The girl was the same age as Sally. She nodded her head vigorously. “Oh, yes, Sally. You brought us food one time that saved my mother. She has been starving for three days, and then you brought us a feast! Oh, thank you so much. I’ve always wanted to thank you, and–”
“Can you help me, please?” Sally pleaded.
“Of course. I’ll do anything,” the girl agreed readily.
Sally turned with teary eyes and stared at that glistening diamond bangle again. Once upon a time, that bangle was always on Princess Danika’s wrist. She couldn’t even wear them because she was no longer a princess.
And now… no! She’d never allow it! Never!
Sally turned to Uyah. “Can you help me get changed?”
Everyone in attendance was eating and drinking. All wore masks except the kings. Danika’s eyes took in the five kingdoms that attended.
Behind her mask, Danika checked them out freely. They divided the gigantic hall into six different parts: five for each of the kingdoms and one for the people of Salem.
Each section consisted of each king and his slaves—three privileged families.
The hall was packed.
Ever-y other person’s mask was locked behind their head except hers. The king had told her not to put the padlock on until after the unmasking. She didn’t understand what he meant by that.
Dread and fear wrapped around Danika like a cloak. Sitting on the floor beside the king’s throne, she had the urge to clutch his big garment and hide from the world. It was an urge she resisted. She recognized two kings already and wasn’t surprised that they were there.
King Moreh, the king of Ijipt, and King Philip, the king of Gordon. Her two tormentors from her last introduction. She swallowed with dread.
King Moreh was the first to get up and start addressing the crowd. “I, King Moreh of Ijipt, welcome us all to this royal court and this year’s Mask Festival.”
The people nodded, even while some ate, and some privileged people played with their slaves.
Finally, his eyes found Danika from across the room. “Come out here and remove your mask. While King Philip and I have seen your beautiful face before, King Pasih, King Noir and King Zeba have yet to see.”
Danika’s legs trembled underneath her, but she stood. Don’t forget who you are. The words came back to her.
Head high, shoulders squared, she walked to the center of the room. Quietly, she removed her mask.
A chorus of ‘ooooh’ and ‘ahhhh’ rang out, their voices laced with approval, lust, and excitement.
“She looks like that mastiff, Cone,” King Noir snarled.
“Yes, she does. An extremely beautiful version of him. She takes more after Queen Meetia, her mother.” King Zeba drank his wine before he added, “She was one of the most beautiful queens among all the kingdoms when she was alive.”
They speak about me like I’m not standing right here, Danika thought. Her fear mounted when she saw the anger and evil anticipation in their eyes: anger for her father and evil anticipation of what they planned to do to her.
She gripped her corset by the sides, squeezing the fabric to calm her nerves. Don’t forget who you are. Don’t forget who you are.
Now she understood what the king meant by unmasking.
With their permission, she put back her mask on and finally padlocked it.
King Moreh continued his speech, and the more he talked, the more agitated she was. From everything he said, she understood what was about to happen.
While the Mask Festival was going on in this royal court, she’d be taken to the inner room where the kings would visit her one after the other.
She swallowed tightly. Suddenly, she wanted to use the bathroom. This horrible impending torture was seriously upsetting her bladder.
“You can go back now, slave,” King Moreh said to her in the middle of his speech.
Danika breathed a deep sigh of relief as she walked back to King Lucien’s side and lowered herself to the ground in her usual position.
At least she wasn’t the center of attention for now; that was all that mattered.
Tears were prickling her eyes, and no matter how she tried to blink them back, they seemed determined to meet her cheeks. No matter how she wanted to be strong, Danika didn’t think she could survive this. They looked upon her with so much hate in their eyes, these kings.
Why did she have to go through this?
Once upon a time, none of these kings would look at her without respect.
Once upon a time, she’d be sitting on a gold chair instead of the cold, hard ground.
Once upon a time, these privileged people bowed in her presence, and none of them would look her in the eyes so obviously.
Once upon a time, she wore a crown on her head instead of a collar around her neck.