Page 70 of Sinful

“For me?”

“Yes.”

A hard lump appeared in the back of my throat. “They must be so frightened.”

“The general mood up there is pretty grim, but they’re coping in their own way.” His eyes narrowed slightly, and he stroked his jaw. “There are three main camps. One believes you were taken by the Entity as a sort of test, and that you will be returned just before your ritual date. That’s the side your father and the other elders have landed on.”

“And the other sides?”

His cold smile returned. “I’ve been quietly suggesting to a few people here and there that you could’ve been snatched up by a gang of outsiders. I said it would make sense, given the general sentiment toward the Covenant, and that they could have disabled part of the electric fence and snatched you up after seeing you on a walk. Quite a few people believe that theory now. Especially because outsider attacks on Alderwoodhave happened before. Never abductions, but there’s a first for everything.”

I glowered at him. “Why are you starting rumors like that?” I said. “What’s the point when they already think you’re innocent? You don’t need to deflect suspicion.”

“I’m always thinking several steps ahead, Rose.” He tapped the side of his head. “At some point, I want to let your father know that you’re alive and there’s a chance he could get you back, if only he follows my instructions and answers all my questions. But I want him to think it’s someone else who has you. Not me. An outsider gang instead, who happened to get his phone number from one of the places in town he does business with. A gang of men who’ve been seething with rage and hatred toward the Covenant for years and planning this scheme for nearly just as long.”

My nose wrinkled. “Why would you want him to think you’re someone else? That doesn’t make sense.”

“Yes, it does. If he thinks others took you, he’ll continue to see me as an ally, meaning I’ll still be allowed in Alderwood to do my research. In other words, searching around for the evidence I want and need about my mother’s murder,” he said. “Meanwhile, your father will be desperately spilling information via text to the so-called outsider gang, which should help me locate that evidence. You see?”

“He’ll know it’s really you on the phone the moment your fake gang starts bringing up Miranda.”

“I already thought of that, baby girl. This ‘gang’ will be demanding information on all sorts of subjects. Not just my mother’s death.”

“I see.” I sighed wearily, one hand rubbing my forehead. His plan was insane and could get him seriously hurt or killed, but that was his problem, not mine. “You said there are three camps of belief regarding my disappearance. What’s the last one?”

“They think you went for a walk and got snatched up by a bear. Your father and the elders don’t like this sort of talk, so they’ve been trying to squash the theory, along with the one I secretly started. But I’ve still heard whispers about both around the tavern.”

I shook my head. “The bears on our land are not the kind that attack and eat humans.”

“Well, everyone in Alderwood is very confused, so they’re looking high and low for an explanation, because you really do seem to have vanished into thin air,” he replied. “Or a bear’s stomach.”

Fury ricocheted through me. This man, this awfulmonster,was taking full advantage of my people’s warm hospitality while mocking them behind their backs for their fear. He didn’t deserve to be in Alderwood. Didn’t deserve to beanywhereon this earth. A man like him deserved to reside in Hell.

I briefly closed my eyes and curled my hands at my side, digging my fingernails into my palms. I couldn’t show my anger. It would only earn me more punishment.

“Speaking of stomachs,” Sebastian went on. “You must be hungry. You should eat.”

I looked down at the bowl of oatmeal. “Yes, Master,” I said, reaching for it. Confusion suddenly struck me, and I pulled my hand back. “Oh. There’s no cutlery.”

Sebastian stared at me, eyes flickering with a strange smugness. “Damn. I must’ve forgotten it,” he said. “But it’s all right. You can just use that spoon you keep hidden under your mattress.”

Cold fear washed through me. “What?” I squeaked.

He grinned, fingertips slowly rubbing at his jaw. “You really thought I didn’t know?”

“How…”

He jerked a thumb toward the light. “There’s a surveillance camera attached to that,” he said. “It monitors you twenty-four hours a day. The footage can be live streamed to my phone or computer, and it also records it, so if I’m busy, I can go back and watch it all later.”

“A… camera?” I said, rising to my feet to squint at the light. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, exactly, because I hadn’t seen enough outsider light fixtures to know what was normal.

“You know what a movie is, right? We’ve discussed it before.”

I nodded, turning my wide eyes back to Sebastian’s handsome face. “Yes.”

“They use cameras to capture the people’s actions.” He motioned to the light again. “That’s sort of what you’re in right now. My own personal movie.”

“So you’ve been watching me this whole time?” I said in a low voice.

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