Shaking, I sat in Yaru's car, Edward by my side. Neither of us spoke. There was nothing to say. I waited For Yaru. For some understanding of what had just happened.

Eventually Yaru appeared, hurrying from the building. Without a word, he got into the car and sat down. His face, normally completely impassive, was set, his eyes saddened by something.

"What?" I croaked out, my voice able to manage nothing more.

"You had a husband. In your profile. These things aren't normally made public unless a resurrected wishes them to be, but of course, given the involvement Tomichii and Kioshi had in your healing..."

"They accessed her records?" Edward said, his anger evident.

Yaru nodded.

"So they know I'm not a virgin?" I asked. "Is that what this is all about?"

"I'm afraid so, my dear."

"I haven't mentioned my husband to anyone. How could anyone have known to even look?"

"Well," Yaru paused. "I believe that might have been Bernice..."

"But there's no way to confirm it." I put my head in my hands. I was ruined.

"Who else would have the ability to make the accusation with any confidence? I believe it started with the suggestion that Daniel paid to have you repaired in that manner."

"Bernice didn't look happy when Tomichii and Kioshi made such a fuss over me earlier. And she's been undermining me since I arrived in the court."

I sighed. I'd put so much effort in, found people I was not only attracted to, but genuinely liked, and Bernice had stolen it all from me with a single comment. But the worst part about it was that, technically, I had lied. I wasn't a virgin. She'd done nothing but point out a secret of mine.

"Well, it looks like she's got her way. She's ruined me, hasn't she?" I looked to Yaru, a small part of me still hoping it might not be true. That he had some way of undoing it.

"I'm afraid it's far worse than that, my dear. If Daniel covered up your husband, what else has he covered up? How many of his other courtesans were sold as virgins when they weren't? The whole court could go down for this."

"All of us? Then why on earth did Bernice do this?"

"Foolish jealousy. Doubt she thought about the whole consequences," Edward growled.

I shook. If Daniel's whole court was at risk too, I knew that meant Yaru and Edward were in trouble as well.

"What will happen to us all if we can't fix this somehow?"

"Daniel will be forced to sell you and the other courtesans. And anyone in the court who people think might have known the truth will never work again. No one would hire us."

If I'd been worried before, this brought it to a whole new level. My stomach churned. Could Bernice have really been so stupid? There had to be a way to put it right, but how? How could it be done?

"What are our options?"

"We might be able to bribe Tomichii and Kioshi to keep quiet. The other courtesans won't, but it might lend you enough credibility to continue on," Yaru said, but it was obvious he hadn't much hope it would work.

"Kioshi won't take a bribe," I replied. No, I would have to think of something.

We lapsed into silence, the car ride tense while I thought of what I might need to do to fix this mess. I tried not to think of Bernice, or the way Tomichii had looked at me. One filled me with anger, the other made my chest hurt, my heart broken. Daniel and Yaru had both warned me not to let myself develop feelings, but I evidently had.

Somehow, I had to regain my reputation.

***

"We're going to have to tell Daniel," Yaru said barely above a whisper as he got out of the car with me. I nodded, deciding to get the inevitable over and done with as soon as possible, but we were barely inside, Edward excusing himself near the front door, when Daniel appeared. His fists were clenched and his jaw firmly shut. His eyes met mine.

I gulped.

He knew.

"Come," he said.

I nodded, not daring to speak just yet. But instead of leading me to his office where I expected him to take me, he walked into the court, many of the courtesans already there, huddled together at the far end.

We'd been there only a few seconds when the front door opened, admitting the rest of the courtesans, including Bernice. Her wide eyes went straight to Daniel, her body shaking. She was scared, already knowing that what she'd done had damaged more than just my reputation.

"Most of you are probably aware already, but this evening, one of you spread a malicious rumour. No doubt out of jealousy or spite. This rumour did its work quickly, but was far more reaching than you have realised. Already I have had over thirty calls, messages and requests for clarification regarding the pureness of many of your unveilings, not just the legitimacy of Auralia's."

There were gasps from the other courtesans, the true damage sinking in. I watched Bernice as tears sprang to her eyes.

"I want to know who did this. And I want to know now." Daniel spoke with a clear tone, his words even, almost calm. But it was a false calm. If Bernice came forward she was going to face a wrath even I couldn't imagine, and she knew it, the tears flowing fast down her white face.

Before I truly knew what I was doing, I stepped forward.

"I did it." I paused, letting everyone gasp and react just enough to have silence again. "It was an accident, of course. I was talking of the past. It slipped out."

"You..." Daniel turned on me, his anger exploding. He rushed at me, hand raised as if to strike. I didn't move. Couldn't, fear rooting me to the spot. But before he could hit me, Edward was there, and Mhairi, moving faster than I'd have thought possible.

Edward grabbed his arm, wrestling it back, while Mhairi slid herself in between, covering me with her own body.

"Think, Daniel. Think. You know what happens to sponsors who hurt their courtesans," Edward said, barely able to stop Daniel. At first my sponsor growled, pushing forward again.

"Don't do to her what another did to me," Mhairi added.

This seemed to reach him. He lowered his arm and stopped fighting against Edward to get to me. I exhaled, feeling my body relax. I shivered, but otherwise I did my best to appear calm.

"Beating her isn't going to get our money back." Yaru, as calm as ever, ushered Mhairi to one side and patted Edward on the shoulder, finishing off the last of Daniel's resistance.

"Then how exactly do you propose we fix this?" he demanded, his eyes full of hate as he looked at me.

"I can fix it," I said, only half sure I could. "Tomorrow. Once everyone has had sleep and has a more level head."

Daniel studied me, almost as if he wasn't convinced, but eventually he nodded. Now no one stood between us he came up closer. I tensed again, but I held my ground. I needed him to believe me. If I had any chance of putting this right, I needed to be able to start by convincing him I could.

"You had better. Because if it comes down to it, I will throw you to the wolves rather than lose my court and my reputation."

He stormed off, leaving a silence and a stillness so complete I could hear my heart hammering in my chest.

Slowly Bernice came forward, shuffling her feet, an occasional tear still trickling down her face.

"Why? Why did you take the blame?"

"Because it doesn't actually matter who did it," I replied.

"The results are the same," Mhairi added. "We're all tainted if this can't be fixed. And we're all in danger. Daniel has put so much money into Auralia, if we can't all convince the companions we're innocent of any wrongdoing we're all going to be sold."

"Mhairi is right," Yaru said, sadness slowing his words. "You're going to all need to work harder than ever, and work together."

I nodded. "And then, when I break the record for the most earned at an unveiling, Daniel can forgive me and move on, instead of only being relieved and still hating one of you. With him thinking it was me, I can put everything right."

"Thank you," Bernice whispered.

"That's a great sentiment, princess, but how exactly do you plan on fixing this? You need to earn more than ever, but no one will come to a questionable unveiling." Edward came closer, a pained look on his face.

"She's going to lie," Yaru replied for me. "As convincingly as she did just now."

"We all are." I held firm, no longer shaking, sounding far more confident than I felt.

Bernice nodded, and turned away. This seemed to break the tension in the room, and almost immediately each courtesan retreated, heading for their rooms, until I stood with Yaru, Edward and Mhairi. Now I no longer had to appear calm and strong, my body shook again, but somewhere on the inside I found I did feel at peace. I'd just lied and got away with it. Perhaps I could do this.

"Well played, my dear. Well played." Yaru took my hand and patted it. "You've won the entire court over with that move. They'll have your back until the end of time."

"It was your idea," I retorted, somehow managing to give him the smallest of smirks. "You told me to find a way to get everyone to treat me like an equal."

"Yes. I believe I did."

"Well, now they will. All of them."

"And all the guards too, when I tell them what's been going on, princess." Edward shook his head as he turned to walk away. Yaru went to go with him.

"I need both of you back here as soon as is decent tomorrow," I called, making it clear it wasn't a request, but a command.

"As you wish, my dear," Yaru replied.

I watched him go, already thinking about how I'd tackle the morning. The beginning of an idea was already stirring in my head.

"Come, we should sleep," Mhairi said, taking my arm. I let her guide me to our room, only noticing she also shook a little when we were behind a shut door.

"Thank you," I whispered when she turned out the light and lay down beside me. "After everything that's happened to you, getting between Daniel and me like that was very brave."

"I couldn't let him hurt you, not after you being so brave. And you're right, we're all in this together now."

"No matter what happens, we'll be brave together." I slid my hand under the cover until I found hers, gently entwining my fingers with hers.

"Together," she whispered back before settling down to sleep.

I lay there a long time, eyes wide open as I thought through what had happened, and how I was going to fix it.

In the morning I had a job to do.