Janessa paid attention to Raya, keeping an eye on her constantly. When the newest concubine awoke, Janessa sprung up and grabbed her arm.
“I will teach our new sister what she needs to know to maintain her beauty,” Janessa announced to Borya and Francesca. Janessa’s concubine’s body had come with not only skills in bed, but also an inherent knowledge of a concubine’s beauty routine. She had already begun to teach Borya and Francesca some of what she knew during particularly boring stretches of time in the harem. This was a perfect excuse to get Raya alone.
Not to mention, as Antyny’s favorite and the most experienced concubine, Janessa was considered the head of the harem. Borya and Francesca listened to her and did as she said. Sure enough, Janessa’s harem sisters didn’t stop Janessa from dragging Raya into the powder room within the harem quarters. Janessa sat Raya down on a stool in front of a large mirror.
“Raya, my name is Janessa. I am the head of the harem and will show you the beauty routine of a royal concubine,” Janessa said politely. Raya, now fully awake, rolled her eyes.
“Look, you might care about a beauty routine or whatever, but I do not,” Raya snapped. “I am a man, no matter what Antyny did to me. I will not put on makeup and fine oils. I will fight Antyny until I die.”
“No, dear sister,” Janessa sighed. She sat on a stool next to Raya and opened the box that contained her makeup and creams. “You will fall in line just like the rest of us.” Janessa applied a cream to Raya’s face that kept the skin soft but not greasy. “Borya, Francesca, and I fought against Antyny at first as well. But he bespelled himself. He is irresistible to us. We are so desperate to have him inside us that we do not leave.”
“He has cast a spell to do that?” Raya asked, sounding horrified. Janessa nodded. She began to use makeup on Raya now, placing eyeshadow on the new concubine’s eyelids. “…We are truly stuck?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” Janessa set the shadow down and began to trace Raya’s eyes with eyeliner. “But it could be worse. He treats us well and is incredible in bed.”
“You are fine being a concubine?” Raya asked, sounding scandalized. Janessa laughed. She moved on from the eyeliner to the rouge.
“I was in Prince Jasper’s harem before Antyny took the throne, so yes.”
“You are a liar,” Raya said flatly. Janessa set down the rouge and stood.
“I know not what you mean,” she said calmly. She picked up a brush and began to brush Raya’s hair. Raya’s hair was beautifully silky and soft, rivaling Janessa’s in quality. A fact that rankled her, but she ignored the sudden bit of surprising jealousy that had sprouted.
“I knew every member of Prince Jasper’s harem personally. He had no concubine named Janessa.” Janessa silently set the brush down. She began to put Raya’s hair into a braid. “You were not a member of Prince Jasper’s harem. So who are you, really?”
Janessa tied off Raya’s braid and thought quickly. She had two options. She could either lie or tell the truth. And all she could do was hope that whichever option she chose was the right one.