She threw me a half-smile. “I can provide for myself and my family, milady. That makes me happy.”

I nodded slowly, understanding that she would not tell me more—at least not at this stage in our relationship. I hoped I would get her to open up, later down the road. The tension was already filling the air, and I’d made her slightly uncomfortable, so I pointed at the dress. “Is that for me?”

“Yes, milady. We have gowns and dresses ready for guests at all times, in line with palace etiquette and color codes. Our lord and lady supreme are quite specific in their preferences for those who come here, even for a night or two.”

“It’s beautiful,” I murmured, gazing at its flowing midnight blue velvet skirt, fitted over a crinoline undergarment. Its tight sleeves would likely feel like a second skin, and the bodice was made with silver thread, adorned with delicate diamonds.

“The lady supreme’s style artist handles all the dress designs for our female guests,” Zurah replied, lovingly gazing at the dress. It stood out all on its own, so one could only imagine what it would look like on a woman, how curves would amplify the beauty and the intricate embroidery. “Would you like to come out now? I’m worried you might get all pruny if you stay in the water for too long.”

“Yes, I think it’s time, before I fall asleep. It’s so relaxing.”

She giggled and stretched the towel out for me, staring to the side so as not to see me naked. I got out of the tub and took over from Zurah, wrapping the towel around myself. She bowed politely, moving toward the door. “I will be in the lounge, waiting, milady,” she said. “Please, put the dress on. There are undergarments in the bottom drawer of the cabinet. I’ll prepare your shoes and jewelry, in the meantime.”

“Thank you, Zurah.”

Left on my own again, I took deep breaths as I patted the water from my skin. Those essential oils had worked like magic. I had never felt like this before—it was as if my entire body had been glazed in a soft layer of silk. The fragrance lingered in the air as I slipped into the dress, but I was unable to tie the bodice myself, since the laces were at the back, and I’d spent most of my life in T-shirts and slacks.

Walking out of the bathroom, barefooted and slightly flushed by my inability to wear a style that many women had flawlessly worn before me, I found Zurah waiting patiently next to one of the sofas, smiling. Just like she’d promised, a pair of elegant, mid-heel shoes awaited on the floor next to her, while a selection of jewels had been displayed on a white satin cloth on the coffee table.

“I need some help,” I said, turning around for her to see the bodice laces.

“Of course, milady,” Zurah replied, taking a firm hold over them. She tugged and fastened, the bodice tightening around my waist and chest. Gradually, it became a little bit harder to breathe, as she reached the upper part and tied the laces tightly. “I’ve taken the liberty of bringing a tall mirror for you to see the entire ensemble,” she added as she moved to stand by the mirror.

Oh, I was breathless at the sight of myself, and not because of the tight bodice. The dress was a work of art, fitting me perfectly. My curves were masterfully accentuated, with delicate cleavage—just enough to entice and reveal a little bit of pearlescent vampire skin. The velvet sleeves looked painted down my arms, leaving my shoulders bare. The skirt was full and wide, and not at all heavy. The Aeternae had found a way to make this fashion last, without it being uncomfortable in any way. I loved it.

“Wow,” I managed. “It’s… It’s quite something.”

“Perhaps something to cover your shoulders, if you’d like?” Zurah asked.

Had she read my mind? I’d just remembered the intense looks that Kalon had stolen at me, and how exposed I’d felt whenever he’d given me his full attention. One could only wonder what he would think of my outfit, given how different it was from my more casual GASP uniform. Under any other circumstances, I would’ve found his smirks and stares unsettling, but there was something about him that stirred me, and I wasn’t yet sure what to make of it. Of him, in general.

“Yes, please,” I replied.

She placed a dark gray, shimmering tulle scarf over my shoulders, pulling both ends behind me and clasping a silver ring around them to stop the whole thing from slipping. Indeed, this looked a lot better, in the sense that I had fewer chances of capturing too much of Kalon’s attention. Then why am I slightly disappointed?

“Tell me, Zurah, how well do you know Kalon Visentis?” I asked, while Zurah motioned for me to sit down. I took a seat on the sofa, and she put the shoes on my feet with cautious and gentle movements, as if I’d been made of porcelain.

“He is a good Aeternae, milady. He is kind and generous. Many of the court people love him,” she said, almost mechanically. I wasn’t buying any of it.

I laughed. “Please, don’t lie to me. Give me an honest opinion. I won’t tell a soul. I’m just trying to understand the guy, that’s all.”

Zurah gave me a worried look but seemed to soften a bit when she saw me smiling. “He’s… He’s complicated, milady. Not in a bad way, but I suppose you never know where you stand with him. Lord Visentis is a decent Aeternae, if I’m to be completely honest with you, but he’s also rather mysterious. He uses his sharp wit and even sharper tongue as weapons, and, I must say, sometimes those hurt more than his sword during the Blood Arena tournaments.”

“How does he treat you and the other servants?”

She got up, helping me stand, as well. Yet more brownie points for the Aeternae, I thought to myself, pleased to find the shoes remarkably comfortable, despite the heels. “He’s respectful, milady. Always respectful. I hear it’s the same with his house servants, as well. While the high priestess might be strict at times, even abrasive, Lord Visentis is good to them. He never issues punishments when they make mistakes. On the First Moon of the year, he even treats them all with fine foods and drinks in the kitchen.”

That was interesting. I hadn’t seen this side of Kalon—though, to be fair, I hadn’t had the opportunity just yet. Maybe I would soon, provided our stay on Visio would be lengthy enough. But I did find this information to be soothing. Kalon had come across as curious, arrogant, and daring. It was nice to hear he treated the servants well. It was a mark of a generally good person, though that was not a rule set in stone.

My brother and I had met plenty of tyrants disguised as decent people.

“Does he come to the palace often?” I asked, as Zurah put a delicate silver necklace around my neck. Diamonds and sapphires were mounted in teardrops which hung gently from the chain. They brought out the blue in my dress, even softening the green in my eyes. She then gave me clip-on diamond earrings to wear. Shaped as teardrops, they were the perfect complement to the necklace.

“I’d say three, maybe four times a week,” Zurah said, admiring me in the mirror. “You look beautiful, milady. A true vision in midnight blue.”

“Thank you, Zurah. I have you and the lady supreme’s style artist to thank,” I replied. “Does Kalon come to the palace so often on business?”

She smiled, bound to have noticed my interest in him. I held my breath for a moment, worried she might point that out. “His business with the lord and lady supreme is scarce, at best. Lord Visentis mostly deals with the chief councilor. It’s the high priestess whose work is mostly tied to the palace. Lord Visentis is good friends with Valaine. They have been since she was born, in fact.”

I glanced at her over my shoulder. “Friends?”

“They are like brother and sister. She usually counsels him in the affairs of the heart, though it’s rumored he never really listens,” Zurah replied. She giggled, making her way into the bedroom. “Come, milady. I must do your hair, as well.”

“Right.”

I followed her and sat in front of the vanity mirror, where she took her time combing through my long and curly black hair. Needless to say, she had her work cut out for her. Halfway through wrestling with my stubborn locks, she poured a few drops of perfumed oil into her hands and ran them through my mane until all the knots were gone. A subtle scent of lilies tickled my nose.

“Have you ever seen him fight in the Blood Arena?” I asked.

“Who, milady? Lord Visentis?” she replied, and I nodded once. She watched me carefully in the mirror, working through the smaller curls before adding a few more drops of oil. My hair looked amazing, with a healthy sheen and a playful bounce. Whatever they put in that oil, it was something akin to magic. I’d never been able to make my hair so well-behaved. “I have not, but some of my friends have. I’m told he is quite something to behold. The Aeternae often admire him, calling him the Champion of All Time. He shows great promise, having survived many tournament finals so far.”

I shook my head slowly. “I will never understand this fetish for violence and death. It is beneath a species as fascinating and as advanced as the Aeternae. I don’t know. I’m baffled.”

“I was, too, when I was a child. But I quickly understood that the Aeternae don’t see life the way we mortals do.”

“Yeah, I heard the whole speech before. They have nothing left to experience, so dancing with death is a great way to pass the time,” I grumbled. “It’s still mindless violence, no matter how you dress it up.”

“That is true, milady. But Visio has been at peace for so long. Even its wars weren’t long,” Zurah said, her gaze darkening for a moment. “They took over Rimia in a matter of weeks. Nalore took about a year, but that was mostly because of the blizzards, not the resistance. The Aeternae need an outlet for the violence, which, I’m sorry to say, is in their nature. Honestly, I would rather they duke it out in the Blood Arena than have them roam the city streets at night, looking for innocent people to hurt or kill.”

She went pale, probably realizing she’d said a tad much during this first conversation of ours. Covering her mouth, she stared at me in horror.

“I am so sorry, milady,” she whispered. “My mouth spoke without me.”

“It’s fine, Zurah. I understand your reasoning. Hell, I accept it. Makes sense,” I replied. “And you’re right. They’re better off satisfying their lust for violence in the arena than out in public, where innocents could get hurt or worse.”

“To many among the Aeternae, the thrill of dying is more exciting than living forever,” she murmured. “It satisfies many emotions that they would otherwise channel into less constructive activities.”

“Were they violent before the tournaments were established? I assume there was a time before the prize fights, before they reached the conclusion that they needed the Blood Arena.”

Zurah shrugged. “I don’t know, milady. I am young and know little to nothing about such ancient history. The Blood Arena has been around for more than two million years, and the Aeternae do not like to speak about the time before it.”

That sort of answered my question. If the Aeternae didn’t want to talk about it, then it had probably been awful, a stain on their seemingly illustrious history. From what I’d learned up to now, the Aeternae tried to market themselves as superior, truly evolved creatures who’d achieved a peaceful balance with the creatures they’d conquered.

Fighting in the Blood Arena was an outlet for them. Winning the tournament finals was always a cause for celebration, and the champions were given great honors, along with trophies and various riches. But such synergy had not happened easily. It couldn’t have.

The society we were seeing today was the result of many years of troubles and bloodshed—it was a pattern found in many of the civilizations that my brother and I had come across, if not all of them. I could appreciate the bitter irony, though, knowing that the thought of dying made many of the Aeternae feel most alive.

Us vampires had been taught differently, and it probably had something to do with the fact that we were all made, not born. We’d learned to appreciate immortality for its perks, not its downsides. Vampirism did not exist for as long as the Aeternae, either, so there had yet to be a case of a truly bored vampire among us. It made me wonder, would we be the same, four million years from now?