Above the Winter Skies [English Version]

4

"You're joking," I gasped as I watched Nova slither up and down a narrow pole like a snake. "That's what they want to see? I'll never be able to do that!" I felt dizzy just watching her.

She hung upside down about a meter above the ground, her leg gracefully wrapped around the pole, and grinned at me through the curtain of hair falling into her face. "Don't worry, you don't have to do this." She elegantly swung herself back up and then landed softly on the parquet floor with a little hop. "I just wanted to show off a bit." Her grin widened.

I made a face. She had brought me to the hall where the evening performances were to take place. A stage stood at the end of the room, hidden behind a heavy red curtain, behind which we now were. On this stage, there was nothing but this dangerous pole that I could never dance on. Just attempting it would break all my bones.

Behind the curtain, on the other side, dozens of chairs and tables were set up, and there was also a bar. Tonight, our audience would sit there, the curtain would be wide open, and the spotlights would shine on me—on me and my naked body. The thought of it triggered sheer panic in me, so I tried to push it away. Nova's little show just now hadn't helped to calm me down.

"You said you wanted to take away my fear," I whined, burying my face in my hands.

She laughed. "Don't worry, Malia and I are the only ones who can pole dance. I swear, most don't do anything special at all. I mean, except for Nuria..." She giggled.

"Why? What does Nuria do?"

"Not important," she waved it off, "you'll see eventually. Don't worry, it's not a big deal. Honestly, I think the Seraphim don't even care much about my show. They just come to see naked skin. You'll go to the dressing room later, pick out a nice outfit, then come up here, sway your hips a little, and strip. That's all."

"You said most don't do anything special... How many women dance here?"

"There are twelve of us," Nova explained. "You'll meet the others in the dressing room tonight. They're all nice, but it's best to stay away from Avah, she's a bit... difficult. The show starts at eight and ends at two. Everyone gets half an hour on stage."

"Half an hour!" I blurted out. That was nothing. I hadn't looked at my contract yet, but during our conversation in the tavern, Cassiel mentioned six hours a day, which now confused me.

"Isn't that too little? Half an hour of work a day, and I get to live and eat here for free for weeks?" I couldn't believe it. Yes, I had to undress and yes, it would take a lot of courage, but I was sure I would get used to it. I had gotten used to much worse things.

Nova grinned, but she looked a bit embarrassed. "Well, not quite..." she said. "You're on stage for half an hour. But your shift is six hours long."

"What happens the rest of the time?"

"The women who aren't dancing work downstairs. Either at the bar or in the private rooms."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you serve the guests before and after your show," Nova explained. "Either you pour them wine and serve them at the tables, or you're booked privately by a Seraph. That's what the private rooms are for, see?" She pulled the velvet curtain aside a little and pointed to the small alcoves on either side of the hall, tiny rooms with small sofas in them, which could also be closed off with curtains.

I almost choked on my own spit. "What? In there I have to... do what? What does privately booked mean?" My heart skipped a beat.

Nova put her hand on my arm. "Don't worry, Lumi," she said calmly. "It's not a big deal. Just look at your contract, everything is laid out there. The Seraphim aren't allowed to touch you. A private booking just means you do a little personal performance for a guest, that's all. They last half an hour, then you can go back outside."