A Covenant Of Ashes

Chapter 4

Beth searched around the pool filled mostly with barely clad women in swimsuits and bikinis, and a few men. It didn't take long for her to find the well distinguished young man in a brown blazer, with narrow eyes and long curly hair.

The man was looking at her. 

"Izzy!" Zaida called. "Why are you waiting? Let's go."  

Beth realised that she had maintained one spot, and did nothing but return the man's gaze. She hurried along and crossed to the other end of the pool, towards the young man.

He clasped his fingers together and maintained his focus on Beth and Zaida who were quickly approaching. 

There were several beautiful women lingering around - some attempting to get a feel off his hair and hands, while some attempting to remove his blazer - but his lack of interest sparked Beth's curiosity. What type of person was he? 

The two stopped before the man, and he almost got off his seat once Zaida confronted him. They exchanged a few words with each other in Spanish which Beth could not translate efficiently. But she was aware, at least, that she was being introduced to the man, as she saw Zaida gesture at her and called her name. 

"Welcome, Izzy. You are very good looking," the man spoke. His accent was thick. "Call me Luca." He spoke in a very levelled tone in spite of his accent. 

"It is mice meeting you," she paused, and then spoke with authority. "Can you give me a ride to Amsterdam?" 

Both Zaida and Luca looked at her, puzzled, looking for the right way to respond to her confidence. 

"Do you have some personal business you would like to attend to when we get to Amsterdam?" Luca asked.

"Yes, I do." 

"Of course. It can be arranged." 

The congruence between his voice and his created a soothing melody in her mind and she understood why he was a popular figure. But it only meant that she had to be wary. Not much was known about the man besides his popularity, if there was an ounce of intellect, he would prove to be persuasive, and dangerous.  

"Show her her room," he said to Zaida who smiled at Beth. 

Illuminated by a brilliant yellow; as she expected from from a room in a house of such quality. Although quite plain, the bedsheets and the mirror stood out thanks to their floral design and thick brown frame. 

She drew a cigarette from her bag and threw it on top of the bed. It was the last cigar. 

"Can I get a lighter?" She asked Zaida who followed after into the room. Beth seemed comfortable enough. 

"Yes. I will send an order once I leave."

"That is sufficient." She held the cigar close to her lips as though it were lit. 

They stared at each other for a moment without saying anything to each other. The air grew awkward, but Beth could not tell. Her mind was far from the present. 

Infiltration had been a success, and her path to Amsterdam was secure. Such grand coincidences rarely fell from the apple tree, but when they did she was willing to take them. It was lucky that they expected to meet someone of similar features else she didn't know what exactly she would have done. The problem remained however, that when the apple tree throws down a gift, it throws a misfortune along with it. And right there before her was an inconvenient variable - the girl who is somehow close to Luca De la Cruz, and is keen on getting close to her as well.

"He must be interested in you, you know." Zaida said and sat on the bed. 

"How so?" Beth had an image of Luca keeping his gaze on her. That Luca.