Elijah blinked as he turned his head, scanning the casino with a raised eyebrow. His cigarette smoke swirled towards the ceiling, mixing with the lingering aroma of perfume, alcohol, and sweat in the air. Casino coins and roulette balls clanked as chosen gambled. His attention drifted to their masks and clothes, calculating allegiances between their drunken smiles. He glanced at his drink, then at Sarah, then at the bartender sliding glasses like nothing was mistaken.
His eyebrows raised as he stared at the fake potted plants situated behind the bar. Their leaves didn't have that cheap plastic sheen—there were veins in them, tiny color bruises like something that had actually grown. He glanced back at Sarah as she sipped her alcoholic beverage. She raised an eyebrow at him when she noticed him staring at her.
"You see something you like?" Sarah asked as she finished her drink.
"Did you put something in this?" Elijah asked flatly as he glanced down at his shot glass.
Sarah raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Do you think so little of me that you think I would drug you? "
Elijah's eyes narrowed. "Mind is foggy...don't know why."
Sarah smirked. "Can't hold your liquor?"
Elijah rolled his eyes as he put out his cigarette in an ashtray. "You know I can," he grumbled, then lit another cigarette. "Which is why I am wondering if you put something in my drink."
"Stop being paranoid, Elijah. I don't need to drug you to get what I want."
Elijah shook his head, then finished his drink. "Whatever...so are you going to spill the tea or keep drinking?"
Sarah smirked, then crossed her legs. "Such a boor," she said, smiling like she'd enjoyed saying it as she gestured toward a group of chosen playing roulette. "See that group over there?" Sarah whispered.
Elijah exhaled a cloud of smoke as he glanced over at the group. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the yellow, green, and brown masks on the right side of their faces. He noticed them whispering amongst themselves, then glancing over towards the opposite side of the casino where Arthur and Amos played blackjack. Lex joined the table and flicked a glance at the man in the green mask before placing his chips down.
"Is Lex part of your group?" Elijah asked as he watched Lex talk with Arthur and Amos as they played blackjack.
"No, he has his own little faction over there," Sarah replied, then pointed at the green masked noble wearing a designer silk baroque outfit. "And one of them is Rachel's fiancé."
Elijah's eyes widened as he glanced back at Sarah. "Well, shit."
Sarah chuckled. "Well, shit indeed," she replied, then ordered another round of shots. "And if they are an alliance, it's likely her brother is also part of the group."
Elijah scratched his salt and pepper beard. "Is he here?"
Sarah shrugged as she tipped the bartender. "Not that I can tell."
"Then the room placement wasn't just for Lex's pockets...it's strategic," Elijah said as he smoked.
"Exactly," Sarah replied as she took a cigarette from Elijah's coat pocket.
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "You could have asked for one?"
Sarah smirked and shrugged. "Could have, but I also could have kept this intel to myself as well... soooo," she said as she lit the cigarette. She then tapped Elijah's shoulder, gesturing towards the Texas Hold 'em table. "You see that young woman in the orange mask?"
Elijah swiveled in his seat as he glanced at the silver-haired woman donning the pumpkin orange mask. "Yeah, what about her?"
"Her name is Alice, and we recently recruited her to our merry band of chosen," Sarah explained as she smiled at Alice, who glanced back at her.
Elijah smoked as Alice excused herself from her table, then made her way over. Her satin black tailcoat jacket vied for attention with her loud orange mask and long silver locks that glistened underneath chandelier lighting.
Sarah smoked as she crossed her legs again. "How's everything going over there, dear?" Sarah asked as Alice sat down at the bar.
"Other factions are forming as expected. Nobody is going solo," Alice replied as she crossed her legs, then looked at Sarah and Elijah. "Is he with us?" She asked as she stared at Elijah's gray mask.
"Not yet, just an old friend of mine," Sarah replied as she smiled at Elijah while she smoked.
"I'm not a turncoat...don't get your hopes up," Elijah replied as he rolled his eyes.
Sarah chuckled. "Alice, this is Elijah Thompson. He was my bodyguard way back in the day," she introduced as she drank. "Elijah, this is Alice Vonevermoore of the Empire of Augustine."
Elijah nodded, then sipped his drink. His chestnut eyes drifted towards the many pockets in Alice's jacket and knee-high tactical combat heels. He noticed the cold, analyzing gaze in her icy blue eyes.
"You're a thief or an assassin... no, you're both, aren't you?" Elijah asked as he lit another cigarette.
Alice smiled as she ordered a drink. "Good eye," she complimented as she swiveled in her seat. "Though I can tell you're not just a bodyguard, Elijah Thompson."
Sarah smirked and then whispered into Alice's ear.
Alice's eyes narrowed as a smile stretched across her face. "Oh... he is that guy?" she chuckled. "We must converse in private sometime and share trade secrets, Mr. Butcher of Corwood."
Elijah sighed and then shook his head as a frown formed on his face. "That won't be happening. This conversation is over," he grumbled as he stood up.
"Don't be like that, Elijah. Sit down... she would have figured it out eventually anyway," Sarah said as she grabbed Elijah's arm. "You can't just dip without spilling some tea yourself... a deal is a deal."
"I have to agree," Alice replied as she stood up. "Intel is valuable...you don't get all this information just for free, Mr. Elijah."
"Is that a threat?"
"It doesn't have to be so long as you hold up your end of the bargain," Alice shrugged. "I am doing a courtesy by asking for equal exchange of intel. Don't make me take it," Alice said, still smiling. "I do that for a living."
Elijah scoffed as he glared at Sarah, then at Alice. "Fine...walk with me then."
Alice smiled and nodded.
"Not you," Elijah grumbled as Sarah stood up.
Sarah's mouth dropped as she fluttered her fan. "Rude!" she replied as she sat back down and crossed her legs. "You sure? Could we gloss this misunderstanding over the old-fashioned way? Some dick instead of intel... seems like a fair exchange," she smiled with a wicked grin.
Elijah rolled his eyes. "Not happening, Sarah. Go manipulate someone else."
Sarah rolled her eyes as she swiveled in her seat. "Fine... but I will get what I want...I always do eventually," she replied as she ordered another drink.
Elijah grumbled under his breath as he gestured Alice to follow him to the elevator.
"Mixing business with romance, too? Not as professional as I would have expected, Mr. Elijah," Alice flatly said as she entered the elevator with him.
Elijah lit a cigarette as he hit the twenty-first floor. "I don't, but Sarah is of a different cloth. She has a knack for getting her way."
Alice smirked. "That's because she is a narcissist."
"Why would you team with her then?" Elijah asked as the elevator descended.
Alice crossed her arms. "Because she is a useful narcissist. I also like her music."
"Did she mention my group has a musician as well?"
Alice raised an eyebrow as she turned her head towards Elijah. "No... but she mentioned a girl named Emily."
Elijah chuckled as he smoked. "Of course she didn't. Emily is the girl who battled her in a music duel in Leonore."
"I guess Sarah lost since she failed to mention this. A narcissist always leaves out details of humiliation."
"Reconsider your alliance. Sarah will stab you in the back, eventually."
"She can try...it won't end well for her," Alice replied.
"So, does this count as intel?" Elijah asked as the elevator stopped on the twenty-first floor.
"It does, but I can't share this with them. So yeah, how about you show me this Emily girl and we call it even...deal?"
Elijah nodded as they left the elevator. "Alright, that will work."
Elijah led Alice down the corridor, the mulberry carpet swallowing their footsteps against the onyx color hallway. Small statues, surreal and abstract paintings, and decorative plants aligned the passageway.
Elijah's eyes flicked to the chandelier lights. Their warmth felt too deliberate, like someone had turned the world's color temperature up by hand. The air smelled of perfume, flora, and sex. Alice's gaze tracked the potted arrangements along the wall—orchids, pale and elegant.
"These are not on my floor... kind of jealous," Alice muttered as she hesitated to smell the flowers.
"Really?" Elijah asked, then stopped as he looked at the flowers. His eyebrows raised as he tried to remember if they were there when he first arrived.
"Yeah... there are potted plants on other floors, but they are fake. These are actually real orchids," She explained as she carefully plucked a few, then put them in her pocket.
"You like flowers?" Elijah asked as he watched Alice.
Alice chuckled. "Of course, I am a woman."
"A deadly one."
"Every rose has its thorns. You of all people should know that by now," Alice laughed. "Alright, where is this Emily?"
Elijah gestured down the hallway as he walked again. His eyes narrowed as he smelled flora coming from Emily and Rachel's hotel room. He leaned towards the door, listening for any clues of what might be going on before knocking, but heard nothing.
KNOCK.... KNOCK
"Y'all awake?" Elijah asked as he knocked on the door.
No response came.
He glanced at Alice, then knocked again.
"Hey, kid, are you up!?"
"It's fine... we can try again later," Alice said as she rubbed her hands through her long, straight silver hair.
"You sure?" Elijah asked as he glanced back at Alice.
Alice nodded. "We will have plenty of time to make introductions."
The doorknob turned just as Alice walked down the hallway.
"What is it? Rachel asked as she answered the door. She rubbed her glassy eyes, then yawned.
"Sorry, didn't know if you were up or not," Elijah replied as he rubbed his neck.
"It's fine," Rachel yawned, then looked at Alice with a raised eyebrow. "Who is this?"
"Alice Vonevermoore of the Empire of Augustine. Pleased to make your acquaintance, fellow chosen." Alice smiled.
"Likewise, I am Rachel Ailuo Lianza of the Empire of Augustine," Rachel replied as she rubbed her eyes and stepped into the hallway.
"I know that name... you're from that family," Alice replied as she crossed her arms, then looked at Elijah before turning her head back towards Rachel.
Rachel rubbed her hands through her hair as she leaned against the wall. "Vonevermoore? That is not a name I am familiar with. Which house are you from?"
Alice shook her head. "I am not of nobility... they hire me for specific jobs... if you catch my meaning."
Rachel nodded, then looked at Alice's orange mask. "You never took a job from my family, right?"
Alice shook her head.
"Good."
"Is Emily awake?" Elijah asked.
Rachel shook her head.
"Is she alright?"
"Yeah, she cuddled up with Pepper."
"Disappointing," Alice interjected as she crossed her arms. "How about I steal Rachel for a little while and we can call it even?" Alice asked as she looked at Elijah.
"Wait, what?" Rachel asked as she glanced up at Elijah.
Elijah rubbed his neck. "Long story, but I got some intel from her and Sarah, and they want something in return."
Rachel rolled her eyes. "Oh, my favorite game. Political intrigue...how lovely."
"Well, you're the best suited for it," Elijah shrugged.
"Yeah, yeah... fine... I will pay your debt, Elijah," Rachel groaned as she leaned off the wall. "Emily has no filter, anyway. Alright, lead the way, Alice Vonevermoore."
"I will bring her back in an hour," Alice said as she glanced at Elijah. "We will talk later, Elijah."
Elijah nodded as he watched Rachel and Alice leave in the elevator. His eyebrow raised as a strong floral scent leaked from behind Emily's hotel door. He creaked the door open and stepped inside. Emily was fast asleep in her bed with Pepper cuddled up on her chest. Potted orchids and cherry blossoms aligned the window. The flowers blossomed and stretched upward despite the absence of sunlight.
Elijah's boots creaked on the wooden floor as he walked towards them. He glanced at Emily and Pepper, who remained fast asleep on her chest. Emily's notebook lay on the nightstand, covered in petals. The sweet aroma lingered in the air as Elijah reached for it and opened it to the last entry.
𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓾𝓹 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓼𝓶𝓸𝓼 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓶,
𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓷 𝓶𝓪𝓼𝓴𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓾𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭.
𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓵𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓬𝔂 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓼,
𝓢𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼 𝓼𝓸𝓯𝓽 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓭.
𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓊𝓅 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓈𝓂𝑜𝓈 𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓂,
𝒞𝒽𝑜𝓈𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝒶𝓈𝓀𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒻𝓊𝓂𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹.
𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝓁𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓈,
𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓈 𝓈𝑜𝒻𝓉 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃'𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹.
𝓜𝔂 𝓻𝓮𝓯𝓵𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓼, 𝓘'𝓶 𝓪𝓵𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮,
𝓔𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓮, 𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓻.
𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓸𝔀 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝔀𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓫𝓮,
𝓘𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓝𝓖𝓘𝓝𝓔 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹 𝓹𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓮.
𝓞𝓱, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓼 𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓼𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓽,
𝓟𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓸𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓷 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓽𝓼.
𝓘𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷 𝓬𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓮, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂'𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼:
𝓢𝓮𝔀𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓶 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼,
𝓢𝓽𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓯𝓮𝓼𝓼.
𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓷 𝓫𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼 𝓯𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂,
𝓘𝓷 𝓪 𝓼𝓴𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝔂.
𝓢𝓮𝔀𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓶 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻 𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼,
𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓸 𝓸𝓻𝓹𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓰𝓸 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽?
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓵𝓮𝓼 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽,
𝓑𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓼 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽.
𝓐𝓷 𝓸𝓻𝓹𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝔀𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓷 𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓮,
𝓑𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓻 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮.
𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓭, 𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓷𝓾𝓶𝓫,
𝓝𝓸𝔀 𝓘'𝓶 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓰—𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓘 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮?
𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮?
𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓿𝓸𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓱𝓾𝓶𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓝𝓖𝓘𝓝𝓔'𝓼 𝓱𝔂𝓶𝓷,
𝓜𝓾𝓵𝓫𝓮𝓻𝓻𝔂 𝓶𝓮𝓻𝓬𝔂 𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝓶𝔂 𝓼𝓴𝓲𝓷.
𝓞𝓱, 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓼 𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓼𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓽,
𝓟𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓸𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓷 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓽𝓼.
𝓘𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷 𝓬𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓮, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂'𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼;
𝓢𝓮𝔀𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓑𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓶𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓓𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼.
𝓢𝓽𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓯𝓮𝓼𝓼,
𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓷 𝓫𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼 𝓯𝓪𝓭𝓮 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂,
𝓘𝓷 𝓪 𝓼𝓴𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝔂,
𝓢𝓮𝔀𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓑𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓶𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓓𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼.
𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓊𝓅 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓈𝓂𝑜𝓈 𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓂,
𝒞𝒽𝑜𝓈𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝒶𝓈𝓀𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒻𝓊𝓂𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹.
𝒯𝒽𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝓁𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓈,
𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓈 𝓈𝑜𝒻𝓉 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃'𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹.
𝑀𝓎 𝓇𝑒𝒻𝓁𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓂𝓈, 𝐼'𝓂 𝒶𝓁𝓂𝑜𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒,
𝐸𝓎𝑒𝓈 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓈𝓊𝓃𝓇𝒾𝓈𝑒, 𝓉𝒶𝓃𝑔𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝒽𝒶𝒾𝓇.
𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓃𝒹𝑜𝓌 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓌𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝐼 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒,
𝐼𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝐸𝒩𝒢𝐼𝒩𝐸 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓅 𝓅𝓊𝓃𝒾𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝑒.
𝒪𝒽, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒾𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓈 𝓈𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓃 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝒸𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉,
𝒫𝒶𝒾𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜𝓂𝑜𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓉𝓈.
𝐼𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝒸𝓁𝑜𝓈𝑒, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎'𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈:
𝒮𝑒𝓌𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓂 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈,
𝒮𝓉𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒹 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒, 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒻𝑒𝓈𝓈.
𝒞𝒽𝑜𝓈𝑒𝓃 𝒷𝓇𝓊𝒾𝓈𝑒𝓈 𝒻𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎,
𝐼𝓃 𝒶 𝓈𝓀𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓎.
𝒮𝑒𝓌𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓂 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈,
𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒹𝑜 𝑜𝓇𝓅𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓈 𝑔𝑜 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓉?
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝓁𝑒𝓈 𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇 𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉,
𝐵𝒾𝓃𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁𝓈 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉.
𝒜𝓃 𝑜𝓇𝓅𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓌𝓇𝒶𝓅𝓅𝑒𝒹 𝒾𝓃 𝒸𝒽𝑜𝓈𝑒𝓃 𝑔𝓇𝒶𝒸𝑒,
𝐵𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒸𝑜𝓁𝑜𝓇 𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈𝓉𝑒.
𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒹, 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝓂𝑒 𝓃𝓊𝓂𝒷,
𝒩𝑜𝓌 𝐼'𝓂 𝒷𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑔—𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝐼 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒?
𝐵𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓂𝑒?
𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓋𝑜𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝒽𝓊𝓂𝓈 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝐸𝒩𝒢𝐼𝒩𝐸'𝓈 𝒽𝓎𝓂𝓃,
𝑀𝓊𝓁𝒷𝑒𝓇𝓇𝓎 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎 𝓊𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝓀𝒾𝓃.
𝒪𝒽, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒾𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓈 𝓈𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓃 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝒸𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉,
𝒫𝒶𝒾𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜𝓂𝑜𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓉𝓈.
𝐼𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝒸𝓁𝑜𝓈𝑒, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎'𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈;
𝒮𝑒𝓌𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝐵𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓇𝒟𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈.
𝒮𝓉𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒, 𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒻𝑒𝓈𝓈,
𝒞𝒽𝑜𝓈𝑒𝓃 𝒷𝓇𝓊𝒾𝓈𝑒𝓈 𝒻𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎,
𝐼𝓃 𝒶 𝓈𝓀𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓎,
𝒮𝑒𝓌𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝐵𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓇𝒟𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈.
Elijah's eyes watered as he closed the diary and laid it back down on the nightstand. He glanced at Emily, then at the flowers. His mind drifted towards the potted plants in the casino. He rubbed his salt and pepper beard as he recalled the last time she slept and his conversation with Shiyu.
"What the hell are you, kid?" Elijah muttered to himself as Emily remained unaware, while he plucked an orchid and took it with him as he left her room.