Harem House Chapter 43 Part 4 (Patreon)

Arthur waited somewhat patiently while the tattoo artist, Ana, sketched a version of the Lady of the Lake tattoo based on Kelly’s requests. It seemed everyone wanted to get one, and he didn’t want to stand in the way, but he didn’t want to stand around while this poor artist copied six versions of the tattoo with different letters on the blade. 

Selene seemed excited, even though it wasn’t a collar. He didn’t know if he’d like her having a tattoo, but their past experiments with bodywriting had been hot enough. He rather enjoyed the idea of having her and the others marked as his, even if it was just a matching tattoo for most people. Did that make him an egotist?  

Nah. It was just an extension of their submission, like when they wore their collars, but something they’d carry with them for weeks. Maybe he wouldn’t enjoy it, though. He had to admit, there was something about Selene’s smooth skin that appealed to him, unmarked and unmarred, flawless, creamy, and nude below the neck. With a tattoo, there’d always be something there, never leaving her totally naked. 

Henna wasn’t permanent, though. If he didn’t like the way it looked, then he only had to wait, and it would be gone with time. 

He tried not to dwell on it too much, but permanence and the future kept dancing across his thoughts as he looked at the other designs. Katelyn looked with him, pointing out different designs that matched his barbarian costume. Despite the art's South Asian origins, many of the designs on display fit more Celtic or Nordic aesthetics, in line with the Faire. It was an international Renaissance Faire with plenty of variety in its visitors, vendors, and entertainments, but there was no denying its emphasis on its European roots. 

“What animal do you think best represents Arthur?” Katelyn asked Selene, then returned her attention to Arthur. “What’s your Patronus?” 

“Uh, I don’t know,” Arthur said, shrugging. “I like the dragons on my bracers, though. Can I pick a dragon?” 

“That tracks,” Kelly said, teasing him from the chair she sat in. “He hoards women instead of gold, though.” 

Katelyn laughed. “Oh, yeah, that tracks.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said, glancing around to make sure no one overheard her. “Remember, we’re in public?” 

“We can admit to being polyamorous in public, can’t we? Outside of Selene’s ex-boyfriend, we don’t know anybody here.” Katelyn pointed out. 

“Yeah, I guess,” Arthur said. He glanced at the tattoo artist, who turned the sketch around to show Kelly her work. 

“Oh, it’s perfect!” Kelly said, excitement leaking from her as she took the piece of paper and showed it to Selene. “Look!” 

“Oh, that’s gorgeous!” Selene said. “I want mine just like that, but with my name, obviously.” 

Katelyn took her turn to view the page in Kelly’s hand and squealed as she clapped her hands together. “Oh, this is gonna be great!” 

“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” Kelly asked, showing Arthur the design. “I won’t do it if you don’t like the idea.” 

“It’s temporary, yeah?” Arthur asked, examining the design and imagining it on Kelly’s shoulder. A woman’s hand wrapped around the handle of an elaborate sword, her medieval sleeve ending in curling waves. “The Sisterhood of Excalibur” encircled the blade with the words beginning at one side of the crossguard and ending at the other. Written on the blade in tiny letters were the words “Arthur’s Wifey” centered and stacked. It was precisely what they’d asked her for, and she’d delivered. “I like it!” 

Ana took the page and held it against Kelly’s bare shoulder, judging the size and final lay of the design over her muscle lines. “Wow, you have more muscle than I thought you did.” 

Kelly chuckled. “Thanks.” 

“Do you do a lot of sword-fighting?” Ana asked, joking but half-serious. 

“Lifting and boxing,” Kelly said.

“You’re very feminine for a lifter, aren’t you worried about bulking up and looking too masculine?” Ana asked. 

“I get that a lot, but no.” Kelly shook her head. “I know what I’m doing, and no one accidentally bulks up to the size of a bodybuilder. You have to work at it.”

“You mean Thalia wasn’t just born that way?” Arthur asked, joking. “Somehow I pictured her spanking the doctor instead of the other way around.” 

Kelly laughed.

“What do you think?” Katelyn asked, eyeing the design. “Should I get it on my chest, or maybe my thigh?” 

Selene motioned for Katelyn to lean toward her, and Katelyn bent her ear to Selene’s lips. She whispered something that made Katelyn blush and giggle, which made Arthur nervous. 

“I don’t think I could get it there,” Katelyn said. “Do you tattoo, like, hidden body parts?” 

Ana shook her head. “We prefer to keep things family-friendly during the faire.” 

“Can I take a picture of the design?” Kelly asked. 

“Oh, sure,” Ana said, nodding as she handed Kelly the page. 

She held it in one hand and snapped a photo of it with the other, sending the pic to the group chat for Rani, Kat, and Mindy to review. 

“Would it look better near my collarbone?” Kelly asked, looking at Arthur. “Maybe toward the top of my breast?” 

Arthur swallowed. She wanted help making the decision, even though it was her body and her tattoo. He thought over the costumes each woman wore, which had straps or left the shoulders bare. If they each took the tattoo in the same spot, would it be hotter? Or would it take away from their individuality and the tantalization of discovery? 

He reached for the paper, and Kelly handed it to him. He folded it several times, leaving just the sketch visible. Then he moved it, holding it up against Kelly’s body in different places and letting his fingers press and brush her skin. 

“Where would you want us to have a tattoo if we decided to get something more permanent?” Selene asked. 

Arthur grinned. “Well, that’s a different answer.” 

Katelyn licked her lips. “Where?” 

“I’m not sure what the proper term is, but the lower stomach?” Arthur said, pointing to the location on his own body and indicating the waistline of his loincloth, or just below it. 

“A womb tattoo,” Selene said. “I’d get one of those, especially of this design.” 

“I’m not asking anyone to do that,” Arthur said. “It’s a hypothetical.” 

Selene nodded. 

“Selene, I need you to confirm that you heard and understand what I just said,” Arthur said, his tone patient but mildly alarmed. “I don’t want any misunderstanding. I do not want you to run out and get a tattoo like this one when we get home.”  

Selene nodded, bowing her head and remaining in that bent position until she finished speaking. “Yes, Sir. I hear and understand. I promise, I won’t get a tattoo without specifically clearing it with you first, and probably having you there with me.” 

Worry nagged at Arthur. “Let’s assume for now that the idea of a permanent tattoo is completely off the table.” He didn’t need Selene pushing to get one or making the others get one. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about it, and if Selene obsessively dove into it, she’d have everyone in the harem tattooed by the end of next week. 

“As you wish,” Selene said, not arguing with him. She didn’t sound disappointed or annoyed, which he took as a good sign. 

Ana looked between them, coughed, and resumed her work as she prepared her dyes. “So, where did you want it?” 

“Oh, uh,” Kelly looked at Arthur. “Collarbone, or shoulder?” 

“For you, the shoulder,” Arthur said. “It’s more you, somehow.” 

Kelly smiled. “Shoulder it is.” 

“Are you okay if we wander while you get your tattoo?” Arthur asked. “There are a few shops around.” 

“Go ahead,” Kelly said. “I know you want to find a collar for Selene. Are you okay to take Katelyn with you?” 

“Of course,” Arthur said. 

“I can be unsupervised,” Katelyn said, less annoyed than she had a right to be. 

“Come with us,” Arthur said, holding his hand out for Katelyn to take. 

“Well, when you put it like that.” Katelyn slid her hand into his, eyeing Selene, who nodded her approval. 

“Are you okay on your own?” Arthur asked Kelly. 

“Rani, Mindy, and Kat should be here soon, but yeah. I’m just gonna be sitting here for—how long will this take?” Kelly asked. 

“Well, the design is simple compared to some of the options, so maybe half an hour to apply, a few minutes to dry, and you’ll need to leave the paste on for a few hours after that. But that shouldn’t be an issue since it’s not on your hands.” 

“We’ll be back before half an hour passes, for sure,” Arthur said, kissing her before he left. Kelly cupped his cheek as he kissed her, and released him as he led Katelyn and Selene to the booth next to the tattoo artist. Her central stall had little shops on either side, and the next shop was a tent full of trinkets. 

~~~

Mindy snapped a selfie with her commemorative mug, beaming her smile into the future in her Renaissance witch costume. There was zero historical accuracy in her garb, but she was sexy as fuck in her black double-split skirt and corset combo. No one complained. 

She wondered if there was any historical accuracy to Rani’s garb, but probably not. Rani’s costume and costume jewelry evoked a sexy bikini and cover with her veils more than a historical outfit. 

Kat’s outfit might have been accurate for caveman times, but Mindy couldn’t imagine a Victorian lady wearing something like that, even if she were in the jungle. 

Rani turned her phone screen toward Kat across from them to show her the tattoo design Kelly sent them. 

“We’re doing this?” Kat asked, eyeing the others. 

Mindy nodded. “It’s temporary, right? I’m gonna get mine right here.” She tapped the top of her left boob, making the flesh jiggle in her quarter-cup corset. She noticed a few eyes glanced in her direction at the motion, men and women, but she didn’t mind. 

Rani put her phone in her purse. “I think I’ll get mine on my lower back. A proper tramp stamp.” 

“You’re not a tramp,” Kat said, shrugging. “At least, not anymore. You're a five-woman, one-man gal, now.” 

Rani chuckled. “Are you counting yourself? Are you coming around on me after all?”

“No.” Kat changed the subject. “I think I’ll get mine toward my collarbone,” Kat said, indicating her left clavicle, which her single-strap crop top left uncovered.

“You’re going to get it, too?” Rani asked, surprised. “Somehow I didn’t think you’d be the type who’d be into tattoos.” 

“I’m not, but it’s henna. I’ve gotten henna before,” Kat said. “At the beach. Oh, wait, is that racist or culturally—”  

Rani held up a hand to stop her panic. “I'm sure it’s fine. I can't speak for all Indian people, but like, the pattern and design are more important than the ink methods, you know? The pattern Kelly sent was definitely more European. It looks like whoever is doing the henna is going out of their way to be inclusive, and I hope they’d know not to put anything offensive on you. Now, if you were decked out in bridal designs and ignorant of their significance, then yeah, it'd be pretty racist. Using my cultural heritage for your fashion statement is a fucked up thing to do, you bitch.” 

A few people glanced in their direction.

“Oh, fuck you, I'm talking in hypotheticals and teasing my friend,” Rani said to a white woman they didn't know who was glaring daggers at Kat.

“Again, I'm not my culture, and I can't speak for everyone in it, but I personally won't be offended by people getting henna tattoos, especially if they're respectful about it. Shit, even asking and thinking it might be inconsiderate shows your head is in the right place.”

“Okay,” Kat said, nodding and tapping her fingers on the table.

“What about you, Min? Have you gotten Henna before?” Rani asked. 

“I haven’t, but I’ve always wanted to,” Mindy said. “My parents are very against tattoos.” 

“Is getting one really a good idea, then?” Kat asked. “Aren’t you trying to convince them that we’re good influences?”

“It’ll be fine,” Mindy said. “Compared to the whole bisexual thing, getting a tattoo is nothing, and they were fine with that.”

“They’re still not on board with the polyamory, though,” Rani reminded her. “And, for better or worse, I’ve already made an impression on your parents. We don’t want them thinking Arthur’s a bad influence, right?”

“I’ll wear something that covers it, then,” Mindy said, doing her best not to let her annoyance show and failing almost as severely as Kat often did. 

“You should consider making new social media accounts,” Rani said. “Keep your old ones for your family, and use your new ones for friends.” 

“Or just don’t get a tattoo?” Kat asked. 

“I’m getting one,” Mindy said. “I’m not about to let everyone else get one and then not get it myself. I’d be the only one in the harem without it.”

“Yeah, I guess that would suck,” Rani said, shrugging. “We’ll get you a turtleneck or something for Monday night’s dinner.” 

Mindy giggled. “Probably for the best. That way, you, Arthur, Kelly, Selene, and Katelyn can give me as many hickies as you want this weekend.” 

Rani grinned beneath her veil, her eyes crinkling. “I’d rather give you a hickie on those tantalizing thighs of yours, Whore.” 

Kat coughed. “Maybe let’s not use our nicknames out in public?” She glanced around toward the others in the cafe, none of whom were paying them any attention after Rani cursed at them, besides the occasional glances at their costumes. 

Mindy turned to follow her gaze and got distracted. The carvings in this place were intricate and beautiful. 

Kat had a point, but Mindy didn’t think they needed to worry; plenty of people at the Faire looked as though they were kinky, or sexually inclined.  

They weren’t even the least clothed in the cafe, with someone in a sexy nun outfit from either a Halloween store or a lingerie store standing in line for their coffee. The bodysuit had a cut-out in the shape of a cross on the front, and the back left most of their ass uncovered. The thigh-high boots were a nice touch. The monk beside her had a cat-of-nine-tails whip hanging from his belt. They were definitely kinksters, though the monk was the one with a choker. 

“Earth to Mindy,” Rani said, chuckling as she nudged Mindy’s side. 

“Sorry,” Mindy returned her attention to the table. “What were we talking about?” 

“Not using our nicknames in public like this,” Kat said, gesturing to the cafe. 

Mindy patted Kat’s hand on the table, silencing her drumming fingers. “You just don’t want us to call you a brat.” 

Kat sighed and withdrew her hand to her lap. “I don’t want people hearing us call each other sluts, whores, concubines, or whatever else.” 

An older woman chose that moment to walk past their table and gave Kat a look severe enough to shame a cherub. 

Kat blushed and hid her face behind her hands with her elbows on the table. 

Mindy giggled.  

Rani cleared her throat. “Come on, girls, let’s head out.” They’d nearly finished their drinks, the food was gone, and it was time to meet up with the others. 

“Should we wait for Kat to recover from her embarrassment?” Mindy asked, still teasing her, but Kat was older and wiser; she could take it. 

“You care too much about what other people think,” Rani said, nodding toward Kat. “Fuck ‘em.” 

Kat closed her eyes and took a deep inhale. “Okay, give me the mugs, and I'll run them to the bus. You two can go get your tattoos.”

“Don't be silly, we're not letting you go on your own,” Rani said. “Let's all make a run to the bus. I have to use the bathroom anyway, and I'd rather use that toilet than the porta-potties here.”

“For a party bus, it has a surprisingly clean bathroom,” Mindy said, willing to follow either plan, but less willing to try and find the others on her own. 

“Kelly pinned her location, so I'll be fine,” Kat argued. 

“That'll come in handy when we're done with the bus,” Rani said. 

Kat sighed. “I don’t need you to babysit me.” 

“Well, we’re coming with you,” Rani said. “I’m not the type to let any of my girls wander off on their own. Besides, it’s a bathroom trip. We have to go as a group. It’s the law.” 

Rani was clearly joking, but Mindy played along, nodding her agreement. “She’s right!” 

Kat sighed. “Fine. Do you want to run the mugs to the bus, and I'll go get my tattoo?”

Rani gave her a look. “Are you that desperate to ditch us?” 

“No,” Kat said. “I was just trying to be economical.”

“Well, stop it,” Rani said. “We're on fall break! Let's just have fun. We'll run the mugs to the bus or tie them to our belts somehow, and go meet the others.” 

Kat laughed. “Our belts? You have a waist chain.”

Rani laughed as she, Kat, and Mindy gathered their things. It took 2.3 seconds for someone to take their table, sliding in as Mindy swept the back of her skirt to straighten it after sitting. She linked one arm through Rani’s and the other through Kat’s once they were outside. 

They drew eyes, but Rani and Mindy didn’t care. Kat seemed the most nervous about it, but didn’t pull away or protest Mindy’s familiarity. She let Rani lead toward the gate and even kept Mindy on task when they passed a souvenir shop. 

A worker stamped their hands at the gate, and the three made it to the bus to find Manasa sitting in the driver’s section with her feet on the passenger chair, reading a romance novel. 

“Just dropping off some mugs!” Rani said after knocking on the window. Manasa opened the bus for them. Rani made a beeline for the bathroom, and Mindy and Kat put their mugs on their seats before stepping outside to wait for her. Manasa was waiting for them, leaning with her back against the bus, her novel tucked under her arm. 

“Is that Outlander?” Kat asked, surprised. “I love that series.” 

“You do?” Mindy asked, just as surprised. The picture on the cover didn’t seem very academic, which was what she assumed Kat read. Her image of the college senior was someone serious, studious, and, well, bratty. She could be warm and big-sisterly, but she could also be angry and tell someone at a moment’s notice off, as she did with Caleb. Every day with Kat was a coin toss, but she had a kind, warm heart at her center. As Unnies went, Mindy considered Kat a great one.

Kat blushed. “It’s—I like historical fiction, okay?” 

“I’m not judging or shaming you,” Mindy said, putting her hand on Kat’s arm to soothe her. “I’m just surprised. I haven’t read it, but I heard there’s a lot of nudity in the TV show. It’s that Isekai where the lady goes to Scotland?” 

“Well, I wouldn’t call it an Isekai, but yeah,” Kat said, nodding. “It's a time travel, historical romance, kinda thing.” 

Manasa nodded. “It's not my usual reading, I'm doing it for a book club, but it's been great, at least so far.” 

“It’s pretty on-theme for where we are,” Kat said, gesturing to the Faire behind her. 

Manasa chuckled. 

“I feel bad you’re stuck hanging out on the bus all day,” Mindy said, turning her attention to Manasa. “Don’t you want to go to the Faire?” 

Manasa shook her head. “No, Miss. It’s okay. I’m on the clock.” 

Kat’s eyes widened. “Are you on the clock all weekend?” 

“Yes, Miss,” Manasa nodded. “It’s part of the gig.” 

“Does being a bus driver pay well?” Kat asked.  

Manasa shrugged. “It’s a decent amount of money for a few hours of work, usually, but it balances out with the frequency of the work, so it’s okay. It’s better than waitressing.” 

“Anything is,” Mindy said. 

Kat gave her a funny look. 

“I prefer deliveries,” Mindy said, explaining herself. “My parents own a restaurant,” She said to Manasa. “So, I’ve been working in the kitchen, bussing, waitressing, or hostessing my whole life. I prefer driving. I get to listen to music, and the tips are better.” 

“I worked as a waitress in high school,” Kat said, clearly not fond of the memories. “I think everyone should work in food service at least once.” 

Mindy giggled. “I can’t picture you in a customer service job. You’d be so angry all the time.” 

“I’m not angry all the time,” Kat said, but her annoyance flared and undercut her defense. “I just have high standards for the people around me.” 

“I wonder if Rani’s ever been a waitress,” Mindy said, looking toward the section of the bus where Rani was. 

Manasa laughed much harder than either woman expected, but silenced herself when she realized Mindy wasn’t joking. Embarrassment replaced amusement, and mortification overcame her features as she shook her head to shame herself for laughing. 

Kat and Mindy looked at her, confused. 

“Sorry,” Manasa said. “No, I don’t think she has worked as a waitress.” 

“What does she do to earn spending cash?” Kat asked. “Does she work on campus?” 

“Maybe she tutors?” Mindy suggested. “Like she tutored her cousins.” 

“If she does, she doesn’t do it through the tutoring center.” Kat stroked her chin. “And how many tutoring hours did it take to get her uncle to donate a whole party bus like this for the weekend?” 

“I wouldn’t have thought any of you were the working type, to be honest,” Manasa said. “Are your families like, making you work to build character or something?” 

“What?” Mindy and Kat asked at the same time, as if the question didn’t make any sense. 

Manasa’s confusion was plain on her face, and Mindy’s stomach turned uneasily.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have just assumed that all of Miss Shah’s friends would be, well, like her,” Manasa said. “No wonder you two are so nice and down-to-earth.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mindy asked. She didn’t hear an insult in the statement, but somehow it felt like Manasa was trying to make Rani into something ‘other’ than the three of them, which didn’t sit right with her. Rani was great! Who didn’t love her bravery and boldness? “Rani’s down to earth.” 

“Right,” Manasa said, agreeing with an abundance of hesitant caution. “Yeah, I didn’t mean to suggest that she wasn’t. Please don’t misunderstand. She’s great, and certainly very generous. I’d never say anything against Miss Shah. Let's just forget the whole thing. What kind of books do you normally read?” 

The longer Manasa spoke, the quicker her words became. Mindy looked at Kat, who bore the expression of someone solving a puzzle, the same puzzle before her. She was staring at the pieces of something, but didn’t know what image they were supposed to present. 

“Are you afraid of Rani?” Kat asked Manasa. “She’d never do anything to get you fired, you know that, right? And if she pressures you to sleep with Arthur, or suggests it, she’s just joking. You don’t have to.” 

“Oh, I know,” Manasa said. “I’ve driven for Miss Shah before, we’ve, that is to say, I mean, I know she’s forward. I’m not afraid of her, no, it’s just that, well, this is the first time I’ve driven for her on a trip like this, with other people.” 

“She’s gotten a party bus before?” Mindy asked, confused. 

“No, sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest that. Usually it’s a town car or something,” Manasa said. “Last time I drove her home for the weekend. We stayed in a motel together and, look, you’re friends of hers, right? Or more than friends? She mentioned she was dating multiple people now, but I never got the details. It’s not my place to ask, even if we—well, that’s not important. I don’t want her to get in trouble with her family, and I certainly don’t want to get in trouble with my boss.” 

“I’m so confused,” Mindy said. “Why would either of you be in trouble?” 

“You fucked her,” Kat said, putting one of the pieces into place. “You and she have slept together?” 

Manasa looked at her shoes. “Once. She’s been at school, so I haven’t seen her since. I was excited when she requested me, but she told me that it might not happen this time. It’d be up to her new partners, and, well, me.” 

“Okay, that’s fucked up,” Kat said, glancing at Mindy.

“Is it?” Mindy asked. “It sounds like she’s still following the rules. She just has a history with Manasa, which makes sense when you think about it.” 

Mindy eyed the slightly older woman. She wasn’t that much older than the rest of the group, probably the same age as Beth. Or maybe she was older and good at applying her makeup. She had a decent body, too, though her chauffeur's uniform hid her curves. 

Kat frowned, crossing her arms again. “Okay, so that means you know Rani, like, from before we met her?” 

Manasa nodded. 

“What’s she like at home?” Mindy asked, curious.  

“Oh, I don’t know,” Manasa said. “I’ve never been inside the mansion, just the garage and the driveway.” 

“The mansion?” Kat asked, her eyes narrowing. 

“Her father’s, uh, house?” Manasa said, hesitating. 

“Her father’s house is a mansion?” Mindy asked, putting another piece of the puzzle into place. “Well, that makes sense. She has a large family, right? I mean, we’re moving into a mansion together, after all.” She looked at Kat for her agreement. 

Kat looked at Mindy, but the expression on her face wasn’t an agreeable one. 

“Am I missing something?” Mindy asked. 

“Am I?” Rani asked as she appeared from the depths of the bus. 

“No, you haven’t missed anything,” Kat said. “Manasa, your personal driver and ex-girlfriend—” 

“Oh, we didn’t really date, it was more of—” 

“Not the issue here,” Kat cut Manasa off. “She was just telling us about your dad’s mansion.” 

“Oh,” Rani said, her expression falling faster than Mindy could track. “Look, I can explain.” She stepped out of the bus. 

“Fuck you,” Kat said, making Rani flinch. “You go off on Mindy for lying and all that shit, but meanwhile you’ve been some kind of secret millionaire this whole time just slumming it with us plebs?” 

“It’s not like that,” Rani said, shaking her head. “My dad has money, it’s not—” 

“That must be nice,” Kat said. “Aren’t you angry about this?” She glared at Mindy, who stepped back in surprise at the sudden enmity. 

“I’m still not sure what’s happening,” Mindy admitted. “Rani’s rich?” 

“No,” Rani said, holding up her hands. “My dad is—” 

“It’s the same fuckin’ thing. You have family money. You live in a fuckin’ mansion when you’re not slumming it in the dorms.” Kat stabbed her finger toward Rani. “You were just what, laughing at us this whole time? Spending your dad’s money on us to what, seduce us? You clearly enjoy sleeping with the help.” 

Manasa flinched as if struck. Rani’s fallen expression turned into a scowl. 

“I bet your place makes the house we’re moving into look like an apartment, right?” Kat asked, glaring at Rani as if she’d tricked Kat somehow. 

Had she? She’d never talked about herself or her family that much, but there were usually more important things happening. They hadn’t had much time for heart-to-heart moments or regular dates with each other. So why would Kat assume that she should know everything there was to know about Rani’s life? Or Mindy’s?  

Rani had been there for Mindy through coming out to her parents, lying to Kelly, and every other issue she’d had. She’d been there for Arthur, the first one he told about Lynn and the trauma he had about her. There was no way she’d kept something like this about herself hidden out of malice. Right? 

“Don’t call Manasa the help,” Rani said. “And I don’t think you’re plebs. I’m not mocking you or trying to buy your affection, Kat. My family has money,” Rani confessed. “People can get weird about it, so I didn’t mention it, but it’s not the same thing as—” 

“Fuck you,” Kat said, still glaring at her and with tears in the corners of her eyes. “And fuck your charity.”  

Kat stormed away, leaving a confused and concerned Mindy in her wake.

Rani sighed. “Kat!” She called after her, running to catch up. Her outfit did not run well, nor did Kat’s, so both of them ended up in an awkward sprint.

Mindy looked at Manasa. 

“Rani, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to—” 

“Not your fault!” Rani called behind her to assure Manasa. “KAT! WILL YOU STOP FUCKING RUNNING AWAY FROM ME?!?” 

Kat didn’t stop. She had to hold her miniskirt while she ran, but doing so allowed her to run much faster than Rani, who couldn’t possibly hold all of her dangling jewelry and whose every step must have inflicted some amount of pain with all the weight on her piercings. She abandoned chasing after Kat when Kat made it to the gate, and Rani was only halfway there. 

Mindy gave Manasa a sheepish smile. “I’ll, um, I’d better catch up to Rani. I’m sorry about all this! Kat’s usually, well, she can be a bit dramatic at times, and a little mean, but she’s not a bad person! She’s just passionate. I think. I don’t know. She’s complicated. Anyway, uh, sorry!” 

Manasa didn’t look sure how to respond as Mindy ran away. She leaned against the bus and hung her head. 

Mindy took quick, tiny steps with her long split skirt, hustling to catch up with Rani, who was still walking toward the gate. “Rani! Wait for me!” 

Rani turned and slowed, waiting for Mindy and hugging her as soon as she arrived. “I’m so sorry, Min. I wasn’t trying to hide it from you, I promise. I didn’t want this to happen.” She gestured toward the gate where Kat had disappeared. “Kat’s sensitive about a lot of things, I guess, and money’s one of them, which is whatever, fuck me, I guess.” 

“I’m not mad,” Mindy said, taking Rani’s hand and walking beside her toward the gate. “Kelly and Arthur’s families both have money, too. It’s not a big deal. Or at least, it shouldn’t be, I don’t know why Kat’s being so weird about it.” 

“She’s upset because I hid it,” Rani said. “And she has every right to be mad at me, though for fuck’s sake I wish she’d stop and talk instead of flying off the handle like this every time she gets mad at me about something.” 

“It’s Kat,” Mindy said. “Is she even angry if she’s not flying off the handle?” 

Rani would have smiled at that joke an hour ago. Instead, she looked determined. They made it to the gate and showed the attendants their stamped hands, letting them through without the ticket rigmarole. Still, there was no sign of Kat anywhere Mindy looked. She wasn’t in the food lines, the information line, or on any of the paths Mindy could see. 

“Maybe she went to see the mermaids?” Mindy asked. 

“Nice try.” Rani didn’t laugh, which had been Mindy’s hope, but kept her hand in hers as she walked in the direction of the royal pavilion and the cafe they’d come from. “She’s probably gone to see Arthur. Come on. I just hope I didn’t fuck everything up.” 

“You didn’t,” Mindy said. “Give Kat some credit. She flies off the handle sometimes, but she’s usually pretty level-headed when she’s had a chance to process and calm herself.” 

“I hope so,” Rani said. “I really wasn’t trying to deceive anyone. Especially you. I just didn’t want to make things awkward.” 

“At this point, I think it’s safe to assume that everyone in the harem comes from a wealthier family than mine.” Mindy shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, right? You still love me, even if my dad’s 401K isn’t as big as your dad’s.” 

Rani nodded. “Exactly, but I think it might be kind of important to Kat. I never really worry about money, but Kat and Selene aren’t as lucky.” 

“Well, it’s not like you spend a lot of money on big flashy things or anything. I mean, you probably spent some on all that costume jewelry.” 

Mindy stopped talking and walking as another piece of the puzzle slid into place. The sudden stop ripped her hand from Rani’s as the other girl kept walking, then stopped and turned back. 

“Mindy?” 

“Oh my god,” Mindy said. “That’s not costume jewelry, is it? Are you wearing real gold and rubies right now?” She hissed the question in an attempt to whisper. 

“Uh,” Rani glanced around them. The few people who were looking at them weren’t looking at her jewelry so much as the body beneath it. Mindy felt the same glances turned her way. “Is that important?” 

Mindy’s eyes went wide. “Seriously?” 

Arthur’s parents made more than her parents; she’d accepted that. Her parents owned a restaurant together and followed their dreams. His parents worked in corporate finance, and probably had to sacrifice some of their dreams to achieve that level of financial success. She didn’t know why that made it seem like a fair exchange, something she could understand and live with. 

Arthur followed in his parents’ footsteps, giving up his preference for theater to get his master’s degree in business. She understood that. 

That was what she was doing, after all—sacrificing her dream of becoming an artist by studying business, setting herself up for financial success and security. She had to abandon what she loved doing to achieve success and honor her parents’ sacrifices. 

Rani didn’t seem to have that problem. Or did she? Was that why she was in engineering and not a photography major? Or did her family make enough money that she could do whatever she wanted? How did she have enough money to buy that much jewelry, the ocean of clothes that covered her dorm room floor, all the high-tech photography equipment, rent a bus for the weekend, and still splurge on Mindy and Kat at the cafe? 

And why had she hidden it by pretending her jewelry was fake? Was the story about her uncle giving her the bus for the weekend even real? Had she been lying after everything she said to Mindy about lies?  

“I’m confused,” Mindy said. “Why would you lie about that?” 

“I didn’t,” Rani said quickly. “Maria called it costume jewelry, and I didn’t want to brag or make things awkward.  I don’t normally wear this kind of stuff, obviously.” She gestured to her garb. “But I wanted to look extra pretty today, for you, Arthur, and the others, and really get into the spirit of things, you know?” 

“You’re brutally honest about everything else,” Mindy said. “You call me out on shit all the time, you call everyone out! That’s who you are. You don’t care about making things awkward!” 

“I do!” Rani said. “Especially when it might upset you, or people I care about!” 

“Rani,” Mindy said. 

“People get weird about money, Mindy,” Rani said, as if trying to convince her. 

Not that Mindy would know. She didn’t have any, nor did her parents. Was that what Rani was saying? Did she think Mindy didn’t understand human nature because she didn’t have wealth that others might seek to steal? 

Rani stepped closer, keeping her voice low and quiet so no one would overhear them. 

Mindy didn’t move away. She couldn’t. Shock froze her feet to the spot where she stood in the middle of the lane. Her legs refused to move. 

“My whole arrangement with my dad for my freedom here is based on anonymity,” Rani said. “The school knows, I mean, obviously, but no one at school knows, that way we don’t have to deal with all the crazy people in the world who might try to hurt, kidnap, or use me to get a payout from my dad. It’s a whole thing.”

“Who would try and—” 

“Plenty of people, Mindy,” Rani said. “The world is a fucked up place. I’ve had people try to blackmail me. My older sisters have some horror stories. Okay? No one’s ever tried to kidnap me, or anything, but I’ve definitely had people try to become my friend so that they can pitch a business idea to my dad, or expect me to finance their lives. Hell, I have ex-friends, if you can even call them that, who don't talk to me because they found out and expected me to elevate and bankroll their party lifestyles, and I said no. And I’m not saying that you or anyone in the harem is like that, okay? But I didn’t think my high school friends were either, and people suck. I’ve learned to keep mum about it so things don’t get weird, like they are now. Kat is pissed off at me because of all the hangups she has about wealthy people, even though she knows me, right? But those are her insecurities. Baghwan. Weeks of friendship, and none of it matters because my dad makes more money than hers. I thought we had a better bond than that.” 

Rani ended her tirade out of breath and caught it, huffing hard enough to shift her half-face veil. She wiped her eyes as tears fell. 

“I—she—I mean, I think she’s mad because you hid it, and—” Mindy thought back to the cafe. “Yeah, I guess she has some hangups about not having enough money, but that’s understandable! I’m in the same boat!” 

“Yeah, it’s understandable,” Rani said, beginning another tirade, an obvious effort to keep herself from crying. “Do you know how afraid I've been of you and everyone else seeing me for my money and not myself? Or worse, having Arthur get insecure that my net worth is more than his, and him dumping me and kicking me from the harem? Do you understand why I didn’t advertise the fact that my dad probably has more money than everyone else’s families combined?”

When she put it like that, it sounded arrogant to Mindy’s ears. Was that true? Even Arthur’s and Kelly’s? Arthur’s parents had an apartment in the city and a house large enough for the harem to live in with Arthur. It had a pool house with extra swimsuits and a finished basement that was larger than the apartment Mindy grew up in. Yet what had Rani said? It’s not that large. 

“Kelly’s mom makes decent money, like Arthur’s parents,” Mindy said, recalling her conversation with Kelly, and unable to think of anything else to say.

Arthur wasn't the type to be insecure because she had more money, was he? No. He'd never kick Rani from the harem, not for something like that. That had to be a fear Rani had, an insecurity of hers, not his.

Rani had to be wrong. Or she was right. What kind of world did she live in when not at school? Was her dad a millionaire? A billionaire? How did he make his money? Why wasn’t Rani a spoiled asshole? 

Though now that she thought about it, Rani did have some traits that made sense. Her bravery, her not caring about what other people thought, and her acting as though she wouldn’t suffer any negative consequences from her actions. Those were all the same ‘rich kid’ traits that made Lynn insufferable.

“Min,” Rani reached for hands, and when Mindy didn’t move away, she held them. “Look, we can talk about all of this later. We can compare bank statements if you want to, but right now, I want to find and apologize to Kat. Maybe the whole group. It’s time I came clean about all this, and we settle the matter so it doesn’t cause any more drama. Okay?” 

Mindy nodded. Right. Kat had still wandered off on her own, which was a terrible idea. The fairgrounds were expansive, and even though they were adults, it was entirely possible any one of them could get hurt or lost. Plus, there were plenty of guys here, some less respectful than others. 

“Yeah, okay.” Mindy agreed, still halfway in a stupor. “We’re definitely discussing this later, but let’s find Kat.” 

~~~

Kat plunged through the Faire. She didn’t know where she was going, but she turned aside from the gate and blasted through the aisle of food sellers until she came to the path they’d taken to Artisan’s Boulevard. 

She had no appreciation for the tantalizing aroma of baked batter, fried potatoes, vinegar-brined pickles, or spiced meats. The delicious scents warring with one another only reminded her of her stomach and her desire to keep it flat. She kept walking, turning down the lane and plowing her way through the crowds. 

The constant chatter and shifting bodies around her covered her path, closing behind her. 

The musicians who danced through the lane filled the space with twanging lutes, soprano voices, and rhythmic bells. They tried to cheer whomever they passed, but abandoned their quest to cheer her as she plowed through them. 

The stamped earth beneath her feet didn’t give way to her stomping footfalls. It made every step a spike of impact that grounded her as she walked, anchoring her, even as she sped along without a destination in mind. She wiped the corner of her eyes with her forearm, holding in the stinging tears. 

Why was she so angry? Sure, Rani had lied and hidden who she was from her, but it wasn’t like she was a lifelong friend. They were growing closer, or so Kat thought, but that had been a lie. She didn’t know the first thing about Rani, apparently, and that sent her reeling more than she expected. How much did she really know about the others? She thought she knew who Rani was, but no. She’d been wrong.  

Rani lied to her, mocked her, and probably made fun of her in her head every time Kat mentioned a concern over cash. Kat had thought Rani was a kindred spirit. Someone who rarely spent money because she never had any, but it added up now. The jewelry, the clothes, the camera equipment, the computer tech; it all fit. Rani had done a shit job at hiding it, really, but she’d trusted Kat to be stupid enough not to realize the truth, and she’d been right. 

The fucking bitch. 

Kat came to a stop outside a store selling armor. Pieces of leather and shiny metal hung from the walls, clad mannequins, and waited inside. The price tag on a full-plate set just outside the door made her stop and stare, thinking how easy it would be for Rani to buy it, and how impossible it would be for her or Selene. 

She stared at her reflection in the shiny chrome of its polished breastplate. The distorted image made her face look long, as if she were swirling around the center bulge. Her eye makeup had run. She was a mess with smudged mascara tears under her eyes. 

“Hey, Kat, right? Are you okay?” A frightened feminine voice asked from behind her. 

Kat whirled, her brain recognized the voice, but she realized mid-turn that it wasn’t someone from the harem. 

It was Yvonne. The busty brunette wore a blue dress that was clearly an off-the-shoulder Cinderella gown. The black choker ribbon around her neck was tight, and her hair was in a bun. Cinderella was blonde, but Yvonne didn’t seem to care. Her breasts inflated as she breathed because of her corset, and she stepped forward, her hoop skirt bobbing. “Here, I have some tissues.” 

Something inside Kat snapped.

“Oh, fuck you!” Kat said, giving her the finger. “You spread rumors about my boyfriend all over campus, trying to convince people he’s some kind of asshole? He’s not!” 

Yvonne took a step back. “No, I know that—” 

Kat wasn’t finished. “You go after my sister, trying to kick her and Arthur out of the theater club? Then you fuckin’ quit, and now what? Now you want to be friends?” 

“I’m just trying—” 

“No! You just want Arthur to fuck you!” Kat closed the distance and jammed her finger into Yvonne’s ample chest. “Well, guess what? It’s not going to happen, Cow!” 

Yvonne flinched, backing away from Kat, who pressed her advantage and marched forward to keep her face in Yvonne’s. “If you so much as come near him again, I will rip your fucking hair out and choke you with it!” 

Yvonne continued stepping backward, clutching the pack of tissues in her hand, still half-raised toward Kat in offering. Kat’s raised voice drew attention from people nearby, many of whom looked toward the pair of women with sudden interest. 

Kat’s outfit showed a lot of skin, and Yvonne’s neckline was low enough to show a ton of cleavage. If a fight broke out, modesty was going to fly away faster than an arrow. Confusion over whether it was part of a show faded as people heard what Kat was shouting. 

“You’re nothing but a jealous bitch who tried to fuck over her friends because they didn’t give you what you wanted! Well, you’re not getting my boyfriend! He’s MINE! AND FUCK YOU FOR TRYING!” Kat shoved Yvonne away from her with her hand. 

Yvonne stumbled back, falling on her butt when her heel caught on a piece of gravel embedded in the path. She cried out in alarm at losing her balance and swore as her ass hit the ground. Her hoop skirt flew up, showing her white stockings and bloomers beneath.  

Caleb and Logan, who’d been shopping at a nearby stall, rushed to Yvonne’s side, helping her up as Kat stormed away. 

“Miss,” A man in a black shirt stepped into Kat’s path. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to—” 

“It’s okay!” Yvonne said, calling out. “It’s okay!” She got to her feet with Caleb’s help, who spent some time brushing off her dress. 

Kat glared at the security worker before her. He was a head taller than she was, so she had to tilt her head to do it, but she did it.

“It’s not okay,” The guard said. “I’m going to have to ask that you—” 

“She didn’t push me,” Yvonne said, arriving beside Kat. “I know it looked like she did, but she missed. I just stumbled back, and my heel broke. We’re good.” 

Caleb and Logan caught up to Yvonne, glancing between her, Kat, and the security guard with uncertainty.

The security guard gave Yvonne a disbelieving look as she gave him her best and brightest smile. 

Caleb held up Yvonne’s broken heel as proof. “You’ve officially taken this Cinderella bit too far.” 

The security guard narrowed his eyes and turned them toward Kat. 

She didn’t look apologetic, but Yvonne’s pleading expression interceded for her. The young woman knew how to plead without saying a word, emphasizing her pouty lips, cleavage, and figure beneath her puppy-dog eyes. 

The guard sighed, relenting. “You get one warning,” he said to Kat, holding his finger between them in a stern gesture. “If you push someone like that again—” 

“She didn’t.” 

The security guard ignored Yvonne. “Do it again, and I’ll remove you from the Faire. Understood? Your friend’s begging won’t work a second time, and I’d hate to have to kick you all out.” 

Kat’s glare didn’t soften. She looked half a second away from punching the security guard, who didn’t look at all impressed with her attitude. Any protest at her friendship would get her banned from the Faire, which instinct told her to avoid. She’d have to return to the bus if they threw her out.

“Understood?” The security guard repeated the question. 

“She understands,” Yvonne said. “It won’t happen again, officer.” 

The man wasn’t a policeman, but he seemed to prefer Yvonne’s respect to Kat’s wrath, so he nodded toward her and gestured for them to go on their way. 

Yvonne, carefully, placed her hands on either side of Kat’s arms and walked with her, bringing her to a table and chairs set up as part of an outdoor tavern. Kat fell into her chair, still angry, and crossed her arms. She didn’t know why she didn’t wrench away, but the firm grasp on her arms made her more compliant. 

“Caleb, can you get us some chocolate from that boutique?” Yvonne asked. 

Caleb hesitated. “Are you sure it’s safe? She might be rabid.” 

Kat snapped her teeth at Caleb, who flinched. 

“It’s fine,” Yvonne said, sounding more amused than threatened. “Do you like strawberries?” she asked Kat. 

Kat didn’t answer. 

“Just get an assortment, please? I’ll Venmo you,” Yvonne said, waving Caleb and Logan away. 

Caleb sighed, muttering as he pulled Logan away with him. They left for a short but wide red building across the lane, holding hands as they walked. 

“Why did you do that?” Kat asked. “Are you trying to buy my forgiveness or something?” The venom in her voice suggested the answer should not be yes. 

“No,” Yvonne said. “I’m paying something forward. Women helping women, and all that.” 

Kat glared at her. “I don’t trust you.” 

“You shouldn’t,” Yvonne said, shrugging. 

Kat’s glare hardened, and she wondered if she could flip this table without getting kicked out of the Faire. 

“What I mean is, you have no reason to,” Yvonne tried to explain herself. “So I get you not trusting me, but I promise, I’m not here to hurt you, Arthur, or any of his girlfriends. I saw you crying, and, well, the last time I was crying in public, someone showed me kindness and gave me an ear to vent to.” 

She slid the pack of tissues across the table to Kat.

“I can be a total diva,” Yvonne said. “I know what it’s like when your emotions sweep you away.” 

“Fuck you,” Kat snatched the tissues and blew her nose with more violence than necessary. She wadded up the tissue and contemplated throwing it at Yvonne. The bitch deserved it. Kat crumpled it into her fist instead and used a second tissue to dab at her eyes, wiping off her makeup in the process. 

“So what, this is killing me with kindness or something?” Kat asked, slamming the used tissues onto the table. 

“No,” Yvonne said. “It’s giving you a second to calm down, sending the boys for chocolate, which always makes me feel better, and like I said, trying to pay it forward and help a girl in need.” 

Kat crossed her arms and sat in her chair, staring at Yvonne. The girl was pretty, and with her hair and makeup done, she looked exactly like the type of girl Arthur would be into—princess material. Even the black silk choker was elegant and sexy. She reminded Kat of Lori, actually. A cross between her and Lynn, the two great bitches of Arthur’s life. Yvonne’s love of theater matched Arthur’s, though from what she understood from Selene, the two had never gotten along as well as Yvonne might’ve hoped. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Yvonne asked. 

“Not with you,” Kat snapped. 

“That’s fair,” Yvonne said, letting several silent moments pass. “Do you mind if I say something?” 

Kat didn’t answer her, but she didn’t tell her to shut up either. Yvonne capitalized on that brief lapse of opposition. 

“I don’t know what has you so upset, or if it’s related to Arthur, or the girls you were with earlier. And if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay. I’m not trying to pry.” 

Kat waited for her to continue. 

“I’m on something of an apology tour,” Yvonne said. “I’m sorry for what I did, for hurting Arthur, or trying to, by damaging his reputation on campus. It was wrong, and I acted entirely out of desperation and envy, and I’m really, really sorry for that. I cringe just thinking about it.” 

Kat didn’t forgive her or respond. Instead, she continued her efforts to spontaneously develop skull-crushing telekinesis. It hadn’t worked so far, but that was no reason to abandon her visualizations. 

“Does it help at all that I wasn’t that successful?” Yvonne asked. “Practically no one believed me, and I’ve cleared things up with those who did.” 

“I’m not asking for a second chance or anything,” Yvonne continued when Kat didn’t respond. “I just want to apologize, and let you know that I won’t be making any moves against Arthur, Selene, or anyone in your group.” 

“Cool,” Kat said, not meaning it. “Can I go now?” 

“You don’t want any chocolates?” Yvonne asked, raising an eyebrow. “They’re delicious. Stay and have one with me? It’s the least you could do after knocking me to the ground.” 

“Fuck you,” Kat said, standing up. “I don't owe you anything.”

“Please, wait, I’m sorry,” Yvonne said, holding her hand up to stop Kat. “Sit, let’s just talk? Or you can scream at me, if that’ll help you feel better.” 

“I don’t have anything to say to you, bitch,” Kat said, still seething as she glared at Yvonne. “You deserve worse than some dirt on your dress.” 

“Yeah, I get it,” Yvonne said. “But I don’t think you were mad at me or crying about me when I found you.” 

“I wasn’t,” Kat said, but she didn’t need to elaborate or explain anything to this woman. 

“Did something happen between you and Arthur?” Yvonne asked. 

“Oh, you’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Kat pointed her finger at Yvonne. “I knew it, you’re just digging for dirt with your apology bullshit. You’re not sorry for trying to ruin my sister’s life or my boyfriend’s reputation. Fuck you!” 

“No, that’s not—” Yvonne started to stand up as Kat left the table. “Kat, wait!” 

Kat stopped, but not because of Yvonne. She stopped because Arthur walked into the edge of the tavern, looking straight at her. His eyes rested on her, and his concerned expression shifted. He didn’t even glance behind her to look at Yvonne. He saw Kat and opened his arms. 

Kat’s anger crumbled at the look of concern and fear on Arthur’s face. She rushed forward, into Arthur’s arms, and he closed them around her as she collided with his torso. She curled against him, pressing her forehead onto his chest as he held her, and the tears rushed out of her again. Arthur rested his head on hers, and they ignored the rest of the world as people gave them a wide berth. 

“Thanks,” Arthur said, his voice low and quiet. 

“No problem,” Caleb said, setting a box of chocolates on the table. 

“You found Arthur?” Yvonne asked. 

“No, I texted him as soon as Kat shoved you,” Caleb said. “I figured if anyone were authorized to deal with Crazy Lady, it’d be the guy with six of these bitches.” 

“That was a joke, he doesn’t think your girlfriends are bitches,” Yvonne said. 

“Well, except for that one.” Caleb amended Yvonne’s clarification. “She makes me glad I'm gay, or I might have to deal with that level of bullshit.”

Arthur stroked Kat’s hair. “Rani and Mindy told us what happened. We were looking for you.” Arthur said, ignoring the others and speaking directly with Kat. “Are you okay?” 

Kat sniffled, burying her face in his chest and not answering him because she didn’t trust her voice. 

He didn’t push her. Goddamn it. Why was he so good at letting her cry? It was a kindness she didn’t deserve. He held her, squeezing her gently in his arms as she broke and emptied her eyes of tears. 

The awkwardness must have grown as Yvonne remained where she was, standing there watching them.

“Hey,” Arthur said, still holding Kat as he looked over her to the others. 

“Hey,” Yvonne said, waving gently. “Sorry to run into you like this. I was trying to give you space, I promise.” 

“You’re the one who asked for space, remember?” Arthur asked. “I’m just glad you found her. I was worried.” 

Kat clung to him, squeezing him in her arms even as his muscular frame didn’t seem to notice. He embraced her, but kept himself restrained as always, when all she wanted was for him to crush her. She squeezed tighter, and he answered her with a squeeze, a quick flex of his arms that gave her a fleeting, momentary crushing, a tease of what she wanted. 

“Here, she can have this when she’s ready,” Yvonne said. 

Kat didn’t see what she was talking about, but it didn’t matter. 

“Thanks,” Arthur said. “I’ll see you around?” 

Yvonne must have nodded, but Kat didn’t hear an answer, only footsteps. Yvonne, Caleb, and Logan left her and Arthur standing at the edge of the outdoor tavern, hugging. He held her until her tears ran dry, and never once moved to release her. 

“Are you ready to talk about it?” Arthur asked. 

“No.”  

“Do you want to sit?” 

“No.”  

“Do you want to go back to the bus?” 

“No.”   

“Do you want something to drink?” 

“No.” 

“Do you want something to eat?” 

Kat hesitated. “Maybe.” 

A soft rumble of laughter rose out of Arthur’s chest, and he squeezed Kat in a hug so tight that she wanted to explode. It was just what she needed, and she squeezed him back with every ounce of strength she could muster. It paled in comparison to his, but his hug drove away every shadow until only bright morning light remained. 

“I’m sorry,” Kat whimpered. “Arthur, I’m so sorry I blew up at Rani and that I worried you. I wanted you to have a good time today and not—” 

“Shh.” Arthur shushed her, pulling back enough so she could lift her face from his chest and look up at him. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs, sweeping them from her cheeks. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk.” 

Kat looked around, seeing a few people look away as if they hadn’t just been staring at the couple. It made sense; they were standing in the middle of a public space, and she was crying into the arms of a barely clothed man who looked like he’d stepped out of Hollywood. 

“Yes, Sir,” Kat whispered. 

Arthur put his arm around her, “Come on, Princess. Walk with me.” 

Kat clung to his side as they walked. He led her out of the tavern and onto the path. They joined the flow of traffic as people walked near them, shopping at the various stalls, booths, and tents. Each seller governed a world unto itself, with each opening acting as a portal to a strange new realm that complemented but didn’t wholly match its neighbor. 

Paintings had little in common with woodcrafts, and there was one tent that was just horns. Drinking horns, headband horns, wall-mount horns, and mantle horns from various animals, both real and imagined, filled every shelf.

The anime poster tent seemed oddly out of place, but had plenty of customers perusing the shelves. It reminded her of Selene, who probably would have spent money she didn’t need to spend on posters she didn’t need to hang. 

And then a large brown building farther along the lane caught her attention. It appeared to be a more permanent fixture than its neighbors. She couldn’t tell if the broken window, shingles, and falling-apart wooden siding were a facade or genuine. Its appearance matched her mood: broken and falling apart.

“I think I owe Rani an apology,” Kat said, as if speaking to herself. 

“Yeah,” Arthur said. “And probably Mindy and Manasa, too.” 

Kat closed her eyes, resting her head against Arthur. “I don’t know why I’m like this.” 

“It’s just how you are,” Arthur said. “And that’s okay. You’re passionate. You feel everything with such a beautiful intensity.” 

“I wouldn’t exactly call it beautiful,” Kat said, despondent. “But I guess it’s better than bottling everything up like you do.” 

“Excuse me?” Arthur tilted his head. 

“Sorry, I’m not trying to be a brat, I swear,” Kat said. “But, well, you bottle things. Everything, really.” 

Arthur fell quiet, considering her point. 

It melted her when he did that. Maturity and emotional stability were as seductive to her as the lines of his abs carving over his hips and disappearing into his belt. He didn’t act like she did, defending himself first and analyzing later. He evaluated the words, determined their cause and validity, then engaged. It made him a pain in the ass to argue with, especially when she was angry, but damn if it didn’t make her want to kiss his stupid face. 

“I lose my temper sometimes, I’m not perfect, but what is it that you think I’m bottling?” Arthur asked. 

“Well, like, everything from last night,” Kat said, wincing to mention it, but speaking her mind. “You just stood there and took everything Lynn dished at you. You didn’t raise a hand to her even after she smacked you.” 

“I’m not a violent person.” 

“I know several asses tinted red that say otherwise.” 

“That’s not the same thing,” Arthur said. “That’s not violence, that’s fun.” 

Kat shrugged.

“This is you not being a brat?” Arthur asked, confused. 

Kat was too tired to brat. Sometimes it was fun to bait Arthur and make him respond with a firm hand, to make him stand up and tell her to get on her knees. The growl of frustration made his voice too sexy to ignore and did something to her insides. This wasn’t one of those times. She wasn’t trying to rile him, or even guide him toward sex. She was tired, exhausted from her outburst, and dealing with Rani and Yvonne. A nap might be nice, and no amount of caffeine in her system overthrew the weight of her exhaustion. 

She stopped, and Arthur stopped with her. She shifted to face him and hold his hands in hers. She had to settle for one, since he had a small box in his left hand. She held his right with both of hers and kept their hands between them. 

“Why are you so afraid of being angry? Of violence?” 

Arthur looked at her, meeting her gray eyes with a soft expression of contemplation on his features. His lips parted, but he hesitated, struggling to form the words. “I’ve been in enough fights. People beat me up a lot, back before I looked like this.” He flexed his arm and gestured to his chest, showing his firm, undeniable muscles. As far as Kat knew, besides Lynn, only Sanjay and his buddy were brave enough to try something with him recently, and he’d literally danced around Sanjay. 

“The thing with the football team wasn’t the first time I’d been in a fight, but it was the worst one. I wish I could say that I got good at it, but I lost them all. I had the shit beaten out of me pretty regularly, thanks to certain people. Fighting back only made it worse. I wasn’t as strong then, and they—well, it was better if they got bored and moved on.” 

Kat sucked in a breath, fresh rage at Lynn growing in the pit of her stomach. That cunt deserved so much worse than she got. She deserved to be locked in a room with Kat, Selene, and two baseball bats. They’d make the electric chair look comfy by comparison. 

“The idea of being the person hateful enough to throw a punch makes me sick,” Arthur said, making Kat swallow her guilt for her violent thoughts. “There are better ways to resolve conflicts, Methods that don’t result in me hating myself, or having to relive some of the worst moments in my life.” 

Kat would have cried again if she had any tears left. Arthur’s voice sounded so sad and distant. She wiped the corner of her eye, but her thumb came away dry. 

“But you still have all that anger in you,” Kat said, gripping his bicep. “Like last night, Lynn hurt me, Selene, Kelly, Rani, and even Katelyn. Not to mention her slapping you. Have you dealt with any of that? Or just shoved it down?” 

“You're deflecting,” Arthur said. “This has nothing to do with your outburst.” 

“Maybe not,” Kat said. “But I’m right, aren’t I? You bottle it up, put it behind you, and pretend it doesn’t exist.” 

Arthur exhaled through his nose, annoyed, but still in control of himself. 

“Lynn’s slaps didn’t anger you? You didn’t want to punch her in the face? I did. I still want to punch her right in her fuckin’ face. Better yet, lend me some chains, and I’ll go medieval on her ass for hurting you and Selene, not to mention the others.” 

Arthur took a deep, calming breath. “Her slaps surprised me more than anything else. Her hurting me, well, that wasn’t new. But yeah, the idea of her, or anyone, hurting you or the others makes me angry.” 

“Then show it,” Kat said, gesturing to the large brown shack down the lane. “Don't be the victim who has to freeze. Don't submit. Take your power back and let some of that barbarian rage loose.”

Arthur followed her gesture, his eyes sweeping from her pointed finger to the “Rage Shack” with its painted sign depicting shattered plates. 

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “You want me to go into a rage room?” 

Kat nodded, her wavy blonde hair falling forward. Arthur released her hand and swept her hair behind her ear. She tilted her head to look at him and surged forward, kissing him. 

His warmth washed over her, and she lost track of time until the wolf-whistle of a passing performer broke them apart. Kat blushed, embarrassed, but Arthur only laughed as the performer, an unseelie goblin in red tights and green body paint, squawked and blew them kisses on their way down the lane. 

“Please?” Kat asked. 

Arthur chuckled. “You’re a brat, you know that?” 

“So I’ve been told, Sir,” Kat said, still waiting for her answer. 

“Okay,” Arthur said. “But we’re raging through our shit together.” 

Kat raised an eyebrow as Arthur took her by the hand. 

“Come on,” Arthur led her toward the building. “If I’m doing this, you’re doing it with me. Maybe it’ll help you let go of your anger toward Rani and Yvonne.”

“Fuck Yvonne, she’s a thirsty bitch.” Kat said as she followed Arthur.

“Sounds like someone needs to say their mantra,” Arthur said as they joined the line.

Kat glanced around them. Far too many people stood within earshot for her to say her mantra. “I’m not saying that here.” 

“Say it,” Arthur said. “Whisper it in my ear if you have to.” 

Kat grimaced, but leaned toward his ear as she moved to her tiptoes. She put her hand on his shoulder for balance, gripping the round cap at the top of his arm and squeezing it in her fingers. 

Arthur bent toward her, closing the distance as her lips hovered less than an inch away. 

“I am your submissive, and you are my sir.” She kissed his cheek before she dropped to her heels again. “I love you.” 

Arthur looked at her, then squeezed her with his arm around her. “Good girl, I love you too.” He said at normal volume, which made the woman in line ahead of them turn around and look up at him. She let her eyes take their time as she lifted her gaze to meet his. 

“He’s mine, bitch,” Kat said, sliding her arm behind his waist. She struck a small, stiff, leather box on his belt and looked up at him. 

“Cell phone holder,” Arthur explained. “There was a leatherworker near the tattoo stall, which is where we were when Rani and Mindy caught up to us.” 

“Oh,” Kat said, nodding. That made sense. Selene had been holding his cell phone, but Caleb said he’d texted Arthur. 

“Do we need to rush back to them?” Kat asked as the line moved forward. 

“No,” Arthur said. “But, would you mind if I texted them to let them know you’re okay? Rani and Mindy were distraught. We were all looking for you when Caleb texted me. Well, everyone but Kelly, but it’s not her fault she was mid-tattoo.” 

Shame burned Kat’s ears crimson as guilt whammied her for making them worry. She was a grown woman, going off on her own wasn’t a problem, but she could see why the others would worry about her getting lost. Hell, she’d narrowly avoided getting tossed out on her ass by security. Even then, she hadn’t avoided it so much as Yvonne caused it, then rescued her from it. 

“Go ahead,” Kat nodded. “And… give me Yvonne’s number. I owe her a thank you.” 

Arthur nodded. “Oh, here, she gave me this for you.” He passed her the small box he was holding. 

Kat opened it to discover a single chocolate-covered strawberry waiting for her. She carefully lifted it from the container and popped it into her mouth, letting the sweet and bitter flavors war for supremacy on her tongue. The juicy strawberry threatened to overflow her mouth, but she swallowed it quickly, letting the natural sugars slide their way along her throat and into her stomach. 

“Oh my god,” Kat said, half-conscious she was even speaking at all. “This is so good.” 

Arthur smiled. “You like chocolate-covered strawberries, huh?” 

Kat looked at him as though he were insane, because that question was pure insanity. “Are you kidding me? Who doesn’t?” 

“Fair point,” Arthur said, shrugging. 

He texted the girls while Kat enjoyed her strawberry. She threw the box away in a nearby trash can, then wrapped her arms around Arthur and hugged him until it was their turn. Arthur paid with an app on his phone despite Kat’s protests. 

“We’re on a date, right? That means I’m covering you. You’re my girlfriend, right?” 

“Right,” Kat agreed. 

“Good, then shut up and let me spoil you rotten,” Arthur said. 

The jesters working the Rage Shack gave them padded jumpsuits to wear, as well as face-masked helmets, protective glasses, and boot covers they had to slip into. Kat expressed her gratitude for the covering, since it meant she wouldn’t have to worry about giving the cameras a show with her mini skirt and crop top. 

The rules were pretty simple. Don’t hit each other, which seemed obvious, but otherwise, the point was to break, smash, throw, and generally let out the barbarian inside of you. They gave them both a metal bat and closed the door behind them. 

Concrete walls enclosed a room piled with junk. The exterior shack facade was a clever ruse to match the name. Warped and flawed bottles and glassware from the faire’s glassblowers, defective or broken wooden trinkets and carvings from the woodcarvers, rubber tires, and oddly shaped ceramic pieces filled the room. The back wall was entirely blank except for the target spray-painted onto it. 

Kat picked up a vase and put it on the pedestal in the center. She shuffled behind Arthur and gestured to it. “All yours, Sir.” 

Arthur gave the bat in his hands an experimental heft, testing its weight and swinging his arm to make sure he had room without banging into Kat or anything else. 

“Really let loose,” Kat said. 

Arthur gave her a slight grin from behind the transparent plexiglass over his face. “Let’s smash.” 

Kat chuckled as he swung the bat, exploding the vase with a satisfying shatter, its pieces flying forward and tinkling on the floor. 

Arthur placed one for her to hit, and she stood beside the pedestal, taking a few practice swings before smashing the vase and sending the shards flying toward the wall, where they broke apart with even more satisfying clattering. 

“Oh, that felt good,” Kat said, grinning. 

They took turns teeing up vases for each other, with each swing hitting harder than the last. Each time they swung, they put more effort into it, until even Arthur’s swings required actual effort on his part. 

“So, why were you mad at Rani?” Arthur asked. He grunted as she replaced the pottery with a wooden plaque that he broke in half with his metal bat. Splinters flew, and she had to admire the twist of his torso and the flex in his arms as he battered the remains.

Kat smashed a bottle with her bat. “She lied to me.” 

“She didn’t lie, she—” 

“Don’t defend her.” Kat cut him off. “She—” 

Arthur smashed a vase. His chest heaved in another breath as he lifted a heavy crate and threw it, slamming it into the concrete wall and causing it to burst apart with a crack that made Kat shiver. She watched effort give way to fury as Arthur vented every frustration into destruction. No one got hurt, he didn't break any of his morals, and he still got to vent everything. 

“I thought she was a kindred spirit, but I should have known better,” Kat said, distracted but still annoyed. 

“Kindred, how?” Arthur asked. 

Kat turned her bat toward a wooden crate, smashing several holes in it and cracking each plank in half piece by piece. “Rani has no idea what it’s like to be poor. Neither do you, for that matter, nor anyone else in the harem, except Selene and maybe Mindy. Everyone else in the harem is from the wealthiest fucking families.” 

“Is that fair?” Arthur asked. “We can’t help what families we’re from.” 

Kat smashed her bat against another vase with particular fury. “You know how people talk about their childhoods, like, oh, we were poor, but we didn’t know it?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Selene and I grew up so poor that we knew we were poor.” She said. “The thrift store was our only source of clothes growing up. Do you know what it’s like to wear your classmate’s hand-me-downs? To have the cool girls tease you because the new shirt you think looks so good on you is one that they donated to Goodwill last month?” 

“No,” Arthur answered. “I was teased for other things.” He smashed another box, splintering it against the bullseye with a savage overhead throw.  

“Ever take food from a food kitchen or a church’s food pantry?” Kat asked, smashing another vase. 

She grunted as she tried to throw a heavy barrel, only for Arthur to take it from her as if it weighed nothing, hold it over his head, and smash it on the ground as if it had insulted them. Violence might not be the answer to dealing with people, but it was a good response to venting frustration. 

“No, but I’ve helped with donations and volunteered some—” 

“Ever have your grandmother die and blow your savings to help cover her funeral expenses so you have to take a year off before going to college?” Kat asked, smashing through a warped glass bowl. 

Arthur didn’t answer. 

“You learned how to manage money from your parents, right? With your savings? I’ve been budgeting my entire life since I was a kid. I earned money babysitting my neighbors, cleaning houses, taking part-time jobs wherever I could get them to help cover my sister’s dance lessons, and—” 

She threw a crate against the wall, where it splintered into fragments and fell to the ground. 

“After all that, I’m not even wise enough to get into a money-making major. I’m a fuckin’ English major, doing what I love even though I know I’ll be poor the rest of my life because of it. Meanwhile, you’re in business, Rani’s in engineering, Kelly’s just going to be your fucking housewife full-time, and I’ll make more than Katelyn, probably, but only because teachers make shit. They make less than minimum wage if you consider how many hours they work!” She threw a plate like a Frisbee against the wall, following it up with another, and another. 

“And I don’t need Rani’s charity, or yours!” Kat threw another plate. “She doesn’t know what it’s like to have to choose what you eat or drink based on how much it leaves you to pay rent! She’s never had to deal with a blister on her foot from a hole in a sock, and having to wait to buy a new pack because there’s no money until payday!” Kat threw a bowl, a mug, and a plate. Each exploded against the wall with more force than its predecessor. 

“And after pining over you for years, finally dating you, and being the happiest I’ve ever fuckin’ been, I’m going to lose you to the rich bitch I can’t compete with!” Kat threw an entire pile of plates against the wall, smashing all of them with the ferocity of a Barbarian in full rage mode.  

“Kat, wait a second—” Arthur grabbed her wrist, making Kat freeze as she spun toward him. “What was that?” 

“Rich bitch? That’s Rani, she’s like, super rich.” Kat said, not pulling away from Arthur’s grip.  

“No, I—yeah, I caught that. I meant the pining over me for years?” Arthur asked. 

“Oh, I um… I’ve had a huge crush on you since I met you,” Kat said. “Duh.” 

“Duh?” Arthur asked, almost amused. “Because you like the way I look?” 

“No, you idiot. Because of who you are. You stood up to those guys without expecting anything in return. You had an intelligent opinion on one of my favorite books, and you talked with me, even though Mandi was trying to climb into your lap and spread her legs.” 

Arthur looked more confused than ever, staring at Kat. “Uh, I remember meeting you when Selene introduced us after that rehearsal my sophomore year. What guys are you talking about? And who’s Mandi?” 

“We met second semester freshman year,” Kat corrected him. “I had long hair and was probably ten pounds lighter. I wore a volleyball uniform after the tryouts. These assholes were bothering my roommate, Mandi, and me. They refused to take no for an answer. You stepped in and told them off, remember?” 

A light dawned behind Arthur’s eyes. He stared at her as if seeing her for the first time, and Kat swallowed, suddenly aware that she’d never told him that story. But damnit, she might as well confess her feelings. She’d already said… oh shit. Had that been the first time she’d told him that she loved him while he was awake? Goddamnit! 

Kat smashed another plate with her bat, then took a deep breath. 

“I flirted so hard, but you were with Lori, which made you absolutely clueless, and I’m not a homewrecker,” Kat explained. “And then I filled out a little more, and cut and curled my hair, ditched my backstabbing friends, changed my whole aesthetic, and yeah, when Selene introduced us, you had no idea who I was.” 

“I thought you looked familiar when she introduced us,” Arthur said, frowning. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize where from, but now that you mention it, I remember that day. You and the other girl seemed so nice. I was so angry at those guys for bothering you. I wondered if I’d run into you again, but I guess we had different schedules or something.” 

Kat nodded. Many factors kept her away from Arthur for the rest of that semester. Her embarrassment had been top of the list. 

“But, you know, you’re not going to lose me, right? Our relationship, the polycule, I don’t know what the future might hold, exactly, but I have no plans on breaking up with anyone or choosing between any of you.” Arthur said. 

“But if you had to, you wouldn’t pick me,” Kat said, annoyed. “I’m not like the others. I’m straight, and you love the threesome stuff, so that rules me out right away, not to mention all the other benefits that come with the others. Rani can offer you a much better life than I can.” 

“Kat,” Arthur said, his voice stern. “The harem’s not a temporary stopgap until I pick one of you. It’s our relationship. No one is taking me from you. Not Rani, not Kelly, or Selene, Mindy, or Katelyn. You know that, right? And yeah, your relationship with the others isn’t sexual, but that’s okay! No one holds that against you. I love you for who you are, we all do, even if it’s platonic for the others.” 

Kat sniffed. She looked around for something to throw, and threw a ceramic mug against the bullseye on the wall. 

“Thanks,” she said. “Now, can we stop with all the feelings and shit and just smash things?” 

Arthur sighed. “Okay.” 

The anger that grew in her stomach left through the vent she opened with every throw, swing, and smash. Piece by brittle piece, Kat and Arthur worked their way through the room. Over time, joy took frustration’s place, laughter overtaking them without thought. Not only was she letting go of her rage, but she was having fun doing it. 

Arthur laughed with her, a short bark of laughter as he kicked a chair with the steel-toed boot cover they provided, sending his foot through it and launching it into the corner where the wall met the ceiling. It shattered on impact, transforming into nothing but kindling.

Kat stopped before he did, watching the show. Arthur was a man who kept himself in control, always. Even in the bedroom, when he ‘lost control’ he held back. Watching him use a portion of his strength to dominate her, or the others, made her hot, but it was nothing compared to watching him finally come undone. His uncombed hair, his flexing arms and shoulders, and the rippling muscles in his back made her bite her lip, even if his jumpsuit hid the details. 

Kat grew tired long before Arthur did, but she threw her last vase, letting the pottery smash on the floor to join the rest of the shards. Arthur smashed another one to join hers and stood, panting beside her. They caught their breath, and Kat realized they were out of ammo. Everything in the room had become debris. She took off her helmet, and Arthur removed his, tossing them to the floor. He turned toward her, and she turned toward him. 

Sweat glistened on his forehead, and his breathing was heavy, the kind that heaved his chest in ways she only saw at the gym or in the bedroom. He stepped toward her, and Kat was on him before she even knew what was happening. Her lips crashed into his, her leg wrapped over his hip, and his hands scooped her up as if she weighed nothing at all. 

He growled as he pressed her against the wall, and the rumble in his chest made her gush for him as her insides liquefied. Her body burned for him to fill her, and their bodies rubbed against one another despite the padding between them. If only she could dig her nails into his sweat-slicked skin, arch her back, and squeeze every last ounce of passion from him. 

She wanted to tell him to take her, right here and now, but that meant she’d have to stop kissing him, and that wasn’t happening. His rough hands gripped her tight, and she rubbed against him, letting his thigh grind against her as she clung to him. 

“Ahem,” A small voice coughed behind Arthur, and the two slowed their kiss. “Your uh… your time’s up.” 

Arthur stopped kissing her, still holding her as she looked over his shoulder to see an embarrassed dark-haired woman half-smiling as she stared at Arthur’s back. 

“You two are adorable together, but please don’t ruin the jumpsuits.” 

Kat laughed. “Sorry.” She said. “We should uh…” 

Arthur pulled away from the wall, carrying her with him and lowering her to the ground gently. Her feet touched down, anchoring her to the earth once more. She unzipped the jumpsuit, and Arthur did the same. 

The woman stared at Arthur’s torso as he pulled off the rest of the PPE and handed it over to her. After stripping off the protective gear, Kat took Arthur’s hand, and he led her from the building with a firm, leg-shaking grip. Her gait was unsteady, but she leaned against Arthur to make up for it. 

“Want to head to the bus?” Kat asked, hopeful that his mind was in the same place. 

Arthur kissed her forehead. “You have someone to talk to first.” He pointed, and Kat followed his finger to see almost everyone waiting for them outside the Rage Shack. Rani, Mindy, Selene, Kelly, and Katelyn stood across the lane, each looking at Kat with cautious expressions, unsure what state she was in. She probably looked a mess, but she didn’t care. 

She released Arthur’s hand and stepped before Rani, meeting her eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” Kat said. “I shouldn’t have gotten so mad at you. I get why you wouldn’t have made a big deal about it, and honestly, it would have been worse if you did. I have issues, but that’s not your fault or your problem. That’s something I need to work on.” 

Rani’s tender, cautious smile remained obscured behind her transparent veil. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you or the others. I should have. We’re close enough, and I should have trusted you more than I did. I might be pretty fuckin’ great, but I’m not perfect.” 

Kat gave a dry laugh through her nose and shook her head. “Forgive me?” 

“Of course, Brat,” Rani said, opening her arms. “Hug?” 

Kat hugged her. 

“And you forgive me?” Rani asked, still hugging her. 

“Yes,” Kat said. “I understand why you did it.” 

“Want to seal it with a kiss?” 

Kat pushed Rani away, making Rani laugh and hold up her hands in surrender. Selene took her place, hugging Kat, who exchanged her for Katelyn.

“Just thought I’d offer,” Rani said, smiling. “We’re okay? Everything’s back to normal?” 

“We’re okay,” Kat agreed, taking a deep breath as Kelly hugged her. 

“Oh, that tattoo looks awesome,” Kat said, admiring the letters and symbols on Kelly’s shoulder—the Sisterhood of Excalibur. 

Kelly released her from the hug and dug into her purse. “I have some wipes and an emergency makeup kit. We can get you fixed up right away.” 

“That’s Kelly for you,” Katelyn said, taking Kat’s hand. 

Kat squeezed Katelyn’s hand in a quick, reassuring pulse. She and Katelyn had their own silent language, and she had to reassure her friend that everything was okay. 

“I know I probably look like shit,” Kat said, wiping the sweat from her face more than the tears. 

Arthur took a deep breath, looking in the other direction. “There’s a privy nearby so you can clean up, if you and Kelly want to do that, someone else can get their tattoo while Selene and I keep shopping for her collar?” 

“Yes, Sir,” Kat said, sliding her other hand into his. “And Mindy?” 

“Yeah?” Mindy asked, confused. 

“I’m sorry I blew up at you, too, and for storming off instead of talking things through,” Kat said. 

“Oh,” Mindy looked surprised to get an apology, but she smiled. She straightened her witch’s hat and nodded. “That’s okay, Unnie, but thank you. That means a lot to me.” 

“Unnie?” Kat asked, unsure of its meaning. 

“It means, big sister,” Mindy said. “It’s a Korean term of endearment and respect.” 

Kat smiled softly. “So what do I call you?” 

“Well, term-wise it’d be yeodongsaeng,” Mindy said, hesitantly. 

Kat blinked. “Why is one so much easier to say than the other?” 

Mindy giggled. “If you wanted a sisterly term of endearment, you could just call me Mindy-ah.” 

“Okay,” Kat said, bumping Mindy’s arm with her fist. “Cool, Mindy-ah. I can pronounce that.” 

Mindy giggled, walking along behind the others. 

Kat walked with Arthur and Katelyn at the head of the party. Selene walked directly behind Arthur, her eyes on his heels. Rani and Mindy walked arm-in-arm behind Selene, smiling once more as they made their way through the Faire. 

Kat rested her head on Arthur’s upper arm as they walked. So today wasn’t totally drama-free, but at least it all worked out in the end, even if the morning was only half over. Damn, time really seemed to crawl when she was with the harem.