Page 18 of Born for Silk

I will be fine.

A single tear slides down my cheek.

Chapter Three

Aster

Anyone around bullies enough, starts to develop a kind of harm gauge. A protective measure.

What will it be today?

Snide comments? A fistful of food thrown at my dress? A foot that slides out at the perfect moment and brings me to the floor? An elbow to the face?

What today, Iris?

In the weeks that followed that day at the pond, four Silk Girls from the house, including Lavender, were sent to placements across The Cradle to start their Meaningful Purpose.

It’s not meant to be sad, but they just leave.

And it makes me wonder…

What’s it like?

On the other side?

I may see them again when—or rather, if—we become Sired Mothers one day. We’ll be older then. Maybe time will change them. Maybe some of them will want to be friends.

And I’ll forgive them.

Feeling heat slide along my left cheek, I scan the quadrangle’s ancient brick and stone boundary walls to find Iris’s gaze setting my skin ablaze.

She is standing beside the Silk Wardeness.

Why does she hate me? Because she believes that I’m truly Fur Born? Is she that much of an elitist?

I stare back at her, reading the intent today.

My gauge shudders beneath the telling leer, until our Wardeness grabs her elbow and walks her… straight toward me?

I step backward a few paces before finding my spine, locking it into a defensive rod.

I stand still.

“Aster.” Wardeness stops in front of me, her fingers still clutching Iris’s elbow. “Show her what you have, Iris.”

I blink at Iris, and she pulls out my stained knickers from her satchel.

What the f-word?

“I don’t know what that is,” I say far too quickly. Most of the blood washed out in the pond, but the white fabric has splotches of pink, evident staining from something red.

“I think you do,” Wardeness presses.

“They are not mine,” I lie.

“They are. I would know. I got them for you.”

“I bled. I had my bleed. I was embarrassed. It was weeks ago. I forgot all about?—”