“Scarlet your room is down here” Said Lucius.

When she reached the base of the stairs she felt a chill. Several door lined the walls. Each had yellow tape with the words do not enter. Five doors were on each side of the hallway.

“My room is at the end of the hall. Havana will be in their as well. She will be sharing the bed with you” Said Lucius waiting by a door.

He walked into the dark room and closed the door. She opened the door and saw Havana in what looked like a swimsuit.

“What do you think…” Said Havana stopping mid sentence.

She covered herself and said “Where is Lucius!”.

“Why are you dressed like that in his room!?” Yelled Scarlet.

A smirk crossed her face “Did he not tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Asked Scarlett with concern.

“We are lovers” Said Havana.

“What!” Yelled Scarlet.

“Why do you think we sleep in the same bed. Just kidding but really where is he and why are you here so early?” Asked Havana.

“Well my house is kinda gone so we are sleeping here for a while” Said Scarlet.

Scarlet and Havana arranged the bed and began to talk.

“You know Alison is dating Lucius right?” Said Scarlet.

“Yeah, she only told me fifty times” Said Havana.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “What's wrong?”

“He doesn't even like her, he just said yes because she asked first” Said Havana.

“How do you know that?” Asked Scarlet.

“I'm studying to be a reader. Which is basically reading people's emotions. It's almost impossible to read Lucius but I have been trying for so long that I can. He is almost dead inside but I can pick up the little pieces of what are probably emotions. He almost never feels anything. It's actually kinda funny because the modified proxy seals he eats help him feel something but he's just empty. I don't know where all the emotions he feels could be going” Havana said those words as if he was dying and all she could do is watch.

Scarlet could not help but wonder if he was really human. The way she talked about him made it seem as if he was some kind of living nightmare. Like he was born to be feared.

“You know I can read you too” Said Havana.

“What?” Replied Scarlet.

“I don't think he's a monster. But his skills are pretty frightening. He learned how to describe color and pain in a few days, on his own! Some Lords have taken tens of thousands of year just to learn one description with help” Said Havana.

“Where does he get all of this stuff?” Asked Scarlet.

“Well your people once had things called gods. We have things call Ancients. They were created them along with artifacts. He has ten artifacts personally. My people have yet to understand how she created even after a near eternity of study but Lucius learned how to make proxy artifacts in no time at all. He is smarter than he gives himself credit for but Athena is far stronger than you could imagine. He even made proxy seal breakers! Do you have any idea how big of a deal that is. Entire Arks would go to war over things like that” Said Havana.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Scarlet was lost and had no idea what she was talking about.

“Never mind, wait I know” She reached under the bed and pulled a stack of books out. “He wrote some of the history of Arks in here” Havana handed her a book.

“I know this might sound stupid but I thought you liked Lucius” Said Scarlet.

She smiled and looked down at her necklace.

“I don't”, Havana was grasping the pendant “I love him”.

Scarlet felt horrible. Had she really been hitting on the boy her friend loves?

“I'm sorry I had no idea. I promise I won't flirt with him” Said Scarlet.

“Go ahead I never said he loved me back,” Said Havana with a single tear falling from her face.

“He looks at me the way he looks at Levy. He sees me as his sister but to me he's the boy who made me brave. He made me feel alive when nothing else could. I love him so I want him to be happy. I know he’s happy with you. He likes you” Said Havana.

There was a knock at the door. “Hey” Said Penelope.

Her pony tail shifted from one side to the other.

“Hey I made the bed for us” Said Scarlet.

Penelope yawned and jumped in. Scarlet decided to reread the book to Penelope. Scarlet woke again later that night. She heard a wisp of a name she knew. She sat up. Havana and Penelope seemed deep in sleep. Scarlet felt like the air creaked as she moved. She walked to the door and could hear her heart beat louder and louder. She opened the door and could see a light coming from one of his rooms with the do not enter tape on the ground. She could feel her heart in her head and finger tips. She could see the flickering golden lights lash out of the room attempting to escape. She reached for the door and felt her body begin to pulse. With every step she took down to his study she could feel her body tremble. The ice cold floor burned her feet and the flaming air bit her skin. Each step colder than the last each bite harder than the last. She could see what she believed to be his silhouette. She took her final steps in what felt like slow motion. Her head was throbbing. Her body burned and her mind was blinded by an all consuming light.

She saw his body. She felt all feeling but one leave her. Fear has crowned itself King in her mind. What looked like the embodiment of Death stood in the center of the room facing away from her. His body had marking that could not be called dark because they ate darkness and light itself. She felt it's body turn. It felt like years but the feeling of fear never faltered. It only grew more powerful as it's godly eyes began to face her. She now understood why the light was attempting to run. She felt it's eyes lock on her. She shot up in bed. She felt the cold beads of sweat and looked around the room. She walked to the door and saw nothing. She felt nothing like she had before. She heard something in the kitchen and walked over. He was cooking with an apron around him.

“Good morning” Said Lucius walking over.

He had large amounts of food cooking.

“Hey” Said Scarlet.

She felt his arms wrap around her.

“Want to watch the sunrise with me?” Asked Lucius.

Scarlet knew she would. It would be romantic.

“I made you some muffins and pudding” Said Lucius running over to the table.

He picked up two of each and ran over. “Come with me” Said Lucius.

His eyes still seemed off. He walked to the upstairs bedroom. Scarlet began walking up the stairs. Scarlet saw something in his eyes. Eyes beyond what she could call calm. She felt calm just being seen by them. Like she felt nothing at all. She walked after him and saw the balcony. He had set up a beautiful picnic.

“I wanted to surprise you” Said Lucius.

Scarlet felt like she shouldn't do this. She hated Allison but Allison didn't deserve to be cheated on. Scarlet felt her heart flutter. He had flowers and sweets. She sat down and looked at his smiling face.

“Lucius, what's wrong” Asked Scarlet.

He seemed to cringe when she said this. “Nothing, why would anything be wrong?” Asked Lucius.

“Stop” Said Scarlet.

“I thought it would make you all happy” Said Lucius smiling.

“What did you think would make us happy?” Asked Scarlet.

“If I was happy along with you” Said Lucius.

The sun began to rise and he looked at the beautiful sky. Scarlet looked at his dying eyes.

“But you're not happy!” Yelled Scarlet.

“I know I'm not happy but I thought it would make you all happy if you thought I was” Said Lucius admiring the rising sun.