Chapter 74

'MY HIGH PILLAR CONSIDERS YOU WORTHY. TWELFTH HOUR. LIBRARY.'

It was the same handwriting. Big and jagged. Although it had no scent that she could sniff and catch, as usual, the thing different about this one was what the words were written in.

It wasn't blood.

Instead they were written with black ink that looked like carved abyss against the white surface. It must have been made out of something special.

Zezi had found that out this evening when Gwen had talked about finding empty pieces of paper a couple of times while cleaning.

"Do you plan to draw on this too, Milady?" Gwen had asked, glancing at her framed stick figures drawing of her family, that rested on the new dressing table.

"Should I help with the framing this time too?" She added with a smile on her face, but Zezi had looked back, trying to hide how shocked she was to be staring at one of Akeem's message.

That was when it had hit her.

The words on the paper were invisible to Gwen!

How many more people couldn't see the words, she couldn't tell but it had given her such a great ease to know that she could easily dispose of it and she would be saved.

But Zezi hadn't done that, she had kept it in her drawers and told Gwen she would love to use them for her drawings, but she had no plans to do that just yet.

If Gwen had considered the hoarding attitude weird, she had not said a thing about it, not gave the feeling away in the slightest.

Zezi's eyes passed over the letters on the paper in her hand again. It was obvious that Akeem had sent this. How he always did it, she didn't know and she didn't care.

A short breath of relief slipped pass her lips.

Considers her Worthy?

She chuckled in her mind.

How hilarious.

Mindlessly, she tapped the edge of paper against the kitchen table, looking out through the window at the crescent moon in the dark sky. In some hours time, it would be midnight and that was what she was waiting for.

Zezi had decided to stay in her room all day, she knew hiding wouldn't do anything for her but she contemplated on giving herself a slight break before putting herself back in the game.

Although she found Akeem's message pleasing, she had been surprised at how quickly she was going to meet the High Pillar.

It could be because the rumour of her losing George's mark, and what she had done to the King, was spreading like wildfire.

Ah.

He must have flaunted those hickeys!

With that formal and cold aura he always carried himself with, she would have thought that he wasn't that shameless.

The other reason was that the White Circle was desperate. There was no maybe in this one. She was like that right move that would make all their wrong moves right and they were desperate to have her.

Zezi shifted on the stool she was sitting on, her gown swished slightly and the sound cut through the kitchen.

It was so empty and quiet.

She liked it just like this.

If only she could have it all to herself till she needed to leav---

Creak!

The door pushed open, light reflecting in from the hallway and Zezi snapped her gaze up to whichever vampire it was that had just interrupted her peace.

It wasn't the King for sure, she would have known if it was him. Her body would be restless and betraying her all over the place.

"By the Blood, it's Zezi!" A male's voice squealed with excitement.

In a flash, the lights were on, almost blinding and Oliver was standing opposite her.

"You are even more beautiful in the night, My Lady."

He stretched his hand foward and Zezi stood up immediately, avoiding his touch before he even went all the way along with grabbing her hand and pressing a kiss to the back in the name of courtesy.

This vampire must have a problem respecting boundaries.

Oliver smiled up to her, not hurt by her rejection of his gesture in the slightest, his grin only broadened.

"I could smell you all the way from the hallway. The stink of wolves." A strange sound bubbled from his throat, like laugher.

"Stink of wolves?" Zezi squinted her eyes at him, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, offended.

"Yes." He said, easing off the table and standing up straight, that unwavering smile still on his face. "It is good. Dogs smell."

He started moving around, grabbing pots, spoons and opening the refrigerator to get something, before closing it back, his hands full.

"You know, like little fur babies. They are cute." He smiled, chopping off meat on the chopping board quickly.

Zezi scoffed.

"I love werewolves." He said, looking back at her, the grin still on his face while he stared at her blank one. "They are very..." He paused, thinking of what to say, while he turned on the gas cooker. "Very werewolfy. That word doesn't exist but I'm sure you grab."

"Hmmm."

He was a bladder mouth, one that hated werewolves as much as Laura but didn't want to admit it to himself or he found himself too diplomatic to appear truly as he was.

Whichever way, she didn't like him.

Laura was better, at least she stayed true to herself.

If Zezi was doubting him before, now she was sure, he was nothing but a fox, hiding behind a grin too wide, hoping that his bubbly personality would keep people from seeing who he truly was, putting forward a lie that he desperately wanted to believe in.

Could he just get out?

He came to her, placing a plate filled with meat that was although seasoned, still red with blood, she could see it drip all over her plate. Next to it was a glass of wine.

"You like?"

He said, dragging a stool closer and sitting by her side, then toying with his beards.

She eyed the plate.

"I like werewolves. Do you like vampires?"

She smirked.

"I suppose preys should be in love with their predictors now."

Oliver grinned.

"He said you were stubborn. I like you even more like th--" he paused, abruptly standing up, yet the smile was firm on his face. "I will be back, Lady Zezi, don't miss me too much."

Zezi was sure she wouldn't miss him at all.

But Oliver never made it out through the door, before it swung open and someone raced right into him, sniffling.

"Forgive me, please. It was all entirely my fault, I did not lo---" Delice was apologizing to the man that she had bumped into, thanking him for helping her not fall when suddenly she stopped at the knowing who he was.

"Oliver." She called out in a whisper.

"Hey, there. My Sweet Bun."

Confusion settled in the pit of Zezi's stomach.

His Sweet Bun?