Page 205 of Crucible

“I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t think we should open it.”

Aurelia nods while tightening her robe. “I have to agree with Seth. Answering it seems like a bad idea.”

“We don’t have a choice,” I tell them. My gaze travels to Thorin and then Seth, who both look like they are mentally preparing for war. “We need to see what he wants.”

“We know what he wants,” Thorin grinds out.

“Yeah, but why now?” I reason. We’re all whispering since we’re standing less than ten feet from the door. “Why not a month ago?”

“Change of heart?” Seth guesses.

“No,” I say, following my gut. “It’s something else. If the Sheriff really believed we’d taken Aurelia, he would have come for her weeks ago.”

Thorin holds my gaze as he tilts his head toward Seth in silent question.Isaac?

Could be,I communicate silently.

“I can hear you,” Seth snaps. “And a door wouldn’t stop Isaac if Thanatos has come for me.”

“I realize now is not the time to ask,” Aurelia whispers, “but who the hell is Thanatos? He sounds suspiciously made up.” She narrows her eyes at Thorin and me as if she thinks we’re the ones who planted that bullshit in his head.

“He’s Death,” Seth unhelpfully explains.

Aurelia just stares at him.

“In short?” Thorin blows out a breath and shakes his head like he can’t believe what he’s about to say. “Thanatos is a god from Greek mythology. It’s said he appears when it’s your time to go and carries you off to the Underworld,” Thorin adds.

“Okay. Sure.” The face Aurelia makes says she thinks we’re all nuts.

“Thanatos is how Seth understands death,” I tell Aurelia. “No matter what happens, Seth knows everything will be okay if the winged god doesn’t come.”

She blinks at me, and then her mouth forms an O in understanding as she turns to peer at Seth through new eyesbefore nodding. “All right, so if it’s not Ezekiel’s brother, then who else would send a death squad to our door?” We’re quiet long enough for Aurelia to catch on and look at each of us in confusion. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

I smile a little to myself as I say, “Nothing.”

Maybe it was a slip of the tongue, or maybe Aurelia does think of our cabin as her home, too. Either way, the three of us are too chicken-shit to find out for sure.

It isn’t as easy for Seth to hide his feelings, though, not with his chest puffed out like that. Aurelia referring to Isaac asZeke’sbrother just assured Seth that he’s as real to Aurelia as Thorin and me.

What Aurelia just gave us without even realizing it is so far from fucking nothing, but now is not the time to let it distract us.

But later…

Let’s just say I’ll be feasting tonight.

“You guys are weird,” she says with a nervous giggle.

Thorin clears his throat and turns us back to the topic at hand. “If it was a SAR mission, Kelly would have radioed first.”

“He probably tried, but we were out all morning, and we didn’t take our radios,” I remind Thorin.

Thorin opens his mouth to argue, but Aurelia beats him to it. “All of this conjecture isn’t useful when there is a way to know for sure,” she reasons. “Just answer the door.”

“Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Thorin snaps.

I palm my face.

Leave it to that grumpy, paranoid prick to send us flying back three steps when we just gained one.

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