The Sin's Virtue

Crossing paths with Kian can result in two things. Either you can end up in serious trouble or dead all together. As for me? I think second option will be better than seeing that sinister look, Less pain would be preferable on my account.

He was about to kiss me and I turned him down. To top it all, I abandoned him in the middle of streets in a complete unknown for him. But surely he could understand that he was wrong, right? I mean my reaction was only foreseeable.

The note and envelope were tightly gripped in my right hand which was shaking badly. Kian saw that and a feral smirk graced his lips which warned me to curl back into my grave already.

He crossed the span of room and made his way to where I was standing. His hood was still up which only made him all the more intimidating. How he found me here, iss beyond my understanding. He was close to eat me up alive and so I matched his steps backwards nervously until my back hit the wall behind me and my eyes went wide.

Dead end.

He came close. His smooth Sin being filling up my senses. His breath fanned my face and I realised then how sticky the situation was and how I was trapped magnificently right in the middle of it. My perimeter being the Sin of Pride and office wall.

Suddenly, I felt my nerves pickling. I don't know why I felt this sudden urge to slap him. Maybe because he always makes me feel vulnerable, like I am not capable of handling things like it should have been and that makes me furious. His easy aura of intimidation makes me furious!

"Stop." My own voice surprised me. It lacked that fear which I was feeling somewhere deep in my belly. It was blank. He stilled, eyeing me warily. He brought his hand to my face and I flinched, not sensing its arrival. He stopped, his hand hanging mid air. He frowned and then pulled away from me all at once.

I sighed, breathing in deeply.

His gaze went to the envelope in my hand and his eyed narrowed.

"Let me see." He said taking it from my hand and I nodded. He smoothed the folds out on desk and read the note. He flipped the envelope and there, that seal which I overlooked earlier was stuck to the upper lap of the paper, taunting at me.

I frowned.

It was black and well blank.

"What does it mean?" I asked Kian who was staring at it intently. He looked up and frowned.

"Lets get back." He collected the note in envelope and shoved it in his pocket, taking my hand, transporting us back to Impío. I wanted to stay back a little more. I can't deny the fact that I miss Santo. I felt homesick.

I blinked once we were in front of the Sin Villa. Kian was already striding towards the entrance, deep in thoughts and so I followed him quietly inside.

It was chilly outside, anyways.

We made it to his apartment and without any more said, Kian went to his study shutting the door behind him.

I didn't feel like going to my room just yet so I stayed back in hall. I wanted to eat something but that would mean I will have to work my way through the kitchen and thats just impossible. Thank the heavens that my life doesn't depend on food or else I would have died from starving. I went into kitchen nonetheless in search of some packaged food.

"Aye humility!" I jumped at the familiar voice, the packet of crisps falling on the kitchen floor. I turned around to find Envy smiling at me while Lust was grinning from ear to ear. Heat rose to my cheeks. I felt like they have caught me doing something I wasn't supposed to even though I did nothing wrong.

Nonetheless, I waved at them, smiling politely. There was no reason to fear them. Lust has been nice to me all the way and well Envy hasn't been hostile to me either. So I guess it was safe to be around them.

"How did it go?" Envy asked coming to stand across from the kitchen island, Lust on his side. I shrugged.

"I showed the note to Kian." I said. "He is in his study with it. Don't know what is he doing with it." Envy nodded.

"Yeah he called for us. I guess he is maybe upto something." He said, Lust nodded along all the while looking at me with those sparkling red eyes.

"I will see you later." He said and turned around, making his way to Kian's study leaving me and Lust behind alone. I gave him an awkward smile and bent down to retrieve the bag of crisps. I could feel his gaze burning holes in me as I rounded the island to perch on the barstool.

"What is it?" I finally asked sighing.

"You tell me." He shrugged not even denying the fact that I just called him on his staring spree. I frowned. What did he want to know?

"You look too innocent right now." He chuckled pushing himself away from the counter and standing straight. My frown only deepened in response.

"What are you talking about?" I asked not getting his look that had this secrecy to it with the ever present amusement. He was giving me that look again which said 'spill-the-beans' but I didn't know if that was the case. I can't read him properly or his intentions.

He shook his head giving me his secret smirk and disappeared in the direction of the study behind Envy before I could question him any further.

He left but his words remained.

You look too innocent right now.

What did he mean by that? Does he think I am here for some other reason? Maybe that Santo is planning an attack on Impío? Or that Virtues are actually not lost and I am here on some mission? Then he right. I am indeed on a mission and that is to find my sisters and it is the only reason why I am here.

I rested my head on the cool surface of the counter and before I could think anymore about Lust's words, I slipped into the blissful darkness faster than I could imagine.

"Shye."

I screwed my eyes, feeling the lights flooding the room behind my closed eyelids. I opened them to see Kian standing beside him Envy and Lust accompanying him. I blinked a few times, rubbing my eyes as I sat up. Did I just fall asleep there?

"I think we found who the seal might belong to." All my senses came into focus at his words. I looked at him and noticed how he looked distressed. How long has he been in there with his brothers? I took in his appearance. His eyes looked tired and his hair were all over the place atop his head, messy, like he has been running his fingers through them for who knows how long.

Lust and Envy looked serious too.

The clink of elevator made me turn around to find rest of the Sins making their way through the foyer towards us.

I stood up from the stool.

"Who is it?" I asked my voice thick with fear. Suddenly that evil smell hit my senses again replaying in my memory. I remember the feeling I had in the castle. It had me fear for my own life and thats saying something.

"We are not sure yet but that could be the case...." Lust said distracted and I gave him an annoyed look. Him and his fascination for the vagueness.

"Here." Greed came to stand near Kian and handed him a small glass bottle with a plug on its mouth. It had a wicked purple potion in it which was bubbling rapidly. Kian took it and gave it to Envy.

Nobody said a word. It seemed like everyone knew something that I didn't.

Envy took the potion and shook its content. He pulled out the plug and poured it all over the note which was on the counter.

An involuntary scream left my mouth. All the heads snapped in my direction. All of them were giving me a 'what?' look except for Kian who was chuckling under his breath. I however was blushing to tips of my toes when I saw that the potion did not soak the note instead formed a translucent cloud like around it, swallowing it completely.

"What was that for?" I asked quietly.

"Revealing solution." Envy muttered concentrating on the little ball of smoke. It was purple one second than started darkening its shade before going white and disappearing completely revealing the envelope which looked untouched.

I frowned.

Nothing about it looked unchanged. Envy took out a glove from his pocket and put it on. He picked up the envelope, carefully turning it around. His brows furrowed and he glanced at Kian handing him the piece of paper. Kian took it, saw it and groaned throwing it away on the counter. He turned around muttering profanities under his breath, his hand pulling at the strands of his hair.

I hesitantly picked it up, fear spreading like a grapevine inside me, wrapping itself around every cell of my being.

When I looked down at it, confusion crossed my thoughts.

I looked up at Envy for an explanation.

"There is no change in it. The seal is still the same." I said with a blank look. He pursed his lips and shook his head.

"That is an answer in itself." He said grimly.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It means," Kian said turning around. He looked beyond frustrated. "The magic won't reveal its caster. Which also means it is now loyal to the one who casted it. And magic is only loyal to the one who creates the magic not the one who is created by magic."

"Someone from the highest rank in hierarchy." I whispered horrified.

This is not good. No this is terrible. This would mean catching them would be more difficult and not to mention time which right now is not exactly my good friend. How am I going to find my sisters? This is not how it should be. No no no. If I don't find every one soon, it will raise a havoc on mainland.

"Yes." Lust said from beside me with a sympathetic look, conforming my atrocious thoughts.

"Who can it be?" Sloth asked with a serious tone which was out of his usual character.

"Possibly..."

I caught Wrath's muttering in my ears. He was looking down, confused in his own world but loud and clear in my ear unlike others who were oblivious to this. Thanks to extra powers.

"It can be..."

"What is it?" I asked him, desperate for the answer. He looked at me annoyed that I caught him on his thoughts. Others turned to him too.

"What?" Kian asked confused as to what I was on about. Wrath shrugged.

"The seal is black." He said with an intense look. "Its clear, isn't it?"

"Shit." I heard Lust say from beside me. I turned to him with a worried look. What is going on.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice carrying a current of anger which has showed up due to all the vague information provided to me.

Kian looked at me with a face that had my hair stand on the nape of my neck.

"Kian...."

And his whispered words shook my existence.

"We are fucked."

-*-

So guys I need your help with a few things here. Suggest your opinions on the following:

1. Are chapters too long? 'Cause I can split them accordingly.

2. Do you think I should narrow the cast or not?

3. Do you want a map for Diverso-Terra? If so tell me and I'll improvise.

4. Do you like the cover for the book? Or should I change it?

5. Do you think I should post the photographs of protagonists on my wall?

While you are at it, like, review, comment!

-Lia