1796

¬Amolet

The world artfully recreates itself around us the moment our feet touch the ground.

It's evident immediately that we are still in Sinful's Territory, mountains surrounding us from every angle. We are in a small village however, cobblestone streets stretching out before us, little shops and homes littered about under the starlight, lights glittering magically. Surprisingly, people are walking around, unbothered by the majestic mountains that rear up toward the sky, their master dwelling atop one of them.

Cian grasps my gloved hand, leading me down the street, following the path of pale moonlight that bathes stone. While he transported us, he also used magic to have a coat appear over my shoulders, a creamy scarf wrapped around my neck, thick gloves keeping away the bitter chill of the snowy night air. Down here, there is no magic to heat us.

I'm allowed only a moment to admire the spectacle unfolding around me before Cian leads me into a small restaurant, having to bow his head to enter.

People stare, some even brave enough to point at Cian, awed at being in a pure-bloods presence. I doubt a single passer-by has seen a pure-blood in person, and none will ever again. I would feel blessed to be in my position, until reality sinks into the depths of my stomach...

It's hard to feel anything other than numb when I realise I'm mated to a pure-blood.

"This place is very...intimate," I note quietly behind Cian as we are ushered to sit in a booth at the corner of the restaurant.

The room is small, pretty. Ivy curves up the exposed bricks walls from the inside, mingling with lights dotted about, all dim enough to cast a sultry glow across the room. I'm not sure how Cian knows of this place, but I don't question it. He dwarfs the place, head dipped until he is seated, his magic consuming the place, causing the few patrons to slide their gazes to us curiously, drinking in the sight of an unfamiliar girl sitting before the pure-blood.

Even if I were in danger, none of them would dare step forward.

Cian's dark eyes are still wary, unsure of why I pulled him away to a private location to speak. "No one will interrupt us here."

"I'm a bit worried about leaving Lev with Sinful," I note.

"No harm will come to him," he assures me, and I believe him. I'm starting to reform my idea that pure-bloods kill without mercy, just because they have the power to. Even though I don't doubt Cian would be capable of clicking his fingers and everyone would drop dead, I'm comforted by my internal knowledge that he wouldn't. "And I'll sense if he is in danger."

"What else can you do...As Greed?"

"My power is usually pulled from me by the Moon to be distributed to mortals. It happens to all my siblings, including the Virtues, and it keeps the world in balance," he explains, as if the notion of that isn't foreign to me. I've never had to be well-versed in magic, in the art of how the universe works with pure-bloods. "But I have powers of my own. I can transport myself and others anywhere I please, I can sense things and let's just say I'm stronger than the average immortal."

I swallow uncomfortably, looking down at my fingers knotted on my lap. "I believe you."

A waiter arrives and promptly takes our order, easing some of the tension floating around me. Any mention of his power makes me apprehensive, which I know he can sense. He pulls a red rose from the vase in the centre of the table, admiring it.

"What did you want to talk about, Akara?" he asks, looking at me as he dabs the damp stem on the napkin in front of him, fingers running along the satiny surface of the petal.

Tell him you're mates. Or at least reach out and grab his bare hand to confirm it for the both of you.

"Are you sad, losing your mate?" I ask instead.

"Of course. I was devastated when it happened. It was the reason I put myself in that facility to begin with, scared the fact that I'm Greed would make me do something I would regret." He looks pained for a moment, not bothering to hide it from me. I want to comfort him, but I'm not sure how. How does one come back from losing a mate, especially when it included rejection.

And now she is dead...

I watch his fingers skillfully pluck each petal from it's bud. "You wouldn't have..."

"Abella hated that about me," he breathes, jaw tensing as he fights to contain his emotions. I'm not even sure if he is able to cry, but if he was, this would be what he would cry about. "That I'm Greed. It made me hate myself even more."

I wince, closing my eyes for a moment.

With each passing day, I find myself less afraid of him. Even though I've known him for such a short time, I'm convinced Cian is not deserving of being rejected, especially not because of something he cannot change about himself. Being a pure-blood is what makes him him. And even if that scares me, I can handle it.

But can he? Can he handle finding out he has another mate already, when he is grieving another?

"Everything happens for a reason Cian. You will find your real mate one day," I assure him, torn between blurting it out to him that him and I may very possibly be mates, and keeping it to myself for a while longer...For my sake and his. It would complicate everything right now, especially this mission. And I don't think I could handle it if he rejected me because he is not ready for another mate so quickly.

Tears glittering in Cian's obsidian eyes. "I know. But what if she hates me too?"

"She won't." My heart aches. Now that I am aware we could be mates, it just seems so obvious. It's like I've been enlightened to the bond that tugs between us. "You don't have to believe me, but I promise."

"Was that what you wanted to speak about?" he asks gently.

"If you found your mate right now, what would you do?"

"I would take her somewhere remote where nothing bad can happen to her, like it probably happened to Abella," he admits with a shrug, my blood turning cold at his words. I figured he would be protective over his next mate, since what happened to Abella was tragic and complicated in so many ways, that he would do anything to ensure that was never repeated...but hearing it makes it so much more real.

"What about Stace and Noah?" I dare ask.

Cian looks contemplative, tilting his head back and forth in a way that has the golden roots of his hair shimmering under the dim lighting. "Maybe I would rid the world of them so it would be a safer place for my mate."

"I didn't pin you for the protective type," I joke, trying to lighten the mood, even though I don't even believe my words. He is immortal, with enough power to destroy the mortal world, why wouldn't he be protective over his mate? I imagine an immortals mortal mate would be the perfect target to be used to get to them.

I wince at the thought.

His stare pins me, so dark and endless, full of unanswered questions I can't bring myself to query. "Maybe you don't know me, Amolet."

No I don't.

The waiter appears at my side suddenly, carrying our food. "Maybe not...shall we eat?"

***

I couldn't bring myself to tell Cian. There are so many things I'm afraid of that I just can't bring myself to face just yet.

Cian brought me back to Sinful's estate without any more questions about why I demanded he take me away from Sinful's magical earshot, which I couldn't be more grateful for. After he wishes me goodnight, not bothering to hide his lingering stare, I remain in the hallway for a moment longer, staring into the emptiness of it, questioning every decision I have made up until now.

"Amolet...Can I talk to you?"

Flinching, I whirl around, seeing Lev in night clothes, blinking warily under the hallway light. He was just sleeping, since it must now be in the early hours of the morning at this point, having woken with the sound of Cian and I talking almost right outside his room.

"Of course. Is everything okay?" I ask, running a hand back through my hair as I smile weakly at him, trying not to give anything away.

"I just wanted to make sure you're doing okay," he murmurs, the warmth in his gaze wonderfully comforting. It's nice having him here, even though I know I should send him back. He would be in danger from Noah and Stace, I have to remind myself. "That immortal guy is kind of intimidating."

I blink. "Sinful?"

"No, Cian."

"He won't hurt you, I promise," I assure him gently. He shrugs, leaning against the doorway, looking down the hallway toward Cian's room. I know the immortal is listening, but does he? Even Sinful is probably tuning into this conversation wherever he is, enjoying it immensely, I imagine.

"I don't like the way he looks at you, like you're a temptation he can't keep his eyes off of," he comments sourly. With Cian probably listening, I can't tell him that I think that the immortal he is so scared of is likely my mate. How will Lev take that anyway? Will he decide he doesn't want to be my friend anymore?"

"Lev, you don't need to worry, I promise."

He steps forward. "We should talk soon, about what is going to happen between us."

"I know...Tomorrow okay? I'm so tired," I tell him weakly. I've been putting it off for so long, guilt plaguing me, but I have to grapple with what to do about Cian first, before I can break Lev's heart completely.

He tries his best not to look disappointed, backing up into his room. "Alright, goodnight."

I watch the door close in front of me, before I close my eyes. This just became even more complicated.

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Sophie_Midika

Midikacrane

~Midika 💜🐼