Chapter 200: Stars that Vanish in the Dawn

Three months passed. What had once seemed to be light and easy servitude, with food and rest aplenty, was laden with darkness. After that fateful day, Aurle was returned to us, and I learned such occurrences were common. Every few days, Lord Byron personally visited the Slave Chambers and selected a girl to accompany him for the day. They were returned early the next morning, covered in bruises and weeping.

But after I refused him, the pattern changed. Instead of carefully selecting his slave, he came straightway to my cage and asked politely for me to offer myself to him. And each time when I refused, he would simply smile and nod, choosing instead whatever slave had recently treated me well, or even just spoken to me. They would taken away, and I would receive my beating, leaving me bloody and sobbing, unable to perform my duties for the rest of the day.

"Hey, Starlight," Aurle said, looking at me through the bars, "Want to partner with me today?"