Sin: Path of Poison

Chapter 32 Part 1

I slept late the next morning, rolling away from the sun as it tried to force its way into my eyes. Unable to ignore the sound of energetic footsteps running quickly over the stones, all possibilities of continuing to sleep disappeared. Even a simpleton would have known it was Myria, worried about Torch, who was rushing to his side. I gave her a moment with him, in case she wanted to do something I had no desire to see. Hopefully she would show restraint and keep things decent, considering he was currently on my bed.

A muffled sniffle came from within, I made my way inside. She wasn't aware of my arrival, she sat beside him while continually wiping her face with a small white cloth. I stepped to the side of my room, behind the privacy screen, and opened one of the cupboard doors.

I smiled at a bright red feathered dress. The bodice was made of a red silken fabric on the sides and a transparent red fabric in the middle. Red feathers covered all of the intimate parts of a lady's chest. From the waist down the red silk fabric made a skirt. It was short in the front, barely to mid thigh. The back was slightly longer, but still considered short, falling down to the back of my knees. The skirt was also covered in red feathers and moved beautifully in the air. A short pair of red silken shorts went underneath.

I chose an ornate necklace made of gold and a matching headdress which curved in many angles and sat tall on my head. I wove my hair through the intricate patterns, it draped down elegantly. The final touch, my makeup. I applied my smokey makeup and eyeliner before lastly finishing with my red lipstick. I smiled to myself while wondering what I should do later today. I found I'd woke in a good mood, perhaps I'd head to the peak of the mountain and play the dizi.

"Will he.." Myria trailed off, nearly giving me a sense of deja vu from Santi last night. I came over to feel his pulse once more, not that I couldn't sense his condition without it.

"He'll wake soon." I said. Wiping the remaining tears, she nodded. She looked over his robes one more time then paused to look at me.

"Thank you for taking care of him yesterday. I know why.." She trailed off trying to start over. "I know you did that to save him." She said simply, unable to put it in to words. I just nodded. I already put time into him, it'd be a shame for him to die like that.

Trumpets suddenly sounded loud in the distance, my signal song followed by a visitor song. Visitor? Did they forget how to play properly? When have I ever had a visitor? Everyone I knew I met outside in secret. Everyone who owed a debt for my contract, I would collect in person on my own time. Did General Bai think I forgot the contract reward? He didn't want to see me in his own manor, surely the world would end if he troubled himself to come to mine.

Walking slowly out of my chamber and through the door, I left my rooms then my front gate. I entered the main road down towards the city. Random killers, demons, assassins, and the like lined the walkways on either side. Everyone scrutinized whomever thought highly enough of themselves to summon me down the mountain. Adding propellant to the fire, I sauntered down the path, once again the prestigious Demoness of Demon's Peak.

Perfect silence, not so much as a footstep could be heard as I walked past the many eyes on me. Some of the younger disciples had their mouths held firmly closed by the older and wiser upperclassman. Nobody knew if I'd invited this person here today to die or.. could the Demoness possibly think of anything else to do to a person she summoned?

Although I'd already scanned ahead and new they were there, the four approaching bodies caught me off guard. The first body was nobody worth remembering. The random person that had been placed on patrol some distance from the entryway, one of our disciples. The other three caught my attention as they stopped abruptly in unison. My face remained blank, my eyes moved downwards to the Crown Prince's hand where I could see the edge of the jade token I'd given him. He'd come in search of me, unable to find me easily he probably stumbled upon this random patrol and presented the token. I took a breath that nobody else would notice and steadied my mind as I moved forward, still sauntering seductively towards my destination.