~Alaya
“You need to look innocent, so if he does catch you, then you have an excuse saying you simply wandered into his quarters by accident.”
The look I’m giving Asher isn’t easy to sum up into words. His plan involves me somehow making ig it into Sinful’s room undetected, which apparently Asher has never been able to achieve. I’ve sported the same expression all through lunch, which luckily wasn’t questioned. It’s one of utter disbelief, with a touch of fear.
Asher is insane. That’s my conclusion.
Now we stand in my room, with me wearing the most ridiculous dress. It’s soft, pretty and the same lavender colour as Sinful’s eyes yesterday. Apparently it makes me look innocent, with the flowy skirt that comes out from a small band that wraps tightly around my waist. If I had eaten a bite more at lunch, I doubt I would be fitting in this right now.
“I still don’t understand,” I exclaim, folding my arms over my chest. My breasts slightly show over the top of the fabric. “There is clearly more risk than reward here.”
“We know little of what Sinful likes, or typically fills his time with, when he isn’t working,” Asher says firmly, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. As curious as I am to find this out, there is no use being found in his room. I have no choice though, it seems. Asher needs this for the mission, to give information back to Fate and Aspen.
And it will help me, no doubt.
“And if I get caught? What if he sends me off?” I question. Sinful is out right now, apparently dealing with business in a nearby village that Asher didn’t need to cover. According to Asher, it gives us a perfect amount of time to get this done.
“He won’t, trust me.”
I give him a deadpan look. “I thought we have been through this, you haven’t given me any reason to trust you-”
He takes a step forward, which ceases my talking. His proximity is not wanted, however, I’m not about to take a step back. The fresh, jasmine scent surrounds me; a scent I don’t think I will ever forget. Everytime he steps forward, I’m able to see a little more into his eyes, each time I gaze closer, I notice a difference fiery golden streak around his pupil. It’s an enchanting sight.
“There may be many things I don’t yet understand about Sinful, but I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Already. I don’t know how you managed it, but he cares for you now. You’re like his little project,” Asher says softly.
I frown. “I haven’t even tried. If it’s working so well, then why try find out more? Why try fit me in with Sinful, make me seem just like him.”
“He likes himself. This way, he will find more room for you,” Asher reminds me.
A dark part of me feels bad about this entire plan. Not just that I’m violating his personal space, but because he hasn’t given me a reason to do this. Not only haven’t I seen or witnessed what everyone has told me, but I haven’t felt it either. I don’t say that though. Asher doesn’t believe I can do this as it is, and I need to get back to my old life.
“Fine, but you’re keeping look out for when he returns,” I mutter, brushing past him. He snags my dress sleeve, getting my attention.
“Thank you,” he breathes, “for doing this.”
Then he walked away, without waiting for me to respond. I’m not sure I could anyway. When I look at him, I don’t know how to react. The cold, distant man whose personality lives somewhere on the Moon was gone for a single moment. I had glimpsed through a crack, seeing someone else for a second. It leaves me breathless, although I refuse to react with anymore that an exhale.
I make my own way up to Sinful’s Quarters. Asher assured me earlier that all the invisible servants will be away by now, doing their own things. He knows they haven’t gained enough trust in me to not spill everything to Sinful the moment they had the chance.
When I make it to the familiar lounge area Asher had introduced me to earlier, I pause. There are multiple corridors leading off in various directions. Asher never alerted me of which one would lead to Sinful’s bedroom.
If I was him, I would have my room down the middle hallway, so I take that one.
It’s lit brilliantly above my head, each light admitting a pleasant billow of heat from each. I keep walking, following the dark carpet as it leads me down the straight corridor. Luckily, I don’t walk very far before it opens right up into a room.
Sinful’s room.
I don’t step past the threshold, wary of what might happen. I can see enough from this angle anyway. The first thing I see is a large double bed. Last time I heard, immortals don’t need sleep, so seeing this makes me a little wary.
I drag my gaze from that, and back around the room. Wide-set glass double doors give a perfect view over the side of the mountain, showing off the lights from multiple settlements in the distance. In the darkness of the day here, it looks magnificent, like nothing I could ever imagine. From this vantage point, the moonlight on the horizon even illuminates the mountains that protect that inside of the territory.
I glance down at my feet, wondering whether I should step in or not.
Really, I have no other choice, so taking a deep breath, I take a wary step into the Sinful’s private world, letting it draw itself around me.
It’s not very climactic, if I’m honest. His room is awfully normal, which is interesting, considering Asher words to me earlier. He informed me that Sinful is very private, and spends a lot of his time in here. Doing what, I’m not too sure of, until I turn around.
There is an impressive sized piano behind me, which is larger than what I’ve seen before, the keys glinting under the moonlight streaming through the window. I’m tempted to reach out and touch them, but I stop myself. Who knows what sound it makes, and right now, I can’t risk having anyone hearing anything up here.
Does Sinful play this thing? If so, I’m suddenly desperate to hear.
The Piano is the first hint to what he is into. Music. I make a mental reminder to bring it up sometime subtly when I’m around him. I used to play a little when I was younger, before my father passed away, although I’m not sure how good I would be now.
Continuing to walk around, I make note of what else I see. Paintings on the wall, marked with various different painters signatures in the corner. He likes art too, which isn’t very surprising. He seems like the kind of man to have a taste in trivial things like that. Maybe I could bring it up, but I have no idea how. I don’t know a thing about art or artists.
I try my best to avoid touching anything in the room. The idea of him being able to tell that I’ve ruffled his belongings sticks to the back of my mind.
He doesn’t have much else in his room. Only a bed, the piano, and the artwork. For a moment I just stand in the middle of the room, which frustrated me. How am I supposed to connect to a man who is interested in very little. I just take one last glance toward the piano, knowing that is my only chance with him, before I quickly leave back down the corridor, my footsteps light but quick.
I only breathe when I’m far from his room, back to near the pool.
Asher walks out from around a corner, just as I did. I stumble back a bit, while he remains steady, raising his eyebrow expectantly. “Anything?”
I place my finger against my lips, trying my best not to spill the information I have found out. If Sinful catches on that his best buddy Asher knows something new about him, he will get even more suspicious.
Asher seems to catch on. “Do I look I’m about to let him know anything?”
“It’s not just that,” I insist, starting to walk toward my bedroom. “It needs to seem personal. And plus, I have an idea of how I’m going to bring this up to him, and I don’t want you in my head when I’m discussing it with him.
Asher walks in stride with me.
“So you’re telling me that suddenly, I can’t know this obviously important information that will help you get out of here sooner?” he says in disbelief. I take a small amount of enjoyment in seeing another unfamiliar expression on his face. I’m not used to these.
“This information that I have won’t help you in anyway,” I tell him flatly. Honestly, I have no idea how knowing Sinful’s taste in art, or knowing how he owns a piano is going to get me out of here.
Asher might not like it, but quite frankly, I might be our only hope of getting this done, and I’m not about to ruin that.
“You are rather frustrating sometimes,” Asher remarks, to which I chuckle at.
“Are you sure you’re not looking in the mirror?’
Asher decides to stop following me at that point. I’m going up to my room before Sinful gets back, which I assume he’s aware of. I need a break from irritating males before dinner. Lunch was bad enough, listening to the boring talk of both the leaders, before Sinful decided to question me. Sadly, I’ve gotten quite good at the fabrication of this plan.
Tomorrow, I’m kicking it into full gear. Sinful will be distracted enough by me so that Asher and his team can get the rest done.
I make it to my room quickly, stepping through the door. Maybe I’ll go for a swim…
Before I make it it to the bathroom, I notice someone sitting on my bed. Sinful. He sits there, regarding me with the softest hint of a smile on his face. All the air in my lungs suddenly expels, and I’m left not knowing how to react.
“Hello Alaya,” he says softly. “I’m just returning the favour.”