The shard was almost in my grasp. Freedom from my curse, and Gavin’s death-defying promise curled a wicked smile across my lips.
Time to collect my prize.
Chapter 44
Marin
The inky tunnel emptiedat a solid wood door. Torches flickered like sentries in metal sconces on either side. Water dripped against the stone floor with a steady pulse as if the tunnel itself had a heartbeat. My own quickened as I gripped the heavy ring fixed to the door and pushed it open.
Stale air greeted my lungs, and dust motes glistened in the guttering light. Gavin wrested one of the torches free from its iron grip and followed me into the treasure room.
The dim light revealed glimpses of treasure piled high on raised platforms. Jewels spilled from wooden casks, sparkling as we passed. Cobwebs clung to stone pillars, and everything was coated in a thick layer of dust, untouched for ages.
Gavin barely spared the jewels a second glance. Years ago, he would have lingered over them, held them up to the light to examine their clarity. Now, he just pressed forward, the shard his only focus.
“Do you see it?” he asked, his voice still a whisper even though the giant was far behind us. But that only made this place feel eerier, as if it were hallowed ground. And in a way, it was. A ghostly presence hung in the air, a silent echo of those who’d tried to defeat the giant and failed.
“Not yet.” I ran my damp palms over the fabric of my shirt, atiny fear curling inside my chest. What if it wasn’t here? What if after all this, we left empty-handed?
“We’ll find it, Marin.” Gavin raised the torch over his head, the light expanding over the treasure.
And then, there, in the corner of the chamber, stood a dais holding an object caged in glass. The shard was smaller than I’d imagined, easily something I could fit in my palm. I lifted it from the glass case and removed its thin sheath. The ocean’s influence was unmistakable. It was jagged, the uneven ends razor-sharp like glass and fused to a piece of coral. The torchlight illuminated the shard’s shifting colors, swirling like a tide of deep blues and sea green. My fingers slid over the slick surface. It felt wet, but it wasn’t. My skin stayed dry.
Gavin’s hand settled on my shoulder. “You did it.”
My face tilted up to his. “No. We did it. I never would have found it alone. Thank you, Gavin.”
His teasing tone filled my ears. “What are partners for? Just don’t complain when you get my bill.”
I laughed softly. “Look around. Take your payment from here, otherwise you might have to wait a while.”
“Hmm… I don’t want your gold.” His fingers drifted over the back of my neck, sending a shiver of heat down my spine.
Was I a terrible hunter, that all I wanted to do was toss the shard in my pack and head back to the cabin? If the shard had emotions it would probably feel slighted. Poor thing waited years to be found, and I was more interested in the thief tracing slow circles against my skin.
“But I guess we’ll have to wait,” he murmured. A seductive grin carved across his lips. “You might wake the giant.”
I cocked my head, letting my finger hook lazily around the compass chain where it rested just above the swell of my chest.His gaze dipped—lingered.
“If I don’t, are you even trying hard enough?”
A quiet laugh rumbled from his throat. “You have a wicked mouth, Mare. And I love it.”
“Come on, unless you want to do a little exploring, let’s take the shard and go.”
“No. We have what we came for. Besides—” Gavin lifted his shoulder in an easy shrug. “I wouldn’t want to break your rule. It’s rude to take things without giving anything back.”
“Ah, yes.” I tucked the shard into the bottom of my pack, then reached into the satchel at my waist. I frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“I didn’t bring any sea glass. I can’t believe I forgot.”
“You did have a charming thief challenging your every move. So it’s not unreasonable.”
“Still…” I chewed the corner of my lip, staring at the dais. All these years, I’ve always left a piece of sea glass behind. And now, when it mattered the most, I didn’t have any.
“Use this one.” Gavin’s tone was soft as he dug into his satchel and removed a small piece of translucent glass. It was pale blue and worn into the shape of a crescent moon.
