From the Gallows | Wilbur Soot

Act Six: The Casino

Inferna frowns, wondering for a moment if her stealth techniques are weakening. However, she then quickly realizes that the prince is a god, meaning that he too has the ability to hear the faintest of sounds from miles away. She could be perpetually silent and the prince will still sense that she's there.

Deciding that it'd be no use to continue hiding behind the tree, Inferna steps to the side and walks over to the prince without a trace of shame on her face. Although it's somewhat irritating to get caught sneaking, Inferna isn't going to give the prince any more of an excuse to ridicule her by hanging her head down or acting guilty.

The prince drops the rag to the floor, turning around boredly and meeting the eyes of the woman before him.

"I knew you enjoyed watching me," he says simply, referring back to when he'd made such a claim during yesterday's training session with Tommy.

"Who doesn't enjoy watching zoo animals?"

"Play nice," the prince warns, although the ghost of a smirk crosses his lips. "Zoo animals also have a tendency to bite." He flashes his fangs just long enough for the light from the rising sun to sparkle the tip of each one.

"I'm terrified." Inferna pretends to shudder, her eyes then trailing over to the blue streaks on the gallows she now has a clearer view of. "What's all the blue from?"

The prince's smile disappears. "It came that way."

His words can't have been more obviously a lie, and against her better judgment, Inferna decides to press for more information. She tells herself that it's because she needs to extract as much information on the prince and king as possible, especially anything that may seem fishy, but deep down she knows that it's truly just for her own curiosity.

"I doubt that." Inferna walks over to the wooden post closest to the prince, gliding her fingers along the streak of blue that runs around it.

In her peripheral vision Inferna can see the prince's dark eyes observing her hand that glosses over the wooden gallows just close enough to his arm that they can feel one another's body heat, but not close enough to touch.

"Why should I tell you?"

Inferna stops her hand at his words, a smile tugging at her lips. He took the bait.

She turns around, her face returning to its original blasé expression. "I never said you had to." She takes a step closer to the prince, inclining her neck upwards so their eyes meet once again. She tilts her head to the side, scrutinizing. "But you sure seem like you want to."

"I don't."

Inferna clicks her tongue, turning back to the wooden post and leaning against it. "Pity. And I thought princes weren't supposed to be guilty of anything."

The prince raises his eyebrows. "When did I ever say I have something to be guilty for?"

"Why else wouldn't you be able to tell me?"

"Because it's personal." The prince's temper rises with each sentence exchanged, but his anger only intrigues Inferna further.

"The color blue is personal?" She cocks an eyebrow, and the prince nods. "What personal issue could you possibly have with the color blue?"

The prince rolls his eyes, but surprises Inferna by continuing to entertain the conversation as he takes a seat on the edge of the gallows's platform, looking up at her. "I just hate the color blue."

"Why?" Inferna folds her arms. "It's literally the color of your blood. It's what makes you."

"And that's precisely why I hate it."