Page 34 of The Demon Crown

His hand wrapped around her wrist. She leaned back over the chasm, all her weight supported by his grip alone. Her feet were still on the edge and her stomach and back must burn with the fight to keep herself from tumbling into the darkness.

They both had to wait until the rumbling stopped, and he felt his palm grow sweaty with nerves. But it did stop. It stopped, and he reeled her into his arms with a soft exhale of relief.

He tugged her into his chest, clutching her tightly against his heart as he bent to put his face in her hair. He could have lost her. She could have tumbled into the darkness and he’d never have seen that wonder on her face again.

And for some strange reason, that left him shaking.

ChapterTwelve

Why did he have to show up and ruin everything?

She was trying her best to stay utterly avoidant. He didn’t have to look that good. He didn’t have to wear that smirk that made her entire body shiver every time he looked at her. And he didn’t have to tease her with all those dirty words that kept echoing through her mind.

He was Greed. The king of this kingdom. A terrible demonic beast who had ruled these lands for a thousand years. The idea that he was interested in a thief like her? That was a ridiculous thought.

She’d thought he was bored in the cave. A man had to entertain himself somehow, and someone as old as him likely wanted to toy with whatever he could get his hands on. She’d admitted that it was all right. She’d kissed him back, and it had been the best kiss of her life and that wasfine. Moving on would happen eventually.

And then he saved her life.

Not only that, he wrapped her up in his arms, breathing hard with his lips pressed against her head, and it felt like he cared. It felt like he would have been devastated if she fell into the water and he never saw her again.

What was that? How was she supposed to talk herself out of liking him at all when he seemed so genuinely concerned?

Cautiously, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him back. Her heart wouldn’t stop thudding in her chest and every time it tried to slow down, it thundered right back into that horrible drumming sound that echoed in her ears.

She almost died.

She didn’t, though.

And now this man was holding her against his heart like she mattered and all those walls she’d built up around herself to stay safe came crumbling down. Just like the tomb they stood in.

“Varya,” she whispered against his shoulder. “My name is Varya.”

He repeated her name, savoring the sound of it on his tongue. “Varya. It’s a lovely name.”

“Is it? I have heard no one else with the name before.”

“Because it is as rare as the woman who wields it.” He leaned back, frowning down at her. “You are unharmed?”

“I’m fine.”

“I didn’t pull your shoulder too hard?”

“I’m tougher than I look.” In fact, he’d been quite careful with her. Other than her stinging wrist that he had squeezed a bit too hard, she was fine. Alive. Whole.

And embarrassed to look him in the eye after all that. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and turned her attention to what had been revealed on the floor. “Is that another puzzle?”

“I think we’ve done enough puzzles for the day.”

“And I think we’re close, so we’re going to keep going.”

Greed hissed, his teeth bared and sharp in the flickering firelight. “You almost died.”

Yeah, she had. Varya shrugged before replying, “Hazards of the job. It’s not the first time.”

She wanted to take advantage of the adrenaline flowing through her veins as well. If she didn’t, then they’d be standing here for a while as she emptied her body of liquid through her eyes.

She wasn’t a crier, and she certainly wouldn’t cry in front of him.

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