Episode 6 Continued - Murder on the Agenda
“Someone, help me!” I sobbed, clutching the bars to my cage tightly. “Someone, please!”
It was too dark in here… I didn’t like it. I wasn’t one to fear the dark, but I hated every aspect of it now.
Things happened in the dark… chaos ensued in the blackness… the monsters lurked in the shadows.
I knew Sebastian was complete darkness, but he was the only thing I could clutch onto.
He made me fear the dark less.
I tightened my grip on the bars, tears slipping down my cheeks. “Sebastian! Sebastian, please! Help me!”
I kept a hold of the bars, watching the dim lights blow out, and my eyes widened.
But a sudden darkness cast over the room, feathers slipping down the walls like I was suddenly cloaked in them, and I stared into the shadow as a figure formed, and his red eyes glowed in the pure black chaos.
“Sebastian!” I cried, reaching my arm through the bars. “Sebastian!”
I couldn’t reach far, though… my arm was too short… I was a child still, after all.
I pushed my shoulder through the bars, trying to touch him, but he was too far away.
My hand rattled as I pushed further out, struggling. “Sebastian! Sebastian!”
But his form suddenly stepped out from the shadows, but it was a figure… a silhouette… and I could only see his red eyes glowing like headlights, and his hair blowing in a sudden wind.
I struggled harder, trying to touch him as he stepped over to me. “Sebastian!”
“Master, there’s no need to be afraid.” He stopped in front of me, holding out his hand. “It’s just a nightmare. It’s time to wake up now.”
He suddenly grasped my hand, making my eyes widen in shock.
And the world suddenly fell apart.
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*****
My eyes swung open to find a darkened silhouette hovering over me, his entire from covered in darkness.
And his eyes glowed dangerously.
I shot up from the bed at an instant, striking him across the face with enough force to snap his head to the side.
He gasped then, more in shock, and let go of my hand.
Wait… he was holding my hand?
I stared for a moment, eyes focusing when I saw his eyes glowing a subtle red.
“Sebastian?” I said then.
He just gazed down at me in annoyance, rubbing his cheek. “Ow.”
“Sorry,” I said immediately, blinking as I shrugged. “You scared me. It was an instinct.” I then gazed up. “Wait… was that actually painful?”
He smiled down at me and lowered his hand. “What do you think?”
“Why would I ask if I did not know the answer?” I answered, lashes lowering.
He sighed and shook his head. “No, it didn’t. You throw punches like a innocent child.”
“Hey!” I yelled then, glaring. “Do not insult me!” I then narrowed my eyes further. “I am not innocent.”
He just chuckled and stood.
“Wait, Sebastian,” I said then, watching him gaze down at me. “Why are you here? Isn’t it past your curfew?”
“I don’t sleep, master,” he said then, smiling. “And I came because you called me. That’s all there is to it.”
“I called you…?” My brows drew together.
“In your dreams, yes,” he answered. “Well… that nightmare you were having.”
Uh… was that why he was holding my hand? Did he actually grasp it when he did in my dream?
He then bowed gently. “I shall go now, master. You need your rest.”
He turned to exit the door.
I scrambled off the bed then, immediately running over to him.
I felt my night shirt blowing with the force, and my eye was still exposed, but I didn’t care.
Before he could leave, I wrapped my arms around his stomach, pressing myself to his back. “No, you stay.”
He gazed down at me then, brows raising. “Master, what are you doing?”
I looked up at him. “Curing my boredom.”
“It’s four in the morning,” he stated, turning in my grip as I released him. “You can cure your boredom by sleeping. Now go back to bed.”
I shook my head, gazing up at him.
He lowered his lashes. “You’re oddly stubborn today.”
I watched him. “What are you doing?”
“Well… I was polishing the silverware before I heard you scream, so I will go back to that now.”
“Play chess with me,” I said then.
He just sighed, shaking his head.
But my lips parted when he caught my hips and lifted me, walking over to my bed and setting my feet on the mattress. “Bed, master.”
And he started walking off again.
I hopped off immediately and followed him, and he just turned and sent me a look.
He then caught me by my hips and set me on the bed again. “Stay.”
He started walking off, and I was about to hop off.
He spun around then, brows raising as he pointed to me. “Nah—ah. I said stay. You’re going back to bed, and that’s final.”
I just narrowed my eyes at him, plopping down onto the mattress.
He just turned and walked out the door, closing it behind him.
I smiled then.
Quickly, I scrambled off the bed, padding over to the door and parting it lightly.
I glanced up and down the dimly lit halls, finding him gone.
So I just stepped out, quietly closing the door behind me.
After adjusting my shirt down to my thighs, and I glanced left and right before walking down the halls.
It was so quiet at night. No sound when everyone was asleep… how did he ever get used to it?
The air conditioner wasn’t even on… the wind howling against the walls like this was a haunted mansion.
Well… a demon butler lived here. So it kind of was.
As I continued forward, I paused when I found a door on the far right cracked, and there was a dim light casting on the floors from the room.
The kitchen.
Well… he did say that he needed to polish the silverware.
I quietly tiptoed over to it, peering in the room to find Sebastian’s back to me, and he was quietly polishing a fork.
I blinked and glanced further down the hall, looking back to him… and then I tip-toed, quietly crossing the room while his back faced me.
“Master,” he said then, still polishing the fork.
Shit.
I hid behind the wall, shrinking further into the shadows.
“Don’t hide from me,” Sebastian said then. “I know you’re there.”
I just stepped silently to the side, turning to go back down the hall.
The moment I gazed up…
He was right there, red eyes narrowing down at me.
I squeaked, stepping backward in shock.
“Master,” Sebastian said, stepping up to me as I continued backward, “you need to rest.”
“Resting if for babies,” I answered.
He just backed me against a wall and leaned in too closely, glaring at me in annoyance. “Go back to bed.”
“I am your master,” I said then, tipping my chin up. “I stay up when I want to.”
“It’s four in the morning,” Sebastian said, eyes narrowing. “You went to bed at midnight. That’s not enough sleep. In fact, it’s unhealthy. So—in that sense—I can fight back. Go back to bed.”
I just crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him.
Sebastian leaned in closer. “Are we going to play this game?”
I just smiled. “The king controls the knight, or have you forgotten?”
“The knight must betray the king if it affects his survival,” Sebastian answered, smiling now. “Or have you forgotten?”
I glared.
He glared harder.
I gritted my teeth.
His smile sharpened.
I leaned in closer, staring him angrily in the eyes.
He remained unaffected.
I just groaned in annoyance, collapsing onto the wall. “I don’t want to sleep. I’m not tired.”
“I can make you milk,” Sebastian suggested. “With honey.”
“I don’t want milk with honey. I want something sweet.” I gazed up then. “A cake. I want a cake.”
He just shook his head. “I will have to decline. That much sugar before bed will not help your situation.”
“Tea, then?” I suggested.
“It has caffeine. Which will also not help, master.”
“There’s decaffeinated tea,” I suggested.
Sebastian just gave me a look. “You also like a lot of sugar in your tea, master. So, I will also have to decline.” He then stood fully, towering over me. “Do you want me to make you some nighttime tea? With sleep remedies?”
I just glared at him. “I hate those.”
“Well, you really want tea. It was just a suggestion.”
“Make me a pie,” I said then, gazing up. “Or a cookie… or a macaroon.”
His lashes lowered in annoyance. “Master.”
“Or maybe a slice of cake,” I continued, “or some ice cream, or hot chocolate.”
Sebastian sighed, closing his eyes. “Master….”
“I want something sweet,” I said then, glaring. “I’m hungry.”
He gazed up at me then. “I can make you a small sandwich. Cheese with crackers, perhaps?”
“No, I want something sweet.” I sharpened my glare.
“No, master,” Sebastian said then, “no sweets before bed. Now either you ask for sleep tea or some crackers, or you get nothing.”
I just gritted my teeth. “What are you, my mother?”
“No, I’m your butler.” He smiled, tipping his head to the side. “Come on, chin up.” He tipped my head up with a finger. “I only have your best interests at heart, alright?”
“Yes, yes… you want to care for me…” I paused, gazing up in annoyance, “then kill me.”
Sebastian sighed, shaking his head. “Look, I have my contract to fulfill. I have to take care of you, so stop your sappy wining and go back to bed.”
I just lowered my head then, closing my eyes as I kept my glare, stepping past him and going back to my room.
I heard him follow me.
When we made it further down the hall, I gazed to the left where the other servants slept.
“I wonder if Cammie’s awake,” I said then, “she’s usually awake early.”
I started to the room.
Sebastian just lifted me by the waist and moved me to back where I was standing. “Ignore the distractions, my lord. You’re almost there, go on.”
I shot him a look before grumbling, and I continued down the hall, to my bedroom.
I finally entered it, stepping over to my bed and collapsing down onto it, crossing my arms as my back faced Sebastian, and I glared at the wall.
He stepped gracefully over to the bed and pulled the sheets over me, adjusting my pillow before he bowed again. “Goodnight, master. Stay in bed, okay?”
He then turned and exited the room, closing the door behind him.
I sighed and held myself tighter, lashes lowering as I stared into the darkness.
But after about two minutes, I got fed up and pushed myself to sit, immediately slipping off the other side of the bed before going to the floor.
I then sat down onto it, pulling my legs to my chest and setting my chin on them.
I watched the wall glow with my right eye, and I lowered my lashes, watching the purple light morph and deform.
My bedroom door opened suddenly, and I just remained in place when it closed, and footsteps receded around the bed.
Sebastian’s form came from the darkness, and I just noticed he was holding a lantern that cast more menacing shadows over his face, making his red eyes glow brighter.
I just chuckled coldly, looking back at the wall. “Glance at anyone with that look of disapproval and they’ll piss their pants. I guarantee it.”
Sebastian just sighed and shook his head, opening his lashes to stare down at me. “Master,” he said then, kneeling down beside me, “what troubles you?”
I lowered my lashes, staring at the wall. “Whatever do you mean?”
“You had a nightmare,” Sebastian said, “and now you refuse to sleep. Was it really that bad?”
I just pressed my cheek to my knee, keeping a bored expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He just sighed, closing his eyes in annoyance before he sat beside me, crisscross. “Is there nothing I can do to get you to sleep?”
“I’m not tired,” I said then.
He smiled. “I thought that might be your response. So I brought this.”
I glanced down to find him pulling a small chess board out from behind the bed frame, and my eyes widened in fascination.
I sat up then, dropping my knees as he opened the board and set up the pieces.
“Master Ciel never let me play chess with him,” Sebastian told me, chuckling. “Because I always won.”
I just gazed up. “We’ll see about that.”
Sebastian smiled, finishing setting up before he glanced up at me. “You’re move, my lord.”
“I’m white?” I asked him. “You’re black?”
He nodded.
I just made an impatient noise. “Of course, you’d pick black.”
Sebastian smiled as I moved one of my pawns forward. “Did I sense an insult?”
“You always wear black,” I stated as he moved his pawn. “It’s like the only color your wear. Your hair, your nails, the contract seal on your hand, your jacket, your tie.”
“For the record, master,” Sebastian answered as I made my move. “I wear white, too.”
“As, yes,” I said then, watching him move a pawn forward, “black and white. Still matches my point. You wear no color!”
“My eyes are red,” he stated matter-of-factly. “So I do have some color on me.”
“Yes, because that definitely defeats my point.” I then moved a pawn forward, toppling over his bishop. “Ha! Got you. Your move.”
He made a tsk sound. “Rookie mistake.”
I glanced up. “What?”
He pushed a knight forward and hit my queen, making my eyes widen. “Check.”
I stared down at the board then. “Hold on… what?”
“I lured you, master,” Sebastian said then, smiling. “Chess is all about strategy and predicting the opponent’s moves. I purposely moved my pawn so it would expose my knight, and then I positioned my bishop in the correct place, knowing you’d strike it with your pawn because I know you and how you love eliminating threats at the immediate chance.”
I stared down at the board in fascination.
“In doing so, I also exposed my knight before moving my bishop, knowing that you would strike the bishop with your pawn, so it gave a gap for my knight to hit your queen.”
I just set my finger on my chin. “That’s genius. You play dirty, Sebastian.”
He smiled, lashes lowering.
“Get your mind out of the gutter,” I said then, moving one of my pawns to strike his knight. “You know what I was talking about.”
Sebastian just chuckled, sliding another knight forward. “I can’t help it. I am a demon, after all.” He then smirked. “Check.”
I gazed down then. “What?”
“Pay attention, master,” he said then. “Measure my moves correctly. And your moves need to lack impulse.”
I scanned all his pieces, searching for other targets, but I found none.
I then moved one of my pawns to kill his knight. “There.”
He just moved another bishop forward. “Checkmate.”
I blinked then. “Hold on. WHAT?”
He smiled, pointing to the bishop. “Look here, he’s right in front of your king, ready to strike.” He then pointed to my other pieces. “You can kill him, and that would work,” but he pointed up, “but in doing so, would expose my queen, and she would immediately kill your king.”
I stared at the board; eyes widened in fascination. “Why are you so good at this?”
Sebastian just tapped his head. “Strategy, watching everything closely, controlling impulses, manipulation, trickery, and predicting the opponent’s moves.”
“You can do all that?” I said then. “And it always works?”
He closed his eyes and nodded.
“How?” I said then, brows drawing together. “How do all your predictions of the opponent work, Sebastian? How do they always happen?”
Sebastian just chuckled. “Master, I’m a demon. I know almost every tell a person has. And I know you even better. It was me who taught you chess, right?”
I blinked, brows drawing together. “Yes, but I’ve never lost before.”
“Your strategy is very smart, my lord,” Sebastian said, watching me closely. “You manipulate and eliminate. That’s your task. If there are less pieces on the board, then there are less to combat with, but you do this manipulation tactic by moving slowly and secretly, so the opponent doesn’t suspect it.”
“And that’s bad?” I wondered.
He shook his head. “No, but you mustn’t just have one strategy, my lord. There’s always someone out there who’s going to match your intellect. That’s just life. You have to be prepared.”
I stared down at the board. “Let’s play again.”
Halfway through the second game, I was already drifting, feeling my eyes weigh as Sebastian made his move, gazing up at me.
“Master?” he said. “Are you done for the night?”
I lost my stance for a moment and fell onto him, making him suck in a breath, but my head set on his lap, and I felt myself drifting.
Was I drugged or something…? I couldn’t move any part of me.
And I was currently on Sebastian’s lap which wasn’t… my most favorite thing in the world, but…
I mean… I’d been closer to him before. When he carried me places.
That was no different from snuggling.
I wanted to slap myself at the thought, but I still couldn’t move.
Sebastian just sighed then, and I could hear the smile in his tone. “I knew you’d wear out eventually.”
He set his hand on my head then, gently running his fingers through my hair. “Falling asleep on my lap, nonetheless. Very odd choice, master, when you claim you don’t want to give into me.”
Okay, now I wanted to slap him.
I just stared off into space lazily. “It… wasn’t my choice. I am half asleep right now.”
He just chuckled. “Good save, my lord. But you’re a very bad liar.”
“You’re insufferable,” I said then, closing my eyes. “Stop stroking my hair, you’re making things worse.”
He set his hand on my head then, but I drifted further off. “Well… at least now I know how to get you to sleep. Just pet you. Cute, really, master.”
“Don’t… even think about it.”
“What?” he said innocently. “It’s alright. No harm done. It’s just comfort.”
“I don’t need comfort… from a demon,” I said then.
“Plainly said,” he answered, “and yet you’re still giving in.”
I grumbled in annoyance.
He just chuckled and stood up, scooping me up along with him in the process, and he just carried me over to my bed and set me onto the mattress, pulling the sheets over me seconds later.
“Since you wasted an hour of sleep,” he said then, brushing my hair off my face so it didn’t enter my eyes. “Then I will wake you at nine o’clock. Does that sound fair?”
“Yes,” my voice was small.
He just smiled. “Go to sleep, master. You look half-dead.”
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