Page 279 of Sinister

“But . . . how? How is that possible? And they know about you? How did you trick them into accepting this farce?” A barrage of questions comes out of my mouth as I try to wrap my head around this.

It’s just so ludicrous.

“Yes, they know. They’ve always known. One of the promises I made Arnoult before I killed him was that when he was reincarnated, I would help him get back his memories.

“So that is what I did. But before I found him, he was already inseparable from Lisa. I only returned his memories after he turned eighteen. But he and Lisa had been neighbors, best friends growing up, and then lovers in high school. They recognized each other even without those memories. Fate is such a beautiful thing, isn’t it, Petra?”

“You gave Lisa her memories, too?”

“Yes.”

“And they also remember me?”

“They do.”

“B-but . . . what about the fact that you’re an adult male and you have been one for the past hundred years or so. How the hell did you fool people? How did you pretend to be a child, a teenager . . .”

“Ah, that? It’s called glamour. I can change the perception people have of me. My sister was told everything when she was old enough to understand. As for my presence at school, I only joined when you did.”

“Glamour?” I echo.

“Open the door, Petra, and see for yourself.”

I shouldn’t, should I?

I’m mad at him, I don’t want to see him. But I’m also curious, and that particular trait has always been stronger than my will.

With slow but steady steps, I walk toward the door and open it.

He’s in front of me, dressed in just a shirt and a pair of sweatpants. His hair is messy and tousled, and for a moment, I don’t see much of a difference.

But then I focus on his face. His jaw is more angular, his cheekbones more pronounced. Some of the baby fat has melted away to reveal a more sculpted version of Sin—one that mirrors the version from my dreams.

I gulp down. Is he taller? I’m not sure. But as I stare up at him, I feel suddenly small, defenseless.

“It’s you . . .” I mutter, mostly to myself.

“There isn’t much of a change now, but I have had to shift my appearance over the ages to match that of a boy going through puberty.”

“Going through . . . oh, Lord, Sin! You’re a hundred-year-old man, and you’ve been going to school with teenagers!” I cry out. “That’s so wrong!”

“Is it?” He shrugs. “I do admit it was rather odd. But I never had any nefarious intentions, never paid much attention to those around me—except you.”

“As if that makes me feel better! I was still fourteen when I started at St. Anselm Hall.”

“And I waited until you were eighteen. You can’t say I was not a gentleman.”

My mouth drops open in shock.

“You’re insane.”

“Perhaps. But I am insane for you. And I slogged through boring high school courses just to be near you. I had to withstand all those annoying little bastards just so I could cultivate a sense of normality. It wasn’t easy. But I did it. For you.”

“And that doesn’t make it any less weird.” I scrunch my nose in disgust.

He shrugs. “I did what I had to do.”

“Right. So you’ve said. But you still haven’t told me what you are. You’re not human. So what are you?”