How to Make a Sinner Sleep - Chapter 20: Chapter 20

"Kaden, where are you heading?"
Niklas hopped behind the other man, making silly faces to gather the man's attention. Kaden glanced back, laughed lightly and kept walking.
"I have to meet up with my brother. There's something I need to discuss with him." He said calmly, not revealing any expression.
Niklas frowned when he heard those words, aware of the poor and imbalanced relationship between the two. Not to mention... no, it wasn't the time to worry about that yet.
He cleared his throat and smiled. "Why don't I come along with you?"
"That's not an option."
"Oh, come on, isn't it time to introduce your best friend to the family—"
Kaden cut him off with three words.
"We are friends?"
Niklas gave off the expression of a sulking puppy, backing away slightly as he glanced at Kaden. His chestnut hair seemed to droop, the fluffiness dampening in sorrow.
Truly an amazing talent, thought Kaden with a shake of his head.
When pretending to be pitiful didn't work, Niklas rushed over again to catch up to the walking man. "You were joking, right? We're friends. We are. Yeah?"
Kaden laughed. "Yeah, we are."
Friends. A foreign thing on his tongue, but something he was starting to get used to.
Niklas, who followed him around endlessly without stop, Noah who had the expression of not wanting to help, but did regardless. Nicola who shared classes with him, Holly who now waved in the hallways enthusiastically.
It really wasn't a bad thing at all.
However, he really couldn't allow the other to follow him when the consequences of such a thing was unpredictable.
He had just turned back to tell Niklas to leave before the other spoke.
"Kaden."
"Ah? What is it?"
Worry spread across the man's face, hesitant. "Don't try to do things that are beyond you. If you are, rely on your friends, alright?"
Kaden raised an eyebrow. "What sort of nonsense are you talking about now?"
There were no other students this early in the morning, and the hum of birds outside sounded distant, muffled by the glass panes.
Sunlight streamed inside, scattering the shadows. The outside leaves were beginning to change colour, warmed up by reds and yellow hues. It wasn't a gloomy scene in the slightest, but Niklas's face didn't smile brightly as it usually did.
"Kaden, there's a saying my mother used to tell me often." Niklas started, glancing outside. "As long as the sun continues to rise, you should never succumb to the night."
"It's a good saying." praised Kaden, always respectful towards other parents—with the exception for Loser... Yoser.
"But that's wrong. Day and night coexist for balance, and one shouldn't indulge in the light and hide away from the dark."
"Niklas, I really need to hurry. Is this for a drama assignment?"
"You're an idiot."
"...excuse me?"
Niklas sighed deeply, before sadly waving off to usher the other person away. "Ah, you can't understand my deep insights, go, go. I'll also have you know I would excel in drama—I'm particularly good at setting the stage."
"While I don't doubt your writing or performance ability, I have nothing to say. Since you said it first, I'm going."
"You're leaving that easily?"
"Otherwise?"
Kaden didn't know why Niklas was choosing this exact moment to act like an abandoned girlfriend, being left in the dust by their lover.
"Oh before you go." called out Niklas hastily. "I'm forming a school club—the Misfits of Obscurity—doesn't that name sound rather terrific? Want to join?"
A school club? Kaden mulled it over. He hadn't joined any in the past, and most were for a selected group of people, often friends. There was no harm in joining, so he shrugged and nodded.
"The acronyms are MoO?"
"...no, that sounds like a cow. You don't count the 'of', obviously. It's MO." proclaimed Niklas, offended.
"Right. And what do the MoO's intend to do?"
"Again, MO. And we'll seek out justice, night time investigations! Crime solving, saving children from the evil!"
Kaden fell silent. "...have you been reading some detective novels?"
Niklas widened his eyes. "How did you know?"
They both melted into laughter, one loud and boisterous, the other more reserved and slight. Finally, Kaden waved goodbye to Niklas, though honestly, he would've hoped for the other to stay.
There was an inherent fear that rushed through his blood, dragging heavy weights to the tips of his toes. A dread that couldn't be overcome, no matter how sarcastic or courageous Kaden wanted to be.
Why would he happily seek out somebody who reminded him of hell?
His mood remained somber when he rapped his knuckles on the door. The person inside shuffled, sauntering over before swinging it wide.
Deep red eyes gazed at him lazily, leaning against the frame.
Lux smiled in surprise. "Well this is unexpected."
Kaden stared at him for a second, before reaching out to close the door. Before he could, a hand slapped against the edge, pushing it back open.
In a silent deadlock, they used all of their strength—one to close it, the other to open.
Their hands were trembling, even while both parties pretended that they weren't struggling. In fact, Lux felt slightly more offended considering the other's demure seemed slightly sickly at times, yet rivaled him in strength.
Then, Kaden, not wanting to expend more energy than necessary, abruptly released the door. It slammed backwards into Lux's forehead.
Kaden gazed at the red bloom forming on the other's forehead, to match the man's hair and eyes. He smiled amiably. "Red's a good colour on you."
"Isn't it?" chuckled Lux in return, rubbing his head in pain.
"Anyway, the one I'm looking for isn't you."
"Of course, you're hear to seek out your precious master, aren't you?" Lux shrugged his shoulders, and tilted his head backwards. "Reed, what do you say?"
An irritated voice called out from inside. "Beat it, Lux. I have no use for you at this moment."
"Always so hard to please."
Lux grinned half-heartedly, tumbles of red locks falling over his face, uncombed and messy. He moved to the side for Kaden to enter. "Don't forget our unscheduled date, Reed's puppy."
Kaden stepped inside, glaring over before laughing humourlessly. "Want to get bitten?"
"I'd be more interested if you bark at him." Lux pointed to where Reed sat on his bed, scowling. "Nobody is more interested in watching his suffering than me."
"What—"
Before Kaden could ask any questions, Lux had already become a speck in the distance, trailing off on his own terms. The relationship between the visiting Prince, and Reed—what exactly was it?
But the pause in Lux's last words, the chilling cold that crept out from under his relaxed stare couldn't be faked.
"Well, dog? Hurry up, out with it. Are you so bored that you've come crawling back to me already?" snapped Reed, a sarcastic drawl in his voice.
Kaden closed the door behind him. Of course there was nobody nearby, not to mention, Reed's room was located slightly apart from the others due to his role as student president.
Tickles of fear buzzed at the tips of his finger, even as he walked over and knelt on one knee, feeling the cold of wooden planks underneath.
He lifted his viridescent gaze.
Reed's expression changed, twisting into further hatred, irritation burning the marks of his skin. Because the man recognized the change in Kaden's gaze—a subtle warmth, a confidence that had been shattered over many years, repairing itself.
'How?'
'That confidence... I want to shatter it.'
'...no, that's not quite right.'
The boy who he'd saved from the slums that fateful day in the past had started to change out of his watch. And that thought disturbed him.
Kaden spoke, oblivious to Reed's turbulent thoughts. "I visited town, and overheard a conversation between a man who seems to be under your watch."
"My watch? How did you determine that?"
"The mark on their door was unmistakably one of yours. Since I heard him whispering, I followed him to a bar—the Inky Tavern."
Reed's eyes sharpened, and he leaned forward. "Continue."
"He has a child, one that I believe is the target of your sponsorship. The boy's name is Arlo, and the man's, Yoser. He was discussing selling his child despite your deal with him."
He opened his palm outwards, the smooth, opaque stone sitting in the center. It flashed once, and a dull sound vibrated.
"You could see the boy, why don't you? Your benefactor won't know—"
The bustle of the crowd surrounding broke up the words, though still audible. Yoser's interested reply echoed loudly from the stone.
"Say, do you think I could?"
The recording played through, before cutting to the section that Kaden had proposed a deal. And Yoser's eager agreement.
"I'll agree. I'll do it, I can."
"....with that sum of money, would you prefer to buy him entirely—"
The audio abruptly cut off, and Kaden smiled pleasantly. "Is that proof of satisfaction to you, Reed?"
A hand cut through the air, backhanding his cheek. Kaden coughed, groaning in surprise as he stumbled, holding his position. He tasted the metallic coat of blood on his tongue.
However, a smile crept up his bleeding lips.
Reed gripped his bedsheets, grinding his teeth. He hadn't expected a pathetic man like that to betray him—even if the other's greed was endless. It wasn't the right time either, putting a halt to some of his plans.
How irritating. How frustrating. How absolutely maddening!
He ran a hand through his hair, breathing shallowly with anger. Barking out a laugh, he lowered his eyes to Kaden, whose cheeks burned with a bright red.
"And? What's your purpose in telling me, dog? I'm not foolish enough to believe it was out of loyalty."
"Of course not." Kaden swallowed back the blood, and looked back up. "But I've taken an interest in the child—he reminds me of myself. Let me take care of him. At the very least, you know I can't betray you."
Reed observed him carefully, before his lips curled into a smile. "And what of the man? What will you do with him?"
"Whatever you ask of me."
"Even if it means turning your back on the peace you've desperately built?"
"Even if it means that." Kaden's half-lidded eyes flickered. "Why don't I properly follow your orders, master?"
Reed laughed mockingly. "Is that so? What I need is a killer—didn't you pathetically try to run away; are you that pathetic to seek it out again? My beautiful Rose Demon."
He referred to a buried name from the past, when it had been a mere child running murder errands. The name, granted by the terrified civilians, by the colour of rose pink hair that fluttered under the moonlight, ghosting as a certain murderer escaped the night.
Then, it had faded into history with his disappearance from such a scene.
Kaden hesitated briefly, but calmed himself before it could reveal on his face. Because even if he was signing himself away, making himself an assassin for Reed's games, it wouldn't be the same as before.
Because Kaden could fully manipulate things as he pleased, and the more the royal family commanded him, the sooner they would fall.
He knew every person that would eventually push that man to the throne.
And he wouldn't spare a single one.
"I'm yours to command."
Reed smiled. "Then, I expect you to perform your first task successfully." He leaned forward, tracing his fingers against Kaden's uncomfortable green stare. "You poor, pitiful, curse."
Kaden snapped his head away from Reed's hold, nodding. "Then I'll leave. Expect news shortly."
Reed didn't stop him.
The sinner left the room quietly, closing his eyes against the door. It was heavy, the weight of crimes that had fallen on him once, and would again. But never again would he kill somebody innocent—he refused.
The ones who would end up with their heads on a sake would be the corrupt, those dallying around for Reed's favour.
He clutched the rock in his hand, feeling it press against his bones.
When had things become so messed up?
Because once, he and Reed had been like regular siblings. Reed, who taught him how to read and eat with manners. Reed, who trained him to protect himself with a patience unlike no other.
Reed, who had once been his big brother, blood-bound or not.
Then, he walked away. He walked, in a slight daze with a drag to his steps, before he found Niklas in the cafeteria, sitting beside a sulky-looking dragon. Noah gazed at him from across the room as soon as he entered.
Kaden smiled, heading over and taking a seat beside the other. He winked and said teasingly, "Miss me already?"
"Fool. Shut up and eat." Noah dragged a tray of food in front of Kaden, a portion that wasn't too large nor small. Well, to keep up the act, Kaden would've eaten whatever amount had been given to him.
But Noah had made sure it was a light portion, yet nutritious and filling enough. Kaden squinted at the dragon—was he trying to fatten him up?
Noah raised an eyebrow, taking a bite from his own dish. "What?"
"...I feel like I'm being raised."
"...what?" repeated Noah, confused.
"I'd actually rather be your dog instead, really."
At least, even if he had to follow the noble orders of this dragon-blood, he would be provided with delicious food and a comfortable home.
Kaden didn't elaborate, digging into the meal which was excellent quality, expected from this prestigious school. The other stared at him, entirely confused and somewhat disturbed.
Niklas laughed, watching the whole ordeal. "What in the world are you two doing? Shameless—keep that sort of talk in the bedroom, please! Unless... you were hoping for me to listen in—"
"Niklas?"
"Hm? Is there an issue? I might be inclined towards agreeing, since you are both terribly attractive, but I'm not sure my preferences line up—"
"Shut up."
Kaden looked over, amused. He swallowed another bite. "Niklas, you said you wanted to start a group?"
"What?" Niklas stared at him, puzzled.
Kaden wanted to deadpan. Had the other really forgotten about his previous ramblings? Was his memory that terrible? But thinking back to the chicken forgotten in the oven, and other occasions...
"You spoke about starting a sort of heroic group to investigate suspicious activity?"
"Oh, yes!" exclaimed the man eagerly. "I have already coerced—ahem, convinced several people to join. It's only a matter of finding something needing of investigation."
"I have a tip of a suspicious bar in the slums."
"Oh? What's the name?"
Actually, Kaden felt a little conflicted. He didn't want to drag his friends into the mess of corruption, the string of horrible deeds Reed had committed. He didn't want to be discovered for how terrible he was, because—
'Won't I be abandoned?'
An inky finger tapped the table, where his downcast eyes stared blankly. He saw the trailing wisps of black that spread over the hands, fading at the defined wrists.
He glanced sideways, but Noah wasn't looking at him, instead eating his food calmly. However, the hand slipped away after getting his attention.
Kaden relaxed. Regardless, Niklas was somebody he trusted. He couldn't directly request help, but he also didn't trust anybody else to investigate. Not when knowing how far things had gotten in the past.
"The Inky Tavern." said the man, as Niklas solemnly nodded. "There should be a code or a password to enter, unless you can identify as a noble."
"How do you know of this?"
"I came across it when I was looking after a young boy from the slums. It seems that nobles commission the poor of various tasks."
"Right! You know what this calls for? Group stealth mission!"
Kaden blanked. "It's dangerous."
"Yes, but trust me. I have an inner intuition for predicting death, and my head tells me that you are not to die under my watch! I'll investigate a little of course, but then! We! Must! Have! A! Mission!"
What sort of foolish rambling was this?
However, following Niklas's whirlwind pace, Kaden reluctantly agreed.