𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 [𝟏𝟖+] ✓

12

To any one who has read His Ink and are confused, Ana's name is changed to Eirlys. Erika's last name is changed to Cox.

━━━━━━━━━♚━━━━━━━━━

Katrina Diaz

"Alysteir Zinche," the stranger provided.

My mouth fell open.

Alysteir Zinche was the Arkney University's Valedictorian of his class. His reputation preceded him as a genius with impeccable academic excellence. He was rumoured to have an eidetic memory. 

As his lips curved into a smile, I couldn't help but mirror it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Zinche."

"The pleasure is all mine," he mused, his eyes darting over to the paintings. "None of these are as tragic and beautiful as your sketches I've seen at the student's fine art gallery. Your sketch of a psychopath is my favourite. The Cunning Charmer."

The sketch he was referring to had a side view of a man holding a beautiful mask inches away from his distorted face, the interior of his brain was a labyrinth winding. The Cunning Charmer. Freyja, my roommate, had uttered when I had finished sketching it. The name felt fitting. 

"Nobody has ever called him a psychopath." My words sounded bland but I couldn't help but marvel at his understanding. A few of my classmates thought I was crazy because of my paintings.

But they didn't know how much I devoured mental health books to understand my psyche, to solve my mystery, to deal with my misery.

"Great minds think alike." His smile widened. "Tell me, Katrina. What's the thing about psychopaths that piqued your interest to sketch that."

"Their resilience to chaos." 

"They're not redeemable." His silver eyes sparkled.

I nodded my head. "I believe they can exercise control."

"When you become a world-renowned artist, remember I was your first fan, Katrina." An amused smile tugged at his lips.

He said when. Not if. My heart swelled with happiness in my chest. The fact that the man who should be supporting me was just down the hall — sabotaging my career, and here this stranger was applauding me. The tragedy of my case made me want to laugh.

"May I have a dance, sweetheart?" Alysteir extended a hand in a graceful gesture.

The word 'sweetheart' had a beguiling note to it, and my gaze drifted to my ring finger on automation. It wasn't that I was averse to dancing with other men, but the fact that Hayden was still interested in Erika made my heart clench. Since I had no reason to turn down Alysteir, I placed my hand in his and let him haul me to the dance floor.