Excitement flits through my veins. “This is my favorite. I love figuring out codes.”
I rush over to the table where Serena lays out the map. “Okay, we need to look for patterns,” I say.
When I glance up at Tristan, he’s smiling softly, his eyes creased at the corners.
I frown. “What?”
“You’re so excited about these clues. It’s really cute.”
“Ew.” I wrinkle my nose. “Don’t call me cute for using my brain.”
“Never again.” Tristan chuckles. “Let’s solve this thing.”
Together, we pore over the map, analyzing every symbol and marking, trying to find a pattern. Certain symbols repeat themselves, and I quickly realize that they must correspond to letters in the alphabet.
“Tristan, look,” I exclaim. “These repeating symbols could be vowels.”
“Nice, Amelia,” he says, drawing out the syllables of my full name. I can see that he’s still amused by my excitement, and I don’t care. “She’s cracking the code, girls.” Tristan says as he sets a hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “That’s my girl,” he says in a hushed voice.
I glance up at him, meeting his blue eyes, and surprisingly, they don’t hold ridicule. He looks almost…sweet, and I can’t stop the surge of warmth rushing through my veins.
Men like Tristan are dangerous.
As I continue to figure out the clues, I run my observations by Tristan. He doesn’t help, but he watches me closely. My cheeks grow warm, but I try to immerse myself in the task.
“Hey,” Tristan says softly. “About yesterday… I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
My heart thumps in my chest, and I try to gauge if he’s being sincere. There’s that vulnerability in his eyes that I rarely see.
Still, now is not the time for a conversation like this.
“Hush. I’m trying to solve this.”
He chuckles, and it’s a deep, warm sound. I never thought he’d be so gentle and sweet.
This must be his magic. This is why so many women fall for him when he’s such a dick.
I return to my task, grateful for the distraction. The warmth of Tristan’s body hovers near me, but it doesn’t unsettle me nearly as much as it did yesterday.
“Got it,” I exclaim, pointing at the final decoded message. “It says the key lies beneath the lion’s gaze.”
It’s so cheesy, and I don’t even care. My stomach is fluttering.
We quickly scan the room and spot an ornate lion statue on a shelf. Tristan reaches up and retrieves a small key from under its red eyes.
“Nice work, Amelia.”
“Thanks,” I mumble as warmth seeps into my cheeks. The way he says my full name sends shivers down my spine.
With the key in hand, I rush over to the door. I’m almost there when my foot slams into something hard. I yelp as I fly into the air, bracing myself for impact, but it never comes.
Big arms wrap around my waist, pulling me against a hard chest. “Slow down there, my excited girl.” Tristan’s warm breath tickles my ear.
“Th-thank you,” I stammer, my whole body taut. Our faces are mere inches apart, and I can’t help but get lost in the depths of his blue eyes. My heart pounds in my chest, and my breath hitches as I try to process the onslaught of emotions coursing through me.
“Your foot okay?” Tristan’s voice is soft and gentle.
“Yeah,” I whisper.
