Irresistible Deception

10

"Alina?"

"Yes?" she responded. Her back was facing Blair as she moved around the kitchen, making breakfast.

"It has been three weeks now since I have stayed here."

Alina turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, that's correct."

"And I haven't seen him since the first time I came here."

She resumed making breakfast as she spoke. "Master Adler is a bit of a workaholic, he's mostly in his office upstairs or in his company."

"Is it rare to see him around?"

"You might see him from time to time, but not always."

Blair leaned onto the counter as she watched Alina going around the kitchen. "Can I see him?"

Alina stopped what she was doing and looked up at Blair.

"No, you can't."

"Why not?"

"Because he's busy with work."

"But I'm bored."

"There are things you can do. You can help me if you would like to."

Blair beamed, walked up to her and started asking what to do. 10 minutes later, Blair was eating breakfast as Alina was finishing up the dishes.

"Alina?"

"Yes, miss?"

"Who is Ameo? I mean, who is he as a person?"

Alina paused and thought a bit, being careful with her choice of words. She had to be cautious. "He treats everyone with mutual respect. It also depends on who you are and how important you are to him," she said and resumed washing.

"Oh? I've always wondered why you are working here?" she asked, taking a bite of her toast.

Silence befell between them for a while before Alina spoke again. "My parents disowned me at sixteen, and by coincidence, I met Master Adler. He took me in, and I have been working here since then. I've been here for over 9 years now." There was a sense of pride in her tone of voice, but Blair didn't take heed to it.

Blair's eyebrows shoot up, surprised at how Ameo wasn't that bad of a person. But he kills people. How can he be a decent-mannered person? "He kills people though, aren't you at least worried?"

Alina turned to face her and shrugged. "It doesn't bother me; I'm not involved in such things."

"I mean yeah, but still."

Alina sighed. "He is not as bad as you think he is. And besides, you won't be seeing him that very often, he's too attached to his work, anyway."

Blair nodded. That's good. If she could live in peace, she should be fine. She ate the last toaster with fried eggs and stood up. "I'll go to the room."

Alina nodded, and Blair walked down the hallway to her room.

Morning turned to night, and she was wide awake, staring at the ceiling. She wanted to sleep, but she couldn't. Sighing, she came out of the covers, walked to the glass doors leading to the balcony. It was still bright outside because it was in the middle of summer. The sky was showing a dark blue-purple glow. The half-moon was visible, as well as the sun as it was settling down. She gazed down below, looking out through the now semi-dark maze. Should she just look around? She couldn't sleep, anyway.

Blair took and wore a cosy robe, and opened the door, stepping out to the dark corridor. She glided down the stairs to the first floor, as she didn't want to wake up anyone by entering the elevator.