Saints (SAINTS #1) | ✓

4

"WHAT?" SHE FROWNED, CONFUSION clearly visible on her face.

Instead of elaborating, he waved his hand and a second later they were both seated at a large dining table. The room they were in was all black marble and wisps of flames again, only this time it was decorated with extravagant chandeliers, candles and paintings. The roof was a canvas of navy, stars and drawings of forgotten gods swirled out across the blue.

Jasmina leant back in the tall chair she was seated in, fingers tapping on the smooth, onyx surface of the table. They were both seated at the head of the table, opposite each other, the many chairs in between empty. She wanted to make a comment again, but he interrupted her as he slid a piece of paper across the table.

"The contract," he smiled.

"For what?" she asked as she placed a hand on it.

"You know the seven deadly sins, do you not?" he said, continueing before she could answer," they're my dearest residents, I view them as my adoptive children almost."

He leant forward then, hands folded in each other on the table as he looked at her.

"You see," he said," every time someone dies, their sins are counted and it's decided whether they're sent to heaven or hell. Basic stuff, right?"

His smirk widened, his eyes lighting up in a vivid scarlet.

"Now," he said," when they come to hell, they're classified in those different categories of sins. The worse the deeds, the worse the punishment, the usual stuff. But you always have those with records that just impress. I pick those as one of the seven deadly sins and they rule over the souls in their section."

He waved a hand at her then.

"Case in point," he said," you. I get a new soul that surpasses the record of the current title holders of the seven deadly sins and I appoint them to the sin that was most prominent in their life. A master con artist will become greed, a wicked king pride. I pick them carefully, looking at leadership qualities and ruthlessness. And that, doll, is how the sins are chosen."

"Sounds like a lot of recycling," Jasmina commented.

"Not exactly," he said," believe it or not, it's quite hard to surpass the worst of the worst. My current sins have been around for a few centuries, I believe."

"And you're telling me this why?" she said with raised eyebrows," don't tell me I surpassed them all."

"Nothing that grand," he chuckled," but you do qualify for the position."

"Which one?" she asked as she leant her chin on the back of her hand.

"That's the problem, doll," he said," I'm not sure which sin represents you most yet - you've  quite outdone yourself on all of them."

"I always outdo myself," Jasmina smiled.

He mirrored her expression as he looked her in the eyes.

"Your seventh birthday," he began," you specifically wanted a castle made of diamonds, with a thousand of your favorite red velvet cake inside. When your nanny told you carefully that wasn't possible, you threw a tantrum and fired her."