The End of Eden

XVII

After I am freed from my room, Serra decides that I shouldn't be working alongside Annabelle anymore, so she brings me back into the kitchen, and spends time teaching me how to cook. I enjoy it much more than being out in the fields, but I do miss being out in the sun.

Annabelle refuses to speak to me, or even look in my direction every time we are close to one another, and will find any excuse to leave. I have a sense of smug pride that my presence alone causes her to feel at least some level of discomfort. Maybe someday I'll get some sort of revenge on her.

After dinner ends, I'm walking back to my room when I catch a masked shadow out of the corner of my eyes. It's Two, and I peel away from the group I was walking behind to sidle up beside him.

"Good evening," I say, and in greeting around others, he brushes his fingers along my neck, and then takes my hand. I trust him enough, but I still ask where we are going.

"The sanctum," he replies once we are out of earshot of any others. My heart picks up in speed.

"Why?

Two turns his head back to me, his dark blue eyes glinting in the dying sun. "Why do you think?"

I don't reply, because my heart is in my throat. I know why. A promise is a promise after all.

Two opens the door into the sanctum for me, and I'm in a narrow hallway, a dark wood door halfway through. I know the layout of the sanctum; it's circular, every room connected, except this one small hallway, which leads into the inner sanctum.

Where Vessel resides.

Where the door is opening to right now.

I see him appear, a cloak on that reaches to his calves, low slung pants, and he is shirtless and barefoot.

"My love, come here," he says, sticking his hand out to me. I immediately obey.

Vessel pushed the door open on silent hinges and led me into the innermost part of the sanctum, where he rested. What caught my eye first was the group of trees planted in the ground in the center of the room, the wood flooring spreading out from them. The four trunks of the trees shot straight up towards the massive sunroof, masses of dark green leaves clustered around scarlet hanging fruit.

Comfortable low armchairs sat near a wood fireplace nearest the door, a thick grey rug under the chairs, and opposite that wall lay his sleeping arrangements; a tatami bed with thick blankets, comforters, furs, and too many pillows to count. Other than that, there was only a chest, and a small dark wood desk, leaving the rest of the room sparsely decorated, though the wall panels were covered in rich dark wood. I slide my shoes off near the entrance.

"I rarely invite others here," he intoned, taking my hand and leading me, not to the plush armchairs, but to the plush bed, which I sunk down onto without invitation, my hip pressed into the softness of all the blankets, legs out to the side. I looked back up to him to see him gazing approvingly down at me. "In fact it's only just the other vessels, Serra... and now you."

"I wouldn't blame you," I said, looking around, wiggling my toes in the blankets below my feet, my hand swiping along the knit blanket below. Vessel nodded, and I could see the slight twitch of a smile on the corner of his lips.

"I am ravenous," he said, turning from me, and slinking lazily to the trees, his hands clasped behind his back. "Did you know that in the Abrahamic Bible, it was not an apple that Eve ate, but a pomegranate?" He reached one arm up, and plucked a fruit from a low branch, then turned toward the desk.

"No, I didn't know that," I replied, fascinated by the fruit that weren't apples, but actually pomegranates. "I've never tried one."

He set it down upon the desk, then opened a hidden wall panel to pull out a wood cutting board, a knife, and a bowl, setting each down by the fruit. He began to meticulously run the knife through the fruit once everything was situated.