> Daugaard’s famous painting shows the goddesses Iah and Elyon as one being, bodies melding into each other into a harmonious and graceful whole.

> ―Henrik Rorbye, “Modern Art: A Century of Change”

Israfel

“I hope you like it,” said Magnus Kraej. He’d kept mostly silent throughout the tour, letting the butler do the talking. The only time he’d spoken up was to point out a portrait in the music room that he said was a Daugaard. “What do you think?”

“It’s a little too much,” said Asteria.

“You could have had the entire building,” said Kraej.

Really? The entire building? What had Asteria done for the Kraej? Nothing short of conquering a continent would explain that.

“What do you think?” Asteria asked Oren, Katja, and me.

“Amazing!” said Katja. She’d been shocked speechless by the sheer opulence of the apartment at first, but she’d recovered enough to squeal at the pool and gym.

“Much better than your old apartment,” said Oren. He looked uneasy, but even he had loosened quite a bit.

“At least it won’t be too cold in winter,” I said.

“This place is too big for one woman to manage,” said Asteria.

She was catching on.

“Why would you be managing this place alone? I have the perfect staff here for you,” said Magnus. “There are eleven people, including an excellent chef. You don’t need to worry about the upkeep or staff. I'll take care of it.”

Translation: The staff are all in my pocket. And so are you.

Seeing that it was hopeless to protest, Asteria turned to embrace Katja. “You’ll stay here with me, right?”

Katja patted Asteria’s head. “Sure, at least for tonight. I’d love to use the pool.”

“You, too, right? Oren? Israfel?”

“I didn’t bring my swimsuit,” I said.

“I don’t know how to swim,” said Oren.

“What?” Asteria and I chorused at the same time.

Magnus Kraej chuckled and gestured to one of the staff. “They’ll get swimsuits for you. A swimming instructor, too, if you want one.”

A Kraej only needs to wave his hand to be given everything, huh? Must be nice.

“I have to go. Enjoy yourselves,” said Kraej. As if on cue, Lifers entered the room and deposited boxes into the living room.

“What’s this?” asked Asteria.

“These are your things from your apartment. You won’t need to go back to East Thuesen again,” said Kraej.

“Magnus!” said Asteria. She followed him out. I could hear them talking at first, but they soon moved out of earshot. The Lifers definitely knew how good an EL’s enhanced hearing was.

When Asteria came back, she was frowning. “Did you know that they arrested a serial rapist near my apartment?”

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“Yes, it’s all over the news,” said Katja.

“Magnus said I shouldn’t go back,” said Asteria. “I did manage to talk him out of giving me this apartment though. He’ll send his staff to bring me to a much smaller one in a safer location that I can manage by myself.”

That was a surprise. I could have sworn Kraej wanted her under his thumb.

“Do you need us to help you move?” asked Oren, eyeing the boxes the Lifers had brought in.

“No, because It will take a few days before the other apartment is ready. I promised to stay here in the meantime. Did I tell you I got a new job?”

“What job? When do you start?” asked Katja.

Asteria told us all about her new job as a junior administrative coordinator at a charity. She must have gotten a plum position like that through her connection to Sariel or the Kraej. It sounded like her salary was going to be much higher than the cafe job, and a lot of travel was involved.

“Why don’t we relax and use the pool now? Let me check the swimsuits they brought,” said Asteria. She and Katja went to a room to change while the Lifers gave me and Oren a choice of board shorts or swim trunks. We changed in the guest bathroom at the pool.

The girls finished changing in a surprisingly short time. Katja looked great in a string bikini. Too bad my girlfriend couldn’t join us. She was taller, fitter, and had bigger boobs. Asteria, for some reason, was wearing a rash guard and board shorts. I wouldn’t have thought she was the shy type.

Katja jokingly catcalled me and Oren. “Nice abs!”

Asteria hid behind Katja. “Shh, don’t talk to Israfel like that.”

“Why?” asked Katja.

“He’s someone else’s property,” said Asteria.

“You mean that girlfriend no one’s ever seen? The one whose name he won’t tell us? I’m not sure she really exists,” said Oren.

“She exists. You’re right, Asteria. She’s a jealous woman.” I smiled. “Stop ogling me.”

“No one was ogling you,” said Katja.

We took towels from the staff and went to the heated indoor saltwater pool.

“Oh, yes! I could get used to this,” said Katja as she took her drink from the silver tray one of the staff was holding out to her.

“You guys should stay here with me for a few days before I move,” said Asteria.

“I have to go back to the barracks by curfew tonight,” said Oren.

“I could stay,” I said. “You girls need a big, strong man to protect you.”

“Why don’t you invite your girlfriend to come over, too? There’s plenty of room,” said Asteria.

“Nah, she’s too busy to even see me today,” I said.

Katja agreed to stay with Asteria for the time being. Oren and I would leave after dinner. In the meantime, we relaxed at the pool. Oren didn’t know how to swim so I taught him the basics. He was a fast learner, but he needed more practice. Asteria suggested we use the pool for the next few days when we had time.

We were munching on snacks and drinking cocktails when Asteria, who had been looking pensive, suddenly slapped her palm on her forehead and said, “What the hell! I’ve been played!”

I laughed. Of course, she had. That’s what happens when a little girl like Asteria tangled with someone like Magnus Kraej.

“What do you mean?” asked Oren.

“I’ve been wondering why Magnus gave in. He used The Donald,” said Asteria. “I can’t believe I didn’t realize it until now.”

“What the heck is the Donald?” I asked.

“The Donald is a strategy people use to make something unpalatable more acceptable by giving them something worse first,” said Asteria.

“What?” asked Katja. Oren was scratching his head.

“Okay, it’s like this. Pretend there’s a boy or girl you want to marry but you know your parents would never accept that person. Maybe they’re too old, too poor, or have a bad reputation. What you do is to bring in The Donald first. The Donald is someone or something outrageously bad. Your parents, of course, will be horrified and force you to break it off with The Donald.”

“Oh, I see,” said Katja. “Then they’ll be happy when you introduce your real partner.”

“Yes! Your parents will be more than happy for you to marry your boyfriend since it could be worse. It could be The Donald,” said Asteria.

“And this apartment is the Donald,” said Oren.

“I've been played,” said Asteria again. She shook her head and sighed. “Magnus has been trying to get me to move into a better apartment for months, but I never accepted until now.”

I clicked my tongue.

“It could be worse,” said Oren.

“How?” asked Asteria.

“Seraph could be back,” said Oren.

“He said he’d be back today, actually,” said Asteria.

Good goddess, there’ll be a bloodbath when Seraph finds out that Magnus Kraej secreted little Asteria in his love nest.

“What? Maybe you should hide or something,” said Katja.

“Hide? Why would I hide? I’ll call him later and invite him to dinner with us. Sariel and Uriel, too,” said Asteria.

We gaped at her.

Could it be true that she and Seraph really were just platonic friends? Was she aiming for Oren like I thought she was? None of it made sense.

Women, who can understand them?

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[https://i.imgur.com/bnLEfe5.jpg]

Asteria: I'm not yandere. This is a healing knife, I promise!