How to Make a Sinner Sleep

41 | services; he who adorns a mask

The first and most crucial thing to own, that he did not currently posses, was gold. He had a small but meager amount scrapped together from various tasks over the years, but it wouldn't remain to be enough in the future.

Information required money. Items required money. Everything had a value stuck on it, and most were numbers he couldn't afford.

Tonight, his intention was to listen to the vague chattering, stealing information from snippets of conversation. Of course, his expectations were low. The other objective was to sell information and create a reasonably sized sum for himself.

In the future, should anything happen to him, Arlo would still live a comfortable life. And he supposed Niklas or Noah could spare some change in light of their friendship.

He lingered in the back of his seat, half submerged in deep, wallowed darkness.

Only when most of the deals had been achieved and exchanged, did he open his mouth to speak. Not too loudly, not too softly—he needed to talk in a manner that made heads turn, but didn't sound exaggeratedly arrogant or ridiculous.

Waiting until the end of the discussion, when everybody expected nothing more to happen. That was the perfect time for him to speak.

Rich emerald eyes gleamed behind the sockets of the bone fox mask, and he allowed a smile to grace his observing lips.

"I would like to sell my services."

Before any could raise questions, he spread his arms languidly. "To kill, to steal, to investigate. Of course, I am under no obligation to accept, but should your task be to my liking, I can guarantee success."

There was a silence—to be expected, considering he was an unknown character. No matter his appearance, one wouldn't easily expose themselves to a person with no reputation. He was aware and prepared for that.

Raising a single finger in the air, he continued, "For the first time, I only ask for 10 gold coins. I will state now that I will not bother or kill any innocents."

Then, having said all that he wanted to say, he leaned back into his chair calmly, without a hint of impatience. As if he didn't care whether any chose to request his services, as if it were trivial and spoken out of mere boredom.

He first felt the stares—as scrutinizing as the day he walked down the Academy halls, and each student came to the hypothesis of his identity. How each student determined his character based on rumours, and deemed him unworthy.

However, this was the playing field he'd grown up in, of trickery and mockery. Of judgment and arrogance. It was different, in all the ways that mattered.

But after being with others for so long...

...he wondered how the stares would feel if he weren't sitting there alone?

"I will buy your service." The statement came from between crates, where the light didn't reach, and a man leaned against the wall.

All Kaden could see was an outstretched, long and slender leg that rested against the wall. Several heads attempted to peer at the source of the low, enthralling voice, to no avail.

However, the fox-masked man paused, allowing the words to tide over his mind and pull away at a recent memory.

The masked person in the forest.

It was a man who didn't want to be seen, and would ensure that to remain so.

Kaden smiled pleasantly at the shadowed space, making no attempt to outline the man's body or face. He wasn't curious about an employer's identity—he was curious about the benefits they could give.