Aurelia is a Courtesan, not an Assassin. Her world is turned upside down, however, when she kills a high-ranking Senator in self defense. Given his status, and the political power his family wields, Aurelia knows she will be executed without a trial...
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Countdown: 12 hours, 4 deaths
Aurelia stands against the wall, Kira at her side, as they both try to keep their faces blank. The ten Senators who had voted against the Belvados brothers' heinous proposal stand gathered in Dominic Straemus' suite.
Aurelia feels the pinky finger of Kira's hand brush against hers, and a discrete glance out of the corner of her eye reveals that another servant girl is leaning close to Kira, their shoulders touching. A strikingly handsome male servant wearing the sigil of the Mercelion family- the manta ray- stands nearby as well, his hands shaking where they are clasped behind his back.
Despite their practice in maintaining an expressionless facade, cracks are beginning to appear. Aurelia wonders how the servants of the men who voted for such an atrocity are faring.
"Yelia, a round," Dominic says, and his servant girl hastily does as she is instructed. She keeps her composure well as she withdraws a set of glasses from a liquor cabinet, and doles out several shots worth of the same rum Antonius had been gifted into ten glasses. She passes one to each senator in the room- Eiton Taskerion, Arturius Mercelion, Martus Bachius, Daevid Astrion, Benjimus Ruellon, Adamus Egerios, Justicus Straemus, and Franco Burtanis, as well as Antonius and Dominic.
"The servants too," Dominic orders her, and the girl pauses for a minute, glancing at the line of servants against the wall. Several of the senators in the room bristle, and Dominic shakes his head.
"For fuck's sake, it's their families who are going to be murdered, not ours," he reminds his cohorts. "They probably need a drink even more than we do."
There is some shuffling among the senators assembled, and a few grunts of agreement. Once Yelia's back is turned to the senators, Aurelia sees her composure break. Her eyes are glassy, her hands shake as she hands out the liquor. Aurelia notices each servant touch the girl somewhere- her wrist, her fingers, the back of her hand- in reassurance as they accept what she offers.
The thunder continues to rumble, like the growls of a great beast, the sound growing louder and louder, the flashes of lightning closer and closer together.
"Why have you brought us here, Straemus? The vote has been cast, and I doubt we'll be able to get three of them to come to our side to demand a recount. There's nothing we can do," Martus Bachius says. He looks exhausted, world-weary.
There are noises of general agreement from many of the assembled senators.
"What if I said there was?" Dominic asks, and Aurelia sees him share a long, uncomfortable look with Antonius. "What if there was something we could do that would change the numbers of the vote?"
"What? Bribery? Because that worked last time," Arturius Mercelion mutters.
"No. Not bribery," Dominic returns. "What if I were to tell you that there is a way that we could hold the majority, moving forwards. Not just at this Summit, not just on this vote, but at every one hereafter? Would you do it, regardless of the cost?"
