As the lid lifted, the polished skull within gleamed under the light. He scrutinized every detail, noting the presence of eight pins this time. He remembered that the last time he had seen it, one pin had been missing.
He looked up at Damien, "How did you get the pin?"
Damien felt a lump form in his throat, but he forced himself to maintain eye contact with his father. "I went to an expert craftsman...." He made sure to chose his words carefully so as to not upset his father. He would hit him right there if he said anything that irritated him. "and had him make a replica with pure gold."
For a moment, there was silence. Mr. Mikhail's expression remained stern as he stood up and straightened his tuxedo. Then he approached Damien and grabbed him by the collar.
Damien felt like his body had just turned to stone, unable to move.
