How to Make a Sinner Sleep

75 | snake; a slithering song

The Organizer stepped to the side, abandoning his spotlight as he introduced the snake woman to the stage. His smile stretched ear to ear, the shadows making it appear impossibly long.

"What shall it be today, lovely lady?"

The woman scoffed, a sharp hiss leaving her lips as Kaden caught a glimpse of a forked tongue.

While her body was beautiful on display, despite the tail that connected to her waist below, her face was twisted and scales ran up the side of the wrinkled skin, eyes drooping a pitch black.

"Is my presence not enough of a performance to entertain this audience?"

"Alas," The Organizer shook his head sorrowfully, and Kaden thought he lacked the theatrics of the one he'd met. "We cannot discriminate against features. Please perform before selling your treasures."

Noah leaned by Kaden's ear, his voice lowered. "That man—he doesn't seem to be the same one that was there in the Land of the Fae."

Realizing Noah felt it too, Kaden frowned and whispered back. "I had the same feeling. The one I know has a distinct atmosphere, but the man standing there feels more lackluster. However, for a person who wears many faces, he may just be performing a different act."

Noah agreed, but leaned back into his seat with his lips tugging down. He'd only encountered that man once, and felt an air of familiarity and also concern.

The Organizer, as proclaimed, standing in the center of the stage, felt distant.

Different. Although as Kaden said, those in the underground business often liked to wear masks, disguising their appearance and even their personalities at times. It was all a grand performance, to be feared, to be trusted, to be seen as powerful and capable.

To live in society was to play out the role you'd aqcuired.

Niklas half-reached his body, almost lying across their laps as he gazed at them eagerly. "You're whispering? About what? Don't leave me out."

Kaden frowned, jerking up his knee to shove the other off. "Get off me."

"Don't tell me you don't like warmth, I know you do. Or is it only a specific person's warmth that you like?"

"It was foolish of me to think you'd be quiet in this scenario."

"Much as you like to pretend you're annoyed, I know you find my company impeccably irresistible." Niklas rolled, smiling underneath his bunny mask. "Look at that, aren't you smiling?"

Kaden, who was undoubtedly wearing a frown, stared silently. "Smiling where?"

"In your heart."

Before Kaden could retort, he heard another hiss as the woman closed her thin eyelids, a forked tongue snaking against dark lips. His heartbeat quickened, a beat faster.

A slithering song escaped her mouth, a compelling melody that prevented one from covering their ears or turning away. But it embodied the nature of a reptile, snaking into the ear, filling one's head as it wrapped around with a tight vice.

Kaden's eyes snapped open and spots danced in his vision.

Under the chair, bulging yellowed eyes blinked open, one after another, until their were dozens in every crevice. The shadows continued to spread out, twisting into twig-like hands that grasped to grab the living.

Nicola's eyes had gone entirely white, and when one looked closely, a million images flashed across the empty pupils.

Unrest stirred among the crowd, and Niklas cursed under his breath. "Her song causes a similar affect to a Reversal, it makes you lose control. Noah, cover his ears!" As he spoke, he hurried to block Nicola's ears, shutting her eyes gently.