Its mouth was the last thing to be covered.
Silence fell upon the ruins.
Vivienne’s chest heaved, her muscles burned with the strain of a good fight, and her heart pounded uncharacteristically quickly.
She didn’t look away from the monster. The ice around it slowly darkened, the inky blood seeping from its heart staining the inside of its casket. The red ember in its chest still glowed eerily, a reminder that nothing in this place was normal.
Metal slid into a sheath, and Marius bent over, his hands on his knees as he panted. The ember cast him in a red glow, and sweat shone on his forehead.
After the prince caught his breath, he straightened and… smiled at her. “That was impressive.”
There was definitely something wrong with him.
Vivienne scoffed. “You and I have very different definitions of that word, Marius. That wasn’t impressive. That was close.”
She didn’t like that it had taken both of them to kill the dangerous creature. Who knew what other kinds of monsters crept through the shadows?
Beware.
She shuddered. “We should get moving. The sooner we get the vial of blessed water, the better.”
Her injuries were already healing, thanks to the blood she’d consumed prior to their departure.
Marius shouldered his pack. “You’re right.”
His agreement was so surprising that she stumbled. She’d expected him to put up a fight with her, as he always seemed to do. Surprisewas tart at the back of her tongue, and she swallowed the argument she’d prepared.
As if he knew where her mind had gone, he chuckled. “Iamcapable of being agreeable, Viv.”
Against her better judgment, a grin spread across her face, and her core warmed.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” She kept her sword in her grip, the weapon’s weight familiar as she passed it from one hand to the other. “Ready?”
They needed to locate the heart of the House of Forgotten Shadows before another one of those creatures found them.
“Mhmm.” Marius came to stand beside her.
His fingers brushed the back of her hand, sending sparks running through her. Her lips tingled, the memory of their kiss bringing blood rushing to her cheeks. The shadow creature’s interruption had been problematic in more ways than one.
“Perfect.” Vivienne tilted up her chin and confirmed that the moon’s silver glow hung above them before walking out from beneath the overhang.
The night’s cool breeze brushed her cheeks, filling her with relief, short-lived though it was.
The shadow monster’s unnatural cold was gone, but darkness remained around them. The hum from before had quieted while they fought the beast, but it was back and louder than ever. It throbbed like a heartbeat, beckoning her forward.
Vivienne reached out and gripped Marius’s hand. She didn’t let herself think about the way her heart leaped at the touch—she had a job to do.
“Stay close, Your Highness. There may be more creatures.”
His fingers pulsed around hers, and he leaned forward, his breath warming the side of her neck.
“I’ll gladly follow you, Viv.”
Why did it sound like he was talking about something else?
Warmth pooled in her core, which was a wholly inappropriate reaction for several reasons.
A problem for another time.