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Before I could give in, I hurried back inside.
I walked around the room, taking in the art on the walls and appreciating the huge tub in the bathroom. A glance in the mirror on the wall showed my face was flushed, but I was otherwise presentable.
If the Keeper deigned to see me.
I wandered back to the table and took another couple bites of the cake.
A knock on the door made me jump and almost choke. The cake might kill me yet.
I coughed and swallowed my mouthful before the door swung open. Hopefully my face wasn't too red. I could have used more coffee, or even water to wash the cake down the rest of the way. Since I had neither, I fell back on the usual method of pretending nothing was amiss.
I was close now. Hades willing, nothing else would go wrong.
Bain stepped inside and stopped.
His eyes looked weary and wary, but the stoic set of his mouth was unchanged. He gave me a long glance, which started at my feet and swept up my body. He lingered at my breasts before finally looking at my face.
"It's time," he said simply.
"Time for what?" I asked with a smile. Before I could stop myself, I touched his hand with the tips of my fingers. A trickle of power passed from me to him. A jolt of fire shot the other way, right up my arm and into my core.
He responded with the slightest jerk and a flash of surprise as the fatigue lifted from his face.
I drew back. I could kick myself for acting so rashly. What had Ithoughtwould happen? His scent gave me energy, but I didn't have to use it on him. The fire I got back from him was a complication I didn't need.
I was a Hades-cursed idiot.
"The Keeper is ready for you." Bain's voice was tight. He didn't seem angry, but he didn't look grateful either. If he felt a hint of the lust I did, he gave no sign whatsoever.
Yep, I really would have to avoid playing poker with him. He was good. Too good.
"You mean he's ready for the artefact." I let a hint of bitterness sneak into my tone. Not because I was frustrated at not being able to read him. Okay, notjustbecause of that. It was easier, safer, to let him think I knew I was unimportant. That I was resigned to what was to come.
He would know the truth of it soon enough.
I turned my back on him and opened my suitcase. If he was going to slide a knife between my ribs, he would do it now.
I half hoped he'd grab me from behind, undo my jeans and… But even if he wanted to, we shouldn't keep the almighty Keeper waiting. I couldn't keep the sarcasm out of my thoughts.
I pulled out a small wooden box from inside my suitcase and held it in the palm of my hand.
Bain made no move to take the box.
I made no move to give it to him, even though I felt as though it might burn through my skin.
Not literally. If it was, I would have thrown it through the balcony doors and into the garden. An artefact that burns is a dangerous thing. I wouldn't put it past the Covener to make a last minute switch in the hope of destroying the Vault from the inside. And me with it. Two birds with one, small stone.
Bain gestured for me to walk beside him out of the room and down the corridor.
I moved into step beside him and tried not to look like I had to walk quicker to keep up with his long strides.
I took mental note of the direction we took and the turns we made. Hades only knew if I might need to make a quick escape later.
I was soon completely lost in the labyrinth of windowless passages.
I glanced at Bain, but his face still offered nothing. For all I knew, he was leading me around in circles.
Finally, we stepped into a corridor twice as wide as the rest. At the end was a set of double doors, glistening black in the low light.
