“The kind that was never delivered.”
“Shit,” I cursed into my hands. I’d forgotten to fill up the replacement orders after yesterday’s mishap in the street. I should have checked to make sure hers wasn’t one of them. Or, more importantly, I shouldn’t have let them get destroyed in the first place. “Nahn, I…”
“You what?” Nahn questioned. “Failed to prioritize our most important client?”
“I didn’t mean?—”
“I should have known better than to trust you with something so important.”
I flinched at her scathing tone. “Nahn, please, I just?—”
“Your brother would never be so careless and irresponsible.”
Cheeks fuming, I blurted, “I got a job.” I really didn’t want to have this conversation, tonight of all nights, but I couldn’t listen to her disappointment anymore. “As a dancer.”
There was a foolish, minuscule part of me that hoped she might be happy. Despite the trouble I’d found myself in, I wanted her to beproud—even if the job killed me. For one moment, I wanted to see the admiration in her eyes that always shone so brightly on my brother.
Her eyes rolled toward the ceiling. “Gemini save us.”
“It pays well,” I added. “At least, it will in time.”If I survived.
“Oh, stars, I need to sit down.”
I quickly stood to help Nahn into the chair and winced, painfully reminded of the fresh brand. My hands hovered over her arms in case she needed my support.
Once seated, she shrugged me away. “Impetuous child. You willneversucceed in that life.”
“But I want?—”
“What you want and what you need are two very different things. I have given you too much freedom, enabling your selfish, aimless desires. Not once have you ever expressed gratitude for the life we’ve given you.”
I staggered back a step. “Iamgrateful.”
She pointed her finger up at me. “Whatever employer you’ve stumbled upon has deceived you.”
“I got the job because they see potential in me.” I quivered, desperately wanting it to be true. “They hired me because I’m a good dancer?—”
“They see your face and your chest and that’s it,” Nahn scolded.
My vision blurred. “Is that allyousee?” I croaked.
“I am only trying to protect you from the harsh reality that is our world. You must use your beauty to your advantage, notto your detriment. The only power women truly have is our appearance.”
“That’s not true,” I said weakly as a tear slipped over the curve of my cheekbone. It couldn’t be.
Nahn’s lip curled. “There you go again, crying for no reason. You’re too emotional about everything.” She rubbed her forehead with a sigh. “Dancing serves no purpose, Roselyn.”
I swiped my arm across my face, erasing the wetness. “Dancingismy purpose. It’s when I feel the most alive, the mostme. Don’t you care about that? How can I ignore the wind’s music?—”
“The same way your brother does.” Nahn scowled. “Dancing is a folly fit for courtesans, not nobility.”
“I don’t care about nobility! No one in our family ever has. You have no problem pawning me off to lewd, pigheaded men, butdancingis where you draw the line?”
“This has gone too far,” Nahn said, ignoring me. “It’s time to put an end to these delusions.”
“My dreams are not delusions.”
“They’re fantasies. As your parent, I am responsible?—”
