Page 33 of The Demon Crown

She knew him so well already. They were moving in the right direction.

Puffing up his chest a bit once again, he meandered over to the wall before spearing her with a pointed stare. “What do I get if I solve this portion of the tomb?”

“Nothing.”

“Then I will not help you.”

“I can figure it out on my own.”

He scoffed. “No, you really can’t. But that is fine. I will leave you here in the dark, by yourself, and I will wait until you come crawling out of it. I’ll give you three days, and if you haven’t come back out, I’ll assume you died.”

She almost seemed insulted that he would leave her here to die. He would never, of course. Greed knew how to treat one of his most prized possessions, and that did not include leaving them in a dank cave where they would rot.

But she didn’t need to know that.

The thief crossed her arms over her chest and mimicked his pose, her hip cocked out to the side and her shoulders straight with aggression. “What do you want?”

“A trade.”

“What do you want to solve this puzzle?” She emphasized each word.

“A kiss.” No, that wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted far more than that, but Greed would settle for a kiss if that’s as far as he could get.

The thief tilted her head to the side and eyed him. “And if we find the artifact I’m looking for?”

“A woman who likes to bargain. I appreciate that.” He stepped closer to the wall, fingering the flint and steel. “Then I expect your name, treasure. So I might scream your name when you bring me the utmost pleasure.”

“That will never happen.” But he could see the gooseflesh that had risen along her neck and shoulders at his words. She wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted him to think.

He flashed her a smile.

“Then another kiss shall suffice for now.”

Cracking the flint and steel together, he watched as the flames crawled up the walls. Ancient oil channels had been unaffected by age, apparently, and for that he was glad.

How embarrassing would it have been if he lit the oil and nothing happened? As it was, the fire roared to life and ran down the walls, circling them and stretching higher and higher until the entire room was illuminated.

Oh... Not all the glass had been destroyed by time.

The ceiling was still hand tiled with glass and marble and beautiful gemstones. All above their heads glass trees grew tall. Colorful birds were frozen mid flight, their wings outstretched and each feather so lovingly crafted that it almost looked like they could come to life at any moment. Rays of glass sunlight gleamed with fire burning behind them, almost as though the people here had once captured the sun.

He’d forgotten. How had he forgotten how wondrous this place was?

He had hated it when he had first come here. He’d hated how they could have something like this and he would never be able to recreate it. Greed couldn’t even steal it away from them because it would only look so beautiful in this place, made by those hands.

And he hated them all over again right now. He hated them and loved them for their talent at the same time.

“It hasn’t changed,” he breathed, his voice echoing in the cavern. “Not one bit.”

Then he turned his attention to her, to the awe that had her tipping her head back and looking up as well. And he realized that even with the greatest beauty above her head, he was still more enraptured by her than anything else. Her long, graceful neck. The coil of wavy hair that brushed against her cheeks. The wonder in her eyes. All of it called out to him and he wanted... needed...

The floor shuddered underneath his feet. He stretched out his arms to stay balanced and then saw in horror that another opening in the floor had appeared behind her. And she wasn’t moving fast enough.

Fear flashed in his thief’s eyes as she teetered on the edge, her arms pinwheeling, her mouth frozen in shock.

He’d never moved so fast in his life. Greed flew across the chamber, his arm outstretched, his heart thundering, and he just... barely...

Caught her.

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