Dear God.
A whimper escaped her throat before she could catch it. She slapped a hand over her mouth.
Don’t wake him.
She moved back barely a breath’s worth of motion.
And his wing moved with her.
How did he feel me inch away?
In between his snoring, the wing lifted and folded over her body, cloaking her in darkness. The leathery underside brushed her bare skin with a deceptive gentleness that sent her heart racing.
She looked around at the treasure and then at him.
Am I his prisoner? Or am I his prize?
She trembled.
Another snore rumbled from his huge body.
Sol gulped down terror.
Every nerve in her body flared as she began to inch backward, slowly, carefully. She slid one leg from beneath the leathery wing. Then another. Her skin met the soft animal pelts again—warm, luxurious, almost obscene in their comfort. Inch by inch, she moved, until the edge of his wing lifted on its own, reacting to her escape like a living, instinctual shield.
And thank God, this time that wing didn’t resist.
Instead, it let her go.
Alright. So close.
Only when she was fully free did she dare exhale.
Trembling, she reached for the thickest pelt she could find—a heavy black bear hide—and wrapped it around her naked body.
I have to find a way out of here.
She clutched the fur tighter to her. When she rose to her feet, the coins beneath her shifted and clanked.
She froze, praying that didn’t wake him.
Another loud, thunderous snore left Korin’s massive body.
Okay. He is still sleeping.
Watching him, she backed away until there was at least seven feet of space between her and Korin.
Then and only then did she turn around and tiptoe forward.
One step.
Two.
Three and four.
Five and six.
Treasure slipped along her bare feet.
