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¬Amolet

I let that information settle on my shoulders, the weight of it nearly pushing my head under the water.

Part of me wants to burst out in laughter at the absurdity of the claim, but although Sinful looks amused, he's not joking around. My smile falters on my lips. It seems like such a far away notion, something so ridiculous there is no point delving into what it could mean were it true. Yet for a moment, I just linger in the water, letting the cold fingers of dread wrap themselves around my throat, gripping tightly to the point I can hardly breathe.

"How do I know you're not messing with me?" I breathe, grasping the cool edge of the poolside, wondering if I should drag myself out of the water so I don't drown with shock.

If anyone were to know if there was a deeper connection between Cian and I, it would be Sinful. He's Lust, and could sense there was more between Lev and I then I would have liked to divulge, so why wouldn't he know that Cian and I could be mates? But he is also an immortal, and cunning, and could be lying to me for either his amusement, or for his own gain...whatever that may be.

"What would I have to gain from that?" he shrugs, grinning widely, tapping the toe of his shoe in a puddle of water at the edge of the pool. "Personally I'm sad my brother has been paired with yet another mortal. How cruel is this world?"

I brush that off, pulling myself out of the pool, too distracted to worry about my lack of clothing.. "You're Lust...This probably amuses you."

"Oh, it definitely does," he confirms, offering his hand out to me, but I don't take it, pulling myself into a standing position myself. My legs quiver, threatening to give out, the overwhelming news leaving me to nearly forget how to function properly. "But I'm not lying. This is merely an assumption, remember?"

"Why do you think Cian and I are mates?" I ask gently.

I'm not going to stand here and deny that there is a connection between Cian and I, but I just attributed it to the fact that he is immortal, and how an alluring amount of power behind him. But what if there is more to that connection? What if we really are mates, destined to be together forever? I don't even want to contemplate my own mortality in comparison to his immortality...not yet, anyway.

"The fact that he is even willing to give a mortal girl protection, or any attention for that matter," he says, a towel appearing out of nowhere that he hands to me. I reluctantly take it, wrapping it around myself, bristling at his brutally honest words. "He should have discarded of you by now, yet for some reason, he sees worth in you. If you ask me, that doesn't make any sense."

I screw my nose up at his words, wishing he didn't feel so inclined to be honest like this when he doesn't need to be. I should be angry at him right now for telling me that Cian is my mate, as now it's my burden to carry, and there would have been a point where Cian and I touched and would have found out naturally.

"I really don't like you," I mutter, brushing past him.

"I'm doing you a favour," he comments, knowing full well what he has done. I roll my eyes, walking out of the pool room, feet padding against the marble flooring. "Go see for yourself."

I whirl around. "I can't do that..."

"Scared?" Sinful asks.

Narrowing my eyes, I curse under my breath, wishing I knew something about Sinful that I could use against him. But I know nothing about the immortal, or even his mate, who obviously isn't here right now. I would ask about them, but I don't want to risk upsetting Sinful to the point he decides he's bored of me and kills me on the spot.

"Yes...I mean he's a Sin," I say, knowing that's only one of the issues I have with this entire situation. "I can't be mated to an immortal, that doesn't make any sense. I mean, I feel connected to him, but I thought it was because he's a pureblood."

This complicates everything. Not only is he immortal and I'm mortal, but we are meant to be on a mission to rid the world of Stace and Noah, not realise we are mates. Then there's the chance that he will reject me, that he will laugh if I tell him because he just lost his mate, who may very well be dead right now. What if he isn't over her? What if the thought of being with me right now isn't what he wants?

I go to close my eyes, but Sinful steps forward, grabbing a hold of my shoulders tightly. "Do you feel connected to me?"

"No, of course not," I stutter, pushing away from him, refusing to get caught amongst his lavender eyes.

"Exactly." he notes, raising a brow. I shudder, knowing he is right, I'm just not ready to admit it to myself right. The connection I've felt with Cian isn't like anything I have felt with anyone, including Lev. "You should be asking yourself why he is so connected to you, Amolet."

Was that bond what drew me to his cell that night in the first place?

"Do you think he knows?" I whisper. If he knows, that would mean so many things. For one, it would mean he isn't ready for another relationship, another mate...

Sinful shakes his head. "Nope."

"Then I should keep it to myself," I say, looking down at the floor where water drips from me, gathering in a puddle. It would ruin everything, to tell him when we should be concentrating on this mission. Yet can I really hold it in, avoid touching him for as long as it takes to be done with Stace and Noah?

"I wouldn't recommend that," Sinful winces. Thankfully I don't get the feeling he would tell Cian. He told me instead of his brother because he wants to see how things play out, for his own amusement. "It would just complicate things."

"I'm going to go to sleep now," I say suddenly, turning around toward the staircase. "Goodnight Sinful."

I can practically hear the smile in his words as I rush up the stairs. "Goodnight Amolet, and good luck."

***

I go straight to my room, closing the door tightly behind me.

For a long while, I just pace back and forth, knowing there's no chance of me delving into my bed sheets right now, even if it's getting later into the night. After a while, I chose to bathe, trying not to think about Cian in the next room, or the words Sinful said to me. INstead, I think of Lev, of what I'm going to do about what is happening between us. I need to let him down kindly, tell him there is no chance between us, and maybe one day soon he will find his own mate.

After my bath, and a little more staring vacantly at my bed, I decide there is only one thing to do: go talk to Cian.

Slipping from my room, I stalk softly down the hallway to his bedroom, silently praying I'm not about to rouse him from sleep. Do immortals even need to sleep? I doubt a lack of it would cause him any harm.

I knock on the door, wishing it didn't echo loudly down the hallway.

Silence, for a long, painful moment. I go to turn away, to walk back to my room in shame and accept I'm not going to sleep tonight, but the door opens, pulling my attention back to Cian, who stands there, staring down at me. He hasn't changed, meaning he hasn't slept, although his hair is mussed, dark strands muddled amongst his golden roots. He frowns at the sight of me, gaze sweeping up and down my person as if he is worried about my safety.

"Amolet...Is everything okay?" he asks, voice rough and tired sounding.

I blink, pulling myself out of my frozen state, trying not to think about the fact that my mate may be standing in front of me, and he has no idea. "Yes, I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"Would you like to come into my room to talk?" he offers, stepping back, motioning for me to enter the dark room. I stare in, unsure of this is the best conversation to have in the shadows of the night, let alone in his room, likely on his bed...

"I feel like Sinful can hear us wherever we go in this house," I note apprehensively. I don't bother noting that Sinful already knows what the subject of our conversation is, but if he can hear us from wherever he is, I wouldn't want him to be privy to what I'm planning on saying anyway.

"You're probably right." He steps from the room, closing the door behind him. Holding out his hand, he quirks a brow, making it apparent he's going to transport us far away. "Here."

I stare at his bare palm, shuddering. "Uh, I'll just hold your arm."

He doesn't question it, allowing me to grab the sleeve of his shirt, as the world begins to dissolves around us.

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Sophie_Midika

Midikacrane

~Midika 💜🐼