How to Make a Sinner Sleep - Chapter 93: Chapter 93

A scene woven from the most detailed descriptions came to life in the nearby castle owned by the Academy. Decadent halls of sculpted marble and gold encased designs, lights filling the expanse of space.
Delicate sparks of pale blue and pink flickered in the air, cast by various blessings or the magical trickery of the Fae.
Dresses twirled, billowing as they spun in their sheets of lace and luxurious fabric.
In the shadows, an emptied glass of wine in hand, stood a pink-haired man with a glazed look over his eyes. One who glanced over merely thought him to be a little tipsy from the atmosphere and alcohol.
Beside him, a small table held several more emptied glasses. There was a disorder to his fine appearance, dressed in a fitted suit that outlined his long limbs. A contradiction in his attire and atmosphere.
The pair of sharp emerald eyes raked through the busy crowds, seeing far more unfamiliar faces than familiar.
He'd intended to look for his friends upon arriving—but he came following Skye, who had been by his side when he woke. He'd been sleeping for several days, and the slipping time raced past him again.
Already, the dance was here. And yet, he felt as if he were still trapped in the present of the months prior.
He raised an arm unsteadily, feeling a disconnect of mind and body. Pain still throbbed in his bandaged hand, an ache that would likely never leave him. Kaden chewed his lips, grabbing another glass.
Reed had not appeared before him since.
And Kaden had escaped Skye, feeling an illness in the pits of his stomach at the mere visuals of the younger man.
He thought, most likely, that the young prince was searching through the crowd for him desperately, indifferent to all others that called for his attention. Like a child seeking their parents in a crowd of strangers.
Kaden scoffed.
Was he pitying that prince in his current state?
He felt a simultaneous spark of unyielding terror and empty numbness. He was awake, and he was not. He was there, and he was elsewhere.
He didn't want to be here.
The man turned at his heels, slipping out the back doors. Into the courtyard where newly trimmed bushes bristled in the wind, slips of fog trailed along the ground under the dim moon's glare.
The fog dispersed slightly, revealing a standing figure with an inked hand held out, fingers curved slightly in beckoning.
"Can you dance?" came the unexpected question.
Kaden lowered his eyes cautiously, as if wondering if the dragon before him was another illusion. "When did you get here?"
A tentative question—he did not want to shatter the illusion.
"We were looking for you." replied Noah quietly.
His words did not state how long they were looking. For the days of absence in which Kaden had been sleeping. For days that they didn't know where he was.
Kaden didn't take the initiative to explain either. Seeing that, something cold snaked into the dragon's simmering gaze, setting his smoky grey eyes into a fathomless black. They reflected the man before them possessively, capturing the image in dark pupils.
"I've never danced before," said Kaden instead. "Not really. You also don't look like the type to dance, Bellamy."
"I can show you."
"I don't know if I want to see that." Kaden shuddered with a half-hearted smile, waving dismissively. "I'd hate for you to step on my shoes and humiliate yourself."
"Can you shut up and be honest for once?"
"I don't want to dance."
The conversation had steered, and Noah allowed it. However, he'd once seen the way Kaden delighted in the joyous affairs of others, as if he were watching a play that he couldn't participate in.
If there were fifteen things to dislike about Kaden Chauvet, one would be those envious eyes that reflected the happiness right before him like a distant dream.
Noah's eyes hardened, and he changed his request into a demand.
"Dance with me, fool."
Kaden paused, glancing sideways. "Now, Bellamy, an offer like that sounds awfully forceful and suspicious. I'm inclined to decline—"
Irritated, Noah reached out and wrapped his hand around Kaden's wrist to gently pull him forward. He knew Kaden wouldn't flinch—the man had grown familiar with the dragon's warmth.
Kaden stumbled as he was pulled into an abrupt twirl. He felt his body being pulled this way and that in silence, the music from inside streaming into the outside air.
He remained silent until he couldn't help but comment, "You're fairly awful at dancing, Bellamy."
"I never suggested otherwise."
"Then why ask me?"
Noah's gaze fixated on him, pulling him into another harsh spin. "It looks like I don't care whether I step on your feet or not."
Kaden frowned. "I'll make it my aim to step on yours, in that case."
And so the ridiculous battle began—their so-called dance was more of jerky movements as Kaden slammed his feet down violently, and Noah nimbly dodged to the side by a sliver of movement, taunting.
The clouds passed, moonlight streaming over the dancing figures in the deep night.
"Stop moving around," said Kaden miserably.
Noah dodged again. "You're asking me to purposely get injured?"
"Yes."
"...I refuse."
Kaden frowned before being hit by a spark of inspiration—a nearly impossible feat in his unclear mind. But the murkiness in his head had miraculously faded a little, enough to allow some clarity of mind.
Or perhaps it was the alcohol finally creeping into his actions, encouraging silliness despite the circumstance of the current times.
He jerked his head up and stretched out a hand to place it on the side of Noah's cheek gently. The dragon's pupils constricted as he jolted in surprise, and Kaden took the opportunity to slam his feet down onto Noah's.
The dragon, still startled, couldn't react in time and groaned at the sudden impact, losing his balance.
The pair tumbled into a stretch of grass behind them, carefully trimmed blades flattened by the weight of their bodies. Kaden furrowed his eyebrows, positioning himself to take the brunt of the fall.
When they finally stopped, Kaden blinked blearily in a daze.
His vision focused onto the man on top of him, an irritated face as tosses of white-black hair were tucked behind a round ear, long fingers rubbing his temples.
Two long legs straddled the sides of his hips as he leaned up, propping himself onto his elbows. Noah's scowl only deepened in frustration as he saw the frays in Kaden's suit caused by the fall.
Of course, that fool had to position himself to receive the most injuries.
"Are you okay, Bellamy—"
"Where have you been the last three days?"
Kaden froze at the sudden question—and Noah couldn't bring himself to be patient in the moment. With the fool underneath him and unable to run away, as he liked doing, Noah became unforgiving.
Kaden attempted to sit up properly, but the dragon didn't allow him.
"...Bellamy, can you get off—"
"Where were you?" Noah wasn't light by any means, impossible to push off. "Where did you disappear to without a word? They told us you had an emergency—" A sharp hiss of breath, and complaint in every syllable. "We had no idea if you were alive or dead, Chauvet!"
Noah's fury radiated off his body, prickling in the air. Red blazed behind the dark pupils and Kaden felt goosebumps run along his skin.
The dragon knew—that he was letting his anger show and that it was the one thing he'd been taught since birth not to do. Because anger, in his kind, became a dangerous and volatile thing that could manifest into extreme violences.
Impulsive, rash. Selfish, violent, and powerful. There were many words associated with dragons, not all true, but not all lies, either.
The dragon had reached the end of his patience. The thread of rationality snapped.
This all-powerful being; this mere 19-year-old man. In that moment, Noah Bellamy was reduced to nothing more than a man in love.
"I'm going to kiss you, Kaden." He pressed forward, observing the widening eyes that cleared from any of its daze from earlier. Kaden leaned back against the ground and Noah grabbed his arm to stop him from escaping. "And if you don't like it, push me away this instant. As soon as I feel or hear your resistance, I'll stop."
And Kaden's mind exploded, every thought scattered in every direction to leave him in a mess of confusion. He felt Noah's hand preventing his escape, as if the weight of the man's heavy body didn't successfully do that already.
They were close, and he was coming closer.
Kaden knew keenly that he could stop it with a mere word, or a small action. One act of resistance and Noah would stop. One flicker of hesitation, and the dragon would pull away.
That would be wise; that would be kindness.
His fingers curled into the ground, the damp grass pressed against his palm. And instead of moving—because he was a fool—Kaden closed his eyes.
Noah pulled his head forward, bringing their faces dangerously close. His mind called for impulsiveness, to make an instinctive action and regret his decision or indecision later.
Yet he waited for a second of reaction, only to see the man's eyes flutter close, eyebrows tightly furrowed awkwardly.
A suffocating desire raged inside Noah.
What did he have to do to bind Kaden to his side for eternity?
If kindness wasn't the answer. If patience did nothing. If every one of his attempts only drew that man further away.
He pressed forward as he tapped the man's chin to lift it higher, feeling the way Kaden trembled lightly but still didn't push him away. Noah pressed a low chuckle against Kaden's lips; Kaden felt the vibrations of rare laughter brush against his mouth.
Then, Noah's actions became more aggressive. Kaden's mouth was coaxed into parting and Noah's tongue bullied itself further into him.
His lungs expanded, and he felt like he was drowning, unable to breathe. He wondered, as he pulled away with a cough, if he was suffocating from the kiss or Noah's emotions?
A hand desperately tugged him back, kissing him further into oblivion.
It seemed scolding, to remind him to devote all his attention to these seconds.
The dragon kissed like a man who'd never loved another; fervent and inexperienced, aggressively forcing all his emotions—frustration, awkwardness, impatience—onto Kaden.
Kaden Chauvet was merely a man with a weakness.
A man with a weakness called Noah Bellamy. And so, he could do nothing but fall prey to the other's demands.
Kaden gasped for air as Noah pulled away, like a fish out of water. Noah's hand curved around the back of his nape possessively, and Kaden's eyes, half-slitted, flickered briefly to the side.
Standing by a bush with shaking shoulders, a little girl with braided hair and flowers decorating her dress blinked. He first thought dazedly that the fancy braids were similar to Holly's, only neater.
Then she turned on her heels and ran.
Recognition filled his glazed eyes. Even if their brief meeting had been the shadows of her father's room. With a sudden burst of energy, he pushed Noah off his body and scrambled to stand, dashing after her.
"Kaden!" Noah swerved, his hand reaching out only to curl around empty space.
The dragon slammed his fist into the ground and ran after the escaping figure, further into the fog.
Kaden stood at the tall hedges that led down a clustered path. It looked like a maze, crafted for the castle guests' amusement. He'd seen the ribbons dance in the air, curling around a corner.
He ran after her.
Inside the maze, a girl kept running, and she didn't know why. Her breath caught and tears welled in her large eyes.
Further inside, a man walked around with a deep frown. He ran a frustrated hand through his golden hair, another red-haired man lazily strolling beside. Lux complained loudly, "Why am I here rendezvousing with you again?"
"Follow quietly. You're distracting me."
"And you're looking for...?"
Reed shook his head, turning down another corner sharply.
Back near the beginning, Kaden kept running, left and right, following the clumsy steps that grew nearer. He was much faster than the noble's child that had a strict upbringing.
They stopped at a small area, hedges and several pathways surrounding them. In the center, a sculpted statue stood, depicting a woman with her head bowed in a quiet prayer, hands clasped together.
Kaden stood at one end. The girl stood at the other.
Her voice trembled, at his pale pink hair and at those cold green eyes. "Mister," she began hesitantly. "You look familiar. Have I... seen you before?"
Kaden's shoulders rose up and down. It was a mistake to follow. He was always, always making mistakes.
He took a step back and tried to smile. He failed.
"No. No, you don't. You—I, you must be mistaken." Kaden swallowed, stepping back again. "Are you lost? It's the dance, so I suppose I knew others would bring their families and such—we were allowed an invite. I'll... I'll show you the way back—"
His back collided into somebody and he swivelled around.
The crown prince regarded him coldly. The chilling blue eyes lifted to the girl opposing, observing the fear written all over her delicate face.
He spoke slowly. "Any witness would be buried. Isn't that what you told me?"
Kaden's eyes widened. The low howl of a creature echoed through the air distantly and he shook his head. "She saw nothing! This is nothing!"
He turned to the girl and mouthed,
"Run."
The crown prince took a step forward, the draped cloak over his one shoulder parting the fog by his feet. "No matter if you lied. Correct your mistakes, Kaden."
"Are you insane—"
"I command you."
Reed's eye twitched as his fingers curled into his palm, but he did not waver. The agony roared in Kaden's ears, and he rejected it. It only screamed louder as he recoiled in pain, a raging storm that filled every crevice of his body.
His hands moved towards the hidden blades under his jacket—horror filled his gaze. Spinning the blade, it slashed down his thigh to draw a grotesque cut—but the physical pain couldn't override the mental.
The girl spun around to run. Tears blurred the corner of Kaden's eyes as he watched her dashing figure, dark patterns crawling up his neck and seizing control.
His mind echoed a single command. To kill, kill, kill.
She was running, but a child could not overrun a monster.
A faint gasp came from the hedges—or was it the wind's horror?
Kaden wrestled with his mind, red flashing in his vision, all sights merging and swaying in his blurring eyes. His hands tightened around the hilt, and he won!
He won a sense of control and—
—and his vision cleared, victorious eyes lowering to the bloody blade embedded in the young girl's body. All colour leached from his expression.
His body trembled, stumbling back, still disorientated. Her body crumbled to the floor, braided hair untangling in the air. Kaden grounded his feet and jumped forward to catch her, cradling the limp body carefully.
Staring at him were her innocent and pure eyes, wide open.
Kaden didn't know what he was seeing. His tears, or the madness that crept in the corners of his gaze. Her dead body, or Reed's shadowed expression that stood over them.
"Sleep." Another order.
The voice was distant, but Kaden's body remained subservient. His eyes rolled back and his body fell sideways—caught in an unlikely hold.
In the air, the hedges warped, and the ground remained unturned, insects crawling out of fine holes. In the shadows, if looking carefully, one could make out the blinking red eyes that watched the spectacle. Lies creeping into reality.
It was the aftermath of Kaden's delusions—his ability that lacked control.
Reed carefully picked up the sleeping man; the cold body that bore a resemblance to a corpse. He started back towards the maze.
Behind, the wind swayed and a small movement was heard.
Reed stopped.
"As you observe me, I always keep an eye on my servants. Your blessing takes away a part of your life. It weakens you, making you lose a significant portion of your strength until you build it up again. You sacrifice a portion of your life to save somebody."
The man crouching by the girl's body flinched, red sparks dancing at his fingertips as a soft glow of light rushed into her body.
Reed, however, didn't turn around.
"There's a time limit to use your ability, therefore you couldn't wait until I left. Although I would've known, anyway."
The red-haired man laughed mockingly, though his jaw was tense. "You know everything, beautiful prince. You're hardly as charming as your younger brother. I wondered why you suddenly picked up your pace."
"That girl is dead."
Lux froze and gritted out sharply, "How I choose to use my blessing, or my life is not in your control—"
"That girl is dead." repeated Reed coldly. "If my foolish dog comes to believe otherwise, then I will make it a fact, and not a belief."
Lux sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair in bitter frustration. "There was somebody here, watching. The aftermath of Kaden's abilities. Soon, it won't be only him believing he killed that girl."
Reed didn't respond and Lux threw his head back and laughed again, a sharp sound that cut through the cold night's air.
"You knew. That somebody was watching, and that I would use my blessing."
"I knew nothing. And I care for nothing as well."
Reed walked off into the maze, and Lux left the girl's bloodied body on the ground. A scream rang through the dance, coming from outside in the old hedge maze.
By the time everybody entered the scene, there was no body. Only the remnants of blood where it had been and the lingerings of delusion in the air. Nicola ran into the scene, dressed in a flowing pale pink gown, covering her mouth.
It was undeniable—she saw it, those blinking eyes and warped creatures peeking from the hedges. The madness that Kaden likely faced daily.
Behind her, Alexander and Raymond dashed into the scene. Several other professors were monitoring the students and confirming everybody's presence. It didn't take long to determine that a certain little girl of an established family was missing.
A student slipped past the professors, running into the maze. They yelped at the obscure eyes in the shadows, falling back as they stammered.
They had seen a similar madness on the day of the ability ceremony.
"T-that! Isn't that Kaden Chauvet's blessing?!"
Alexander's expression turned grave as he lightly tapped Raymond on the back and escorted the terrified student back to the gathering.
Nicola spun forwards Raymond, a rare panic over her delicate features. Always well-spoken, she scrambled over her words. "Professor Raymond! I believe you know Kaden's character as well as I—"
The professor closed his eyes, sighing softly.
"...Miss Akasha. I'm afraid in light of the recent disappearance of nobles and Kaden's frequent disappearances as of late, there is little I can do to support you or he. Although his character is indeed one I would want to vouch for."
The ever curious professor remained somber, sorrowfully lowering his gaze to the scene. "Kaden Chauvet will be under suspicion of murder. Due to his identity, it may be the Royal family that determines his punishment."
The woman's face fell into stricken despair, spinning on her heels as she sprinted out of the maze. She stumbled, colliding onto the ground as her beautiful hair came undone.
Nevertheless, she gritted her teeth and continued running, destination unknown.