Pandora's Box | 18+ (completed)

Chapter Twenty Four - MORAL

𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑙.
THE ART TO MASTER: SEDUCTION

•••

I struggled to find my words, struggled to think about anything but the damage I could cause. "Training starts now," I whispered shakily. "Right now."

For a moment, I wondered if I'd spoken too quietly for anyone to hear me.

And then they rushed into motion—still keeping a healthy distance from me—they moved around in a blur of colours, the brightness of their eyes suddenly burning brighter.

Silsela remained unmoved, standing unbothered beside me. I wanted to usher her to move away from me, to move away from her myself but neither my feet nor mouth seemed to work. Tears stung behind my eyelids—either at how powerless I was at the Vessel inside me or at how I had become so dangerous to the Sins and Virtues.

Or perhaps, I was saddened by their care. I had walked into the Unholy Court with nothing but curiosity and dislike for the Sins and yet here they were, carrying an assortment of weapons and gadgets across the room.

Quickly, I realised that they were clearing the area for training. Gratitude and Temperance moved the chairs to the very edge of the room as Nadine and Pride walked a length of rope around a circle of poles.

It was like a boxing ring—sectioned off to train me. Sectioned off to train the Vessel inside of me.

You have more power over yourself than you think, little one.

This time, I didn't jolt in shock to Nadine's voice inside my head.

"Silsela's right. We're going to be training that same thread, that same feeling inside of you," Envy called over.

Nadine nodded, a slight hiss ripping out of her throat as she spoke. The serpentine sound was gentle this time, a soft caress over my ears. "We don't have much knowledge about your Vessel, Pandora. Your kind had been banished from the Line of Beings a long time ago—"

The Line of Beings. The control of who existed and who perished, the line that the Seraphics controlled.

All at once, a question rattled in my head. I started at the depth of it, shocked at how I'd never once questioned, never once asked—

"If my kind were removed from the Line of Beings, why am I like this?" My meaning was clear in my words. What I was; it was a curse. "I shouldn't even exist."

"Vessels are not passed on through heritage. I doubt even the Seraphics know how. It was one of the reasons why Vessels were removed," Wrath said absentmindedly, his eyes fixed on Patience. She chuckled at something Charity said and I watched as the signature, red hue of his eyes grew brighter.

"The Seraphics will obliterate all that they can not control," said Beast, almost as though he were reciting a verse out of some book. "It has happened before and will happen again if you don't learn to control your urges."

His face was blank, his words distant. I felt a chill run up my spine at his coldness. The golden of his gaze didn't meet mine; instead, he waved Sloth over.

Envy and Gratitude swung their heads under the tied rope, a thick blade resting in each of their hands. Their hands were covered in black fabric, the subtle glint of metal shining through from underneath the thin glove. The blade had no handle—it was sharp throughout the tip and all the way to the end, pointed on each end.

Envy cast a quick glimpse at me. "We use metal to cut metal."

"No handle means," Gratitude twirled the blade around, swinging it dangerously close to Envy's face, "it's easier to manoeuvre. Easier to attack."

"We'll see about that, bitch," Envy shot back; fast as a bullet.

He laughed lowly, resting the tip of his blade loosely beneath her chin. He tilted her face up. "Yes. We will."

"This isn't exactly part of your training," Beast had appeared beside me, silent as a cat, "but it would be useful to learn how to use our weapons."

Still, his attention didn't shift to me.

"Understood." I kept my tone just as clipped. "Who will I be training with?"

His jaw tensed, the muscle rippling along his skin. "I'll train you. For now," he nodded at Gratitude and Envy, "just watch. We'll put it into practice later."

I didn't ask why we would be training later because just then, Envy pinned Gratitude to the floor; she crouched over his chest, skimming her blade over his face.

"Better luck next time."

He laughed, amused and genuine. For a moment, Envy seemed startled before she leapt off him and held out a hand, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. As soon as he grabbed her hand, she was under him—and now it was his blade against her neck.

"You shouldn't trust me so much," he said.

Annoyed, Envy shoved at him, throwing her blade from one hand to the other. "Again."

"What's it called? The blade?"

"They're called Cruors. Each blade picks its owner," Beast replied.

My eyebrows furrowed; I kept my eyes on the fight in front of me. "Picks?"

I saw him turn from the corner of my eye, his gaze landing on my face. I could feel it, hot and searing as if he were undressing me with his looks. Another chill ran across my spine.

"Yes. Picks."

And then he looked away and suddenly it was as if he couldn't stand being close to me, couldn't stand looking at me. He moved across the room—his feet gliding in the way that the Sins did—far away from me.

To the opposite corner of the room.

I felt annoyance spark my blood.

With a thunderous thwack, Gratitude landed on his back once again. His breaths raced, sweat lining his forehead. "May the Seraphics save me." And then he grinned. "Don't kill me all at once. Where's the fun in that?"

Envy pounced. Again and again, he dodged her blows, blocking each aim of her blade. It became clear that she was no longer fighting just to train me.

Diligence walked over, amusement lining her face. "It doesn't matter if he's a Sin, Pandora. He's still a man. It can't possibly be that difficult?"

It took me a second to realise what she was meant. "I'm not trying to seduce him."

She tilted her head. "Aren't you?"

I shook my head. "No. I don't care if he doesn't speak to me."

She blinked. "If you didn't care, you would be seducing him. I don't give a shit about Sloth which is why I can do whatever I want. Guilt free."

I almost believed her—almost—had she not glanced over at her mate while she spoke.

"That's not true. I'm here to save my life and all of this," I gestured around myself, dropping my hand with a huff, "all of this is because of Beast. I do not care about him."

"It would have happened regardless. Just think of it as Lust finding you before the Seraphics could."

I scoffed. "For all I know, he's dying to hand me over. I don't care about him. I don't."

"You sound like you're trying to persuade yourself, Pandora."

•••

I'm considering writing a short story for each of the Sins and Virtues couples when this book is over.

Let me know what you think <3

Leave a vote if you enjoyed!

Love,
Laila.