Chapter 5

"God has truly favoured me," Sebastien said as I emerged from behind the curtain, but this time I did not jump from surprise. This time, I looked up at him, fighting a smile.

"Do you make it a habit to sneak from behind curtains in theatres, Sebastian?" I asked him, watching as he took off his hat once again. His hat covered his face for a second before he slid it down to his chest, but between his teeth was a single red rose.

I smiled, unable to contain it as he removed the rose from his teeth and then looked at me, handing it to me with an over dramatic bow, "for the Goddess," he told me as I took the rose from him.

"I thank you, Sebastian," I said kindly as I held the rose, smiling down at it, "but I must get going," I said to him, afraid of getting into trouble with Lydia since she had seemed displeased when she found the daffodil.

"Wait, I have not given you all of your flowers yet," he said as he began to pat down his pockets and then looked at me with a surprised and frightened expression, "I seem to have misplaced them," he complained before he reached forward with his hand, "oh wait," he touched the back of my ear before he came back with a tulip, "here it is," he announced proudly.

My smiled widened, "a magician," I said in awe as he handed me the tulip.

"But I swear there was another one..." he tapped his chin, seeming to be deep in thought and I waited anxiously to see where he would pull out the next flower.

He suddenly sneezed, covering his face with his hands and when he removed them, there was a daffodil in his palms and I gasped in awe.

"Oh, that was most interesting, Sebastian," I said to him, holding in a giggle, "a flower from a sneeze," I could not shake off how impressed I was, "you are a magician, a great one at that as well."

He shrugged, "I am just starting off," he told me as he placed the daffodil delicately behind my ear for me and he stepped back, looking down at me with admiration, "you look so much more beautiful with that daffodil behind your ear," he told me breathlessly. "Your performance was...out of this world, you truly have the most amazing voice I have ever heard," I looked down at my feet shyly at that, his compliments hitting me in the heart.

No person besides my teachers, Master Abigor, my servants and Lydia have given me compliments. He was the first to give me a compliment and I would treasure it.

"I must leave," I told him as I looked up from the ground and into his green rebellious eyes and he sadly nodded.

I walked towards him, before I raised my hand to slowly caress the side of his face, wanting to feel a man's features. Just as my hand was about to touch his face and he anticipated it, a throat was cleared and I stopped, putting my hand back to my side, slowly, as I turned to the sound and was met with Master Abigor, watching us.

"Master Abigor," I immediately took two steps back from the lad. Master Abigor did not say a word, he simply looked at the lad before he strode towards me and extended his arm.

I looked after Sebastian as I walked away and I cracked a small smile in his direction and I watched as he placed his hand on his heart, before he waved goodbye at me and I turned, letting Master Abigor lead me away from him.

~~~

The ride back home was uneventful, Lydia and I engaged in trivial conversation and I went on to tell her how I performed on stage and how amazing it felt. I did love being under the spotlight, I was born and bred for this and it is all that I know. It was when I entered the mansion when things were different. Standing in the middle of the foyer was one of my servants who rushed to my side and told me that Master Abigor requested to see me.

He has never requested to see me. I looked at Lydia who simply urged me to go because I must answer when the Master calls. I wondered what he was calling me for, as I followed the servant who led me to the other wing of the mansion where Master resided. A part of the mansion I had never been.

We did not go too far because she led me to his library and closed the door behind me when I entered. My eyes immediately met his figure sitting on the corner of the desk, his chilling eyes watching me. I could not see anything besides his silhouette, but I felt his cold eyes watching me as I walked towards him.

I stopped a few feet before him, curtseying, "Master Abigor," I began, waiting for him to tell me the reason for his request.

I stood up straight, but he had not said a word so I waited anxiously. I watched as he stood up and I began to fiddle with my fingers, while he, with confident strides, reached me, but he did not stop. No, instead he circled me, like a predator surveying its prey. He stopped, before his index and middle finger, lifted my chin up, forcing me to look him in the eye.

For the first time in my life, I saw my master, Abigor. I never got the chance to look the man directly in the face for more than mere seconds before I averted my gaze, but to-night I was seeing him.

The man was heavenly appealing, his features so defined that he seemed like he'd been carved out of stone so that every edge on his face looked stronger than cement. His eyes, his green eyes, swirled with a deadly combination of red and hazel. The red and hazel in his orbs, glowed brightly. His eyes were alluring as he looked down at my face.

Thin pink lips, a stubble and a slightly crooked nose.

"Aphrodite," he breathed out, his eyes looking to the side of my face before he reached to whatever he was looking at and I realized that I had not removed the flower that Sebastian had placed behind my ear, "explain," he instructed as he surveyed the daffodil, his fingers still beneath my chin and forcing me to look up at him.

"Sebastian snuck backstage and gave me flowers," I paused, "to-night was the second time he had done so. I tried to leave and avoid him the first time, but he would not let me until he was done."

"And the second time?" his husky voice caused my knees to weaken beneath me and I sucked in a breath.

"I...the second time, I wanted to see him," at that, Master Abigor just raised a lone eyebrow.

"Only twice?" he asked me and I nodded. He did not say a word, just traced his fingertips on my jawline before his index and middle finger moved from my chin and he began to trail down my neck with his fingers, "Aphrodite," he breathed out again and it sounded like a growl, before his hands quickly wrapped around my throat.

I gasped, my eyes widening as I reached my hands up to grip onto his hand that had a tight grip around my neck. Not so tight that it cut off my air supply, but tight enough to let me know that if he wanted to, he could. 

"Master Abigor, please," I cried out in a terrified whisper.

He leaned down, his green eyes having turned a dark hazel as his lips went to my ear, "if you ever as much as look in another man's direction, I will deal with the both of you accordingly, am I understood?" he growled lowly into my ear and I nodded.

"Yes, yes Master Abigor," I rushed out, "I will never betray you again."

He breathed out, moving his lips from my ear as he looked into my eyes, a hungry look in his eyes, "hurting you hurts me," he let out lowly, his voice getting husker, "do not test me, Aphrodite," he warned me, not letting go of me as I stood there, pleading with my eyes. "Remember one thing and one thing only," he began gripping me tighter and I tried to stop his hand, "you are mine," he pulled my body into his, raising me by my neck as my feet tried to stay on the ground but I could not feel it anymore, "and mine alone."

At that he let go of me and I fell to the floor, holding on to my neck as I cried. He leaned down and I tried to move away from him but he would not let me. Instead, he caressed the side of my face, his eyes back to green, "oh, Aphrodite..." he breathed out yet again.

~~~