As usual he stood few steps away from her in all revere of a shadowed masterpiece of a muted grandeur. His deep characoal doublet, lined with a silvered filigree, hugs his tall, muscled frame with quiet authority. Beneath, a high-collared tunic of dark linen whispers of an austere refinement. A belt of worn, black leather fastened with an iron crest wraps around his waist. His boots, midnight-hued and polished. While a hooded cloak of storm-grey wool, fastened by a single onyx clasp drapes his wide shoulders, falling like an evening mist. His sleek brown hair pulled back in a pony tail and his signature monocle didn't disguise the pointed look his grey eyes gave at her ogling.
Instead of being embarrassed, she flashed her teeth. He was looking as impeccable and delectable as always. Without a single scruffle. And the only thing she couldn't stop thinking about in her mind was how he had look if she shot a bullet in those strong tall legs.
The scene alone in her head promised good nights of sleep and laughter.
"What is the occasion?"
She asked, wondering if he could read the murder in her eyes.
"An invitation."
Strangling the growing intrigue in her mind. She asked other questions that came to mind.
"How long was I asleep?"
"Seven days."
Hamlin disclosed, watching her reaction intensely.
"A week?!"
She gasped unable to control herself.
One point for Hamlin. Amanise Zero.
"Yes and poor frightened Madeline zealously attended to you in those days only to be repaid with a potential heart attack."
Amanise's brows rose up throwing a concerned gaze at the maid who simply cowered. Before pointing back a glare at Hamlin whose eyes lit up in mirth.
"By what?"
"My lord...you might be mistaken..."
Madeline stuttered her expression crumbling when her eyes met Hamlin's. Whatever she saw there mercilessly kicked her speech out the window, leaving her lips agape.
Amanise shook her head. Trying to bury the enticing scenes conjured in her head of Hamlin's body in different positions stained with blood by a lovely bullet or more.
"Miss Grimshaw. I expect you to be ready in thirty minutes. We don't have all noon."
Hamlin's ordered and from his tone Amanise felt there was no room left for negotiation or contradiction. A toxic side or personality of hers wanted to test how deep those layered warnings could drown her. How far he would go to prove his point.
Noon?
She craned backward to look more clearly at the window which a curtain draped over, shielding out most of the light. Hamlin was right. It was noon. She had not only slept for a week if care wasn't take it would have become a week and something more.
She looked up at him, cursing her height inwardly.
I wonder if they wore heels in the medieval times. Would it be in this world, yet?
She shook her head. One must never underestimate the power of a female in search of beauty. There must be something close to a heel if not it itself.
Maybe I should start a business.
"What if I refuse to follow?"
This time around Hamlin threw her his own pointed stare. Sizing her up for a moment. She almost recoiled under his gaze when it shifted to borderline menacing. His left eyed monocle incapable of halving the intensity.
"I thought as much. Thirty minutes, Grimshaw. That's all you get... Madeline."
Madeline startled, nodded animatedly. Looking like she snapped out of whatever she was thinking.
"Yes, Your Grace."
He left, his movements a fluid grace of that of a panther.
Amanise's gaze lingered at his back. Still fighting and losing albeit miserably. She needed a new hobby maybe that will be therapeutic enough to stop, not thinking much about it again. She engrossed herself in another deep thought.
Though she rather choke on her next meal, (which she definitely rather not! Food were had to come by! Life in Mistorn taught her that well enough) than admit to Hamlin anything. Inflating his oversized ego was unquestionably not her favourite pastime or least! But he was right, they needed to talk. Regardless of where he planned to take her.
If she was right, he knew already and maybe some or more people that the death of the monster which had a name she couldn't quite remember but would check later, was directly or indirectly caused by her. Which made her appear a somewhat suspicious entity. Which will increase their intrigue and questions regarding Soren's past affiliations. Affiliations she knew none of and by the assassination caused by Soren.
Bless her soul!
Was far from good and unknown. She was entering an unknown territory and from what she gathered from experience those territories were the most dangerous.
A devil you know is better than the devil you don't.
But in this situation. She couldn't boast of knowing any. Not even herself. One mistake she could land herself dead.
She was still weak.
And she was aware of that.
With every power you receive, you will lose something in return.
"My Lady, I have prepared a warm bath for you. I'm afraid time is running away from us. I require your permission to strip you."
Thirty minutes, Grimshaw. That's all you get.
She pushed down any toxic thrill seeking tendencies she was only discovering she had. She only met Hamlin recently. They haven't stayed together for even a complete whole day!
Yet.
But she knew she couldn't avoid to bear the consequences of crossing him. Or whoever was behind him.
A certain painter came to mind.
Wait a minute!
"Did you just say strip?"
Madeline flinched under her gaze making Amanise expression soften. Reminding her of what Hamlin said earlier.
[Do you wish to use Ember Sight?]
Amanise read the floating runes infront of her once more to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.
[Description: "A Seeker of Whispers must first seek the path of the mind."
Once activated you can sense emotions of all things.]
'Was this some kind of mind reading skill?'
Amanise inwardly grin, fist bumping the air.
'What a boon! I could easily be a top private detective knowing the next step of my opponents! I could make money!'
"Yes, My Lady."
The maid nodded looking downwards.
"I'm required to bath you. You have nothing to worry about. I am experienced."
Not quite listening. Amanise selected her choice.
Yes.
Nothing happened in the first few seconds then more. Losing hope she inwardly swore.
' I've been tricked! Such sly treacherous system!'
Then it was there. The change, subtle but there. Unlike what she was expecting, Madeline's thought didn't rush into hers. But she could sense it.
Holy Cow!
She could even see it! Blotches of colour where Madeline stood. It wasn't like the monster she stabbed to death. Instead like paint on canvas. There were mixtures of two colours.
Black and Red.
It felt like emotions, feelings belonging to Madeline. Subconsciously, she willed her mind to tap into the colors.
And then it was all she could feel.
Fear.
Anger.
It was a game of who had win in the end. So far it was Fear. Why does she feel this way about me?
Instinctively, her eyes moved back to the mirror. Her ruby eyes inherently glowed in the dim light, contemptuous.
Replacing it was the memory of equally red eyes of a monster.
Repulsed, she repressed the urge to gag.
I'm not human, anymore.
Part or all of me belongs to them now.
"What did you think?" , She sneered somewhere in Amanise's head.
I know you.
"You hate weakness, don't you? With great power comes great responsibility."
With every power you receive, you lose something in return.
Her blood ran cold with a deadly precision.
"My Lady?"
Coming back to her senses. Amanise watched the maid who was fighting her demons while succeeding at her earnest, innocent guise.
Hamlin easily detected the maid's emotions and he doesn't have this skill!
Or does he?
[No host! This system is only one of a kind. So you are lucky! Work hard to deserve it.]
Lucky?
Amanise felt cursed instead. A certain attribute settled in her thoughts.
[Cursed]
Even the system said so.
A question she hadn't thought of suddenly arose in her mind. Filling her with despair. She looked back at the confused maid, her gaze much intense.
When she looks at me what exactly does she see?
A monster?