I know I look pale as I slowly carried the full bucket of water with me down the hall. My leg aches but that's not why I'm silently crying. My face is a puffy blotchy mess, but the floor was clean.
Raven would be okay the madame had said, she wouldn't let one of her best girls die. I repeated this to myself until I believed it. There was some truth to what she was saying because I knew Raven was popular among the callers.
The upper floors still sounded like sex this early in the morning but I ignored it as I quickly shifted lower. The main level was clear, nobody slept there since it was for entertaining guests, the madame would put on these skits to showcase her human merchandise as a form of early evening entertainment. Despite that it was the dirtiest area in the building other than the bedrooms, wine covered the floor and shattered glass or food was scattered about.
By the time I'd finished it, it was almost time for guests to start arriving and I fled into the basement to finish the last level of the building.
The basement was cold and dark but mostly unused. Dark blue stones illuminated only by torches set up scattered through a variety of sconces in the room. It was also bare and dusty everywhere I looked. Dropping the bucket, I soaked the mop again and again, trying to strip all of the dust before the customers arrived. I didn't want to have to interact with any of them, should I catch their eye and the madame change her mind about the extent of my duties.
When I finished I was exhausted. I leaned the mop against the wall, my shin ached from standing too long, I braced my back against the stones and then slid down to the floor. The coolness of the floor brought me some slight relief. More than being exhausted though I was scared for Raven.
A long moment passed while I collected myself before I tried to push my body up and a stone caved in under my touch. The wall behind me groaned and I fell backwards into darkness. A little blue light caught my attention and then a whisper pulled at my ears. I was alone in the basement.
"Child of the light" it whispered in an airy voice and I jolted upright, grabbing the mop and bucket before running from the basement. I could hear the passage click shut, just barely, over the rambunctious sounds of my own heart on my way upstairs.
I didn't stop my disjointed run until I arrived at the kitchen, surrounded by other people.
The cook looked up briefly and gave me a cold glance before shifting back down to her dicing.
I placed the bucket and mop in the corner before grabbing a plate, moving towards the buffet set up by the cook, I took a portion of food and then wearily dropped to the closest table. Next to me was a woman with the most extraordinary red hair, it tumbled down her waist like flames at her back and she stared down deeply into her food, not acknowledging my arrival. She was in a white silk toga, her waist bound with a gold cable. She was clearly part of today's tableau.
I took a second to study her features and when I tried to get her attention to say hello she abandoned her plate, stood up and left the room. I focussed back on my own plate and forced myself to eat, before getting up to put together another plate for Raven.
I explained to the chef what had happened and asked if she knew which foods Raven favoured when she wasn't well. For the first time since I'd met her the Chef's eyes softened slightly before answering, "That girl loves the sweetbreads and nut butter" she motioned towards the corner, and I set about making her sandwiches of nut butter and honey.
Basket packed up, I looked to the Chef one last time before asking her where Raven's room was.
"She won't be there child, the injured stay in the bathhouse to be close to the herbs for treatment. You know that." Her tone almost chided me before I grabbed the bucket, mop and basket on my way out the door.
When I got to the bathhouse the healer was gone. Raven was wrapped in the same leaves I had once been on top of the table and she looked awful. Her breathing was a mess because her nose was still healing but she was in a light sleep.
I kissed her brow like a sister and then sat next to her, shifting roles, to watch over her while she healed like she had for me when I'd arrived.
It was a long time before she stirred again, she was weak but when I showed her the toast she tried to smile.
Propping her up against my body I fed her small bites before settling her back down onto the table. The missing chunks of skin peaking out under the leaves as she shifted. I tried not to cry for her, understanding the pain of flesh being ripped from my body. I pushed that back and stroked her hair.
"The madame said she would ban him, you'll never see him again." I whispered in her ear to comfort her.
I could feel her quietly cry until she fell into a deep sleep and I laid her back down.
I didn't return to my room and instead laid next to her table on the floor while she slept. When I finally drifted off, I saw the golden eyes again more clearly.
They peered from the darkness, without a face, and seemed to find me lacking. Waking up, I found out why.