.

“Number PP69,” a rough, masculine voice, observed, “you are a clumsy little thing.”