With the misted glass no longer obscuring my vision, I finally got a full view of Zerava.

  A catgirl. Zerava was literally a walking, talking catgirl, straight out of a Japanese anime.

  She had two fluffy black cat ears that poked up behind her short dark blue hair, and a long feline tail that flicked around as if it had a mind of its own. Her heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one pink, reminded me of cotton candy as they studied me with curiosity.

  She wore waist-high jeans and a black fluffy jacket that didn’t quite cover her midriff as well as laced leather boots.

  It was impossible not to notice the sleek pistol she wore on her hip as she thumbed it absentmindedly. She had to be part of the security here if she was armed. Or was being armed all the time just a thing here as well?

  The questions I had seemed to keep on piling up. Maybe I should start keeping a list.

  “Well, come on then! No time like the present, kiddo!” She spun around with a wide grin and slipped an arm under mine. I nodded and leaned into her as she moved forward, her tail flicking around with barely contained energy.

  Our footsteps echoed through the halls as we left behind the sterile blue glow of the medical bay. We retraced the path Valerie and I had taken earlier before turning and climbing a flight of stairs. This level looked visually the same as what I saw on the lower floor, but there was something unnerving that I couldn’t quite place.

  The air wasn’t as thick with perfume, but beneath it lingered the scent of burning wood and a faint metallic tang of old coins. The walls gradually changed from the crystal to rich cherry colored wood with cold paneling, giving it a more refined vibe. The lighting was more subtle as well, with warm glows coming from indirect wall lights mounted at equal lengths through the wide hall.

  The journey was slow, and I felt myself holding my breath as we stepped in front of a solid oak door with more gold trim. Whoever the designer was obviously had expensive tastes.

  “Alrighty! Here we are!” I winced at Zerava’s sudden outburst as she stopped, lifting her hand to knock on the heavy door. “You ready, kiddo?”

  I took a calming breath and nodded, I didn’t know what to expect. It’s not like I had any experience with deals like this in my past life; all I knew about contracts from Earth was that they were purposefully overcomplicated in order to confuse the signee.

  “Just remember to be polite, ‘kay?” she rapped twice on the heavy oak and waited.

  “Enter.”

  Zerava pushed the door open and helped me step inside. The room was immense, easily three times the size of the medical bay. Warm light pooled from the wall-mounted bulbs and a single antique lamp that stood on a vast wooden desk. The light cast long, almost sinister looking shadows across the office.

  Seated behind the desk was a huge human man. His wide shoulders and rippling muscles strained against an expensive looking suit with a glossy, blood-red tie. His scarred hand stroked a perfectly manicured beard that couldn’t quite hide a sinister smile full of gold teeth as he observed me with beady brown eyes. I would have mistaken him for an orc if not for his obviously human face.

  But what drew my attention was my sister. She was seated on a red leather sofa off to the side of the desk, dressed in a set of clothes nearly identical to mine, though hers fit her toned frame far better than they fit my slim body. She looked a bit pale and tired, but otherwise unharmed. But more importantly, a subtle sheen of gold was visible peaking out from the end of her sleeve.

  That must be her new arm. The gold was ironically fitting though, like it was symbolizing the price she had to pay for it.

  She noticed my gaze and met my eyes with a tired smile as I approached.

  “Ah, the missing piece,” Mr. Forester rumbled, his voice low and gruff. “It is quite rare to find a Drakanian girl that has fallen from grace and lived to tell the tale, much less two. Please, sit.” His beady brown eyes tracked my movements as Zerava helped me onto the sofa next to Valerie.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “You may return to your duties, Zerava.”

  “Gotcha, boss-man.” Zerava gave an unprofessional salute and almost danced out of the room, closing the door behind her with a solid click.

  “Now, on to business.” The large man steepled his fingers as he leaned his massive weight over the desk, causing it to creak in protest. “You may address me as Mr. Forester. As you have come here seeking the assistance of my fine establishment, I will assume you already know how we do business here.”

  He paused and waited until Valerie and I both gave a reluctant nod before continuing.

  “Excellent. Then let us move on to the debt you now owe.” Mr. Forester continued without a hint of empathy in his voice. “A full cybernetic arm replacement is not cheap, and the top of the line Drake-Tech Gold Series arm you now wield is no exception. Your debt, however, will not include the use of our facilities, which are free of charge for all Aether’s Flame staff. To summarize, you have accumulated a substantial debt to me and the Aether’s Flame.

  “But worry not, for I am a business man, not a monster.” The large man leaned back in his opulent chair and gave a wide, gold toothed grin as he continued. “Valerie has already signed the contract and is now a full employee of this establishment. She will work here as the debt she now owes is deducted from her pay until that debt is settled. I’ve prepared a place not far from here for you to rent during your stay, I’m sure you will find it satisfactory.” He reached into his desk, pulling out a glowing rectangular card and sliding it across to Valerie.

  “This card will open your new home as well as mark you as one of my employees. It should keep you safe on the streets. Most, if not all of the denizens of the Undercity, know better than to harm my business, though I would recommend caution nonetheless. There are still fools who are willing to test my patience.”

  Valerie nodded and reached for the card. The soft clink against her obsidian claws told me it was metal.

  “One more thing.” The huge man turned to me, a stern warning hidden in his refined gaze. “Miss Nyxia, while you are not currently an employee, your association with Miss Valerie will afford you some of my influence. I strongly recommend that you do not abuse it. That will be all.

  “Miss Valerie.” Mr. Forester turned away from me and locked on to my sister. “You are excused for the rest of the day while you settle in. I expect you back at 7:00 AM tomorrow morning. I hope you and your sister have a pleasant evening.”

  “Thank you sir.” Valerie gave a small bow and helped me rise from the sofa before guiding me to the door.

  ———

  “How’s your arm?” I asked with a bit of concern as I glanced at the gold appendage that was now a permanent addition to Valerie’s body.

  “It’s functional.” She said after a moments hesitation. “I would’ve preferred something more practical, though. This model isn’t bad, but it was made for the elite, who are more interested in showing off than practicality. The fact that he has a brand new model means that he probably has connections with the Ordon Corporation, and likely knows exactly who we are, meaning he could inform the Corporation that we survived.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?” I looked at Valerie with hope in my eyes. “Mother said that this was a misunderstanding. So she should be able to clear it up and come get us, right?”

  “It doesn’t work like that.” Valerie responded, shaking her head sadly. “You don’t remember, but Erasion Ordon and his family have always had it out for us. I doubt he would have made his move if he wasn’t completely sure of his success. Mother should be fine, but he will likely put her to work on his Magi-Tower research with no way to contact the outside.”

  “What’s that?”

  “The Magi-Towers? They’re said to be the Admin’s first gift to our world. They’re the conduits that channel magic through our bodies, allowing each and every one of us to use spells. Well, as long as we take the time to learn that is. Magic is really complicated though, so I only know some of the basics. And while I’m technically considered a mage, there are some out there that are so powerful they could destroy an entire battalion with a single spell or even regrow lost limbs.”

  The wonder in her voice when she spoke of magic was clear to hear. She must love magic and what it’s capable of.

  “From what I heard from dad," she continued, "Erasion Ordon wants to study the towers and make his own so that he and Ordon Corporation can control who is able to access it. I’m honestly surprised the Admin hasn’t stepped in yet.”

  I couldn’t help but raise my eyebrows at such an incredibly foolish sounding plan. Tampering with ancient towers that dealt with magic definitely wasn’t a good idea.

  Although, if he was messing with things beyond his understanding, maybe his research was what caused my situation. Something to look into, I guess.

  I looked down at my scaled arms and clawed fingers. I was already getting used to them, barely noticing how they felt different to my original body. I wondered if I’d eventually forget what it was like to be human.

  “This should be it.” Valerie spoke up, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts. We were in front of a tall apartment building that was surprisingly nondescript compared to the buildings surrounding it.

  “Well, let’s see if the card works.” Valerie sighed and held it up to the scanner in the center of the automatic glass door. They hissed open as it flashed green, allowing us entry.

  Valerie glanced at me, giving a comforting smile before pulling me inside.