Change Their Itinerary

"What is that supposed to be?" Nadia arched an eyebrow at a sculpture made of obsidian rock.

"It's abstract art," Lilith answered as she walked up to Nadia's side. She placed her hands behind her back and admired the display.

"But what is it supposed to be?"

"It's not what it's supposed to be. It's what the art is conveying." Lilith chuckled. Chatter surrounded them as people wandered inside the museum.

An art exhibition poster caught Lilith's attention when they walked passed a street lamp. She practically ran back to read about it and here they were.

"Fine…" Nadia scoffed, crossing her arms. "What is it conveying, oh, Wise Lilith?"

Lilith wrapped her arms around Nadia's shoulders and leaned in to whisper:

"That world is made of rock. At first glance, rocks might not be appealing to the eye… but that doesn't mean it can't be beautiful. The world is the same, especially with catastrophes and misfortunes amiss. That shouldn't let you stop from believing that the world is a beautiful place and to have hope it will one day be polished and shine."

Nadia stared at Lilith. Her mouth hung slightly open. "You thought of that just by looking at it?"

"No, it's in the brochure they gave us out front." Lilith beamed before a burst of giggles flew out of her mouth. Nadia slapped her shoulder and huffed.

"This is soooo boring, Lilith!" she whined. Nearby humans glared in her direction. She gave them an apologetic look then, hissed close to Lilith's ear. "I can't believe you'd rather go to a museum than a mall!"

"But I like classic art."

Although, the exhibition was for modern art. Lilith figured Nadia would be able to appreciate it better than old art pieces—a compromise to accommodate their difference in taste.

Nadia groaned. "I know and I love you. I really do. Did I mention I love you?"

Lilith squinted in suspicion. "But…?"

"But…" Nadia smiled sheepishly. "Do you mind if I see what Aidan is up to?"

Lilith rolled her eyes but smiled back. "Fine. Go."

She released Nadia from her hold and looked at the sculpture again. Passersby glanced in her direction whenever they walked passed her. Compared to the lustrous black rock, her blue hair and her floral dress stood out like an art display herself.

Their hushed comments about her didn't reach her eyes. Instead, Lilith moved on to the paintings spread out to three walls. They caught her interest as soon as they came in but she didn't want to bore Nadia over them.

Her spirits lifted up when she spotted a painting reminded her of her favorite piece. She rushed over immediately.

"Lilith—"

Dharvey tugged on Sicily's arm. "Sicily, relax. Let her look around. Give the girl her space."

Sicily pressed her lips together. "We were supposed to go straight to the mansion."

That had been the plan since it was their main destination. Since Ivar forced them to take the long way over for Lilith's sake, the group couldn't say no to her request. Visitors were only allowed for a limited time so they had to go soon or they'd miss it.

"And we will," Dharvey assured her. "We're not staying long. Let that one decide when it's time to go."

Sicily knew who she meant even before she followed where Dharvey's finger pointed at.

Amon had his jaw clenched. He regarded museums as quiet places without large crowds. Only those who saw true value in art usually came to visit. Initially, he was able to stay in beside a wall—away from anyone possibly bumping into him.

Now, he strained to follow Lilith while dodging people who couldn't see him. He should have been firmer in rejecting her request. The agreement was to go straight to the mansion, no detours.

But when she pleaded with those jewel-like eyes, his defense wavered and that was all it took to change their itinerary for the day.

Lilith felt Amon's presence. She hid a smirk. The Grim Reaper had kept a distance since they entered the human world. That didn't sit well with her—not in the name of their newfound friendship!

The painting Lilith aimed didn't have a lot of onlookers. She stood in front of it as close as possible. For others, it didn't seem to be interesting but to her, it was almost like a sign.

The artist had captured the ocean waves and the sunset with strokes inspired by her favorite painter while also making it their own.

She could almost hear the birds that soared through the orange and pink sky as well as the crash of the waves onto shore or sand and rocks.

Could they visit a place like this?

Her heart weighed heavily. From what she knew, it had to be far away from where they were. There was no way she'd be able to experience it.

This painting just might be the closest thing she'll—

A hand gripped her wrist. A small gasp escaped her lips. Lilith turned her head to find Amon standing beside her. "You do know touching them is prohibited?"

"Well, well… look what the cat dragged in." Lilith grinned. "And I do know that. Thank you very much."

The Grim Reaper observed her smug face. "You were baiting me."

It was a statement, not a question.

"Are you visible or are people thinking I'm crazy for talking to myself?" Lilith whispered. She shook the hand he had trapped with his fingers. "If you're worried about what they'd think of you, you could always pretend to be a living statue and perform tricks."

"That sounds worse."

Lilith merely shrugged. Amon eventually let her go and cleared his throat. He shuffled his feet so they were both facing the painting, their arms nearly touching. Lilith didn't bother asking further if he had allowed himself to be seen.

Whether he did or not was now irrelevant.

"The artist did a fantastic job," Lilith spoke after a while. "It's as if there's a magnetic pull to their work. It makes me believe if I was close enough, it could transport me there."

Amon peeked at her from the corner of his eye. Her words made him realize how much she was missing out of the human world. He kept his opinion on that matter to himself.

Otherwise, their plans might change again.

"I have seen better," he said instead. "Perhaps that's why I cannot share the same sentiment."

"Right. You're old and had the time to see all the paintings in the world." Lilith snorted. He should cut her some slack. It was her first day in the human world and she hadn't seen much of it yet.

Amon ignored her teasing. "Besides, the painter obviously copied Van Gogh's style."

"Van Gogh?"

"Yes." He nodded, leaning sideways to reduce their height difference a little. "Many artists have done the same. It's nothing new and it's certainly not even close to the original."

Lilith watched him as he talked. "You sure have strong opinions on paintings."

Amon noticed her stare. He bowed his head and averted his gaze. "I may or may not look into classical paintings every now and then."

"Like I said, you're an old man."

He glared at Lilith though she couldn't see it.

Lilith took a deep breath, exhaling out of her nose. Her attention went to the painting once more. "And it's not that the painter copied Van Gogh. They had drawn inspiration from it and added their own flair. Should we not support an artist who has the same tastes?"

"I dare say, Lilith. You're sounding like an old man."

She hit his arm lightly and heard him chuckle.

"Mostly Van Gogh," Lilith admitted. "Seeing all these paintings makes me wish I could see Starry Night someday."

"If you do, you'll see I was right."

She widened her eyes at the Grim Reaper. "You've seen it?"

"Of course."

Envy surged inside her chest. Life truly wasn't fair. There was so much of the world to see and she wasn't allowed to explore them all. She hoped she didn't need to wait another 22 years before going back to the human world.

And that she could explore any part of it she wanted whether near or far!

Lilith pouted, making Amon feel a tiny bit arrogant. It was like holding a lollipop out of a child's reach.

"It wasn't when Van Gogh was still painting it, was it?"