"Thank you," she said quietly. Then, lighter: "Any recommendations?"
"Stay away from the third shelf in the eastern alcove. The texts there have a tendency to bite."
"The books bite."
"Everything in a death realm has teeth. Even the literature."
The corner of her mouth curved. Not quite a smile. Close enough to make his shadows stir.
She had finished most of her meal, though she still held her wine glass, turning it slowly between her fingers. The candlelight caught the auburn highlights in her hair, and he noticed she no longer glanced toward the exits every few minutes. Growing comfortable in his presence, even after everything she knew about him.
Foolish. Or brave. He couldn't quite decide which.
She took a sip of the wine, her expression thoughtful. "So you think there's something special about me."
It wasn't a question, but he considered it as if it were. The ward magic responded to her touch in ways that shouldn't be possible for a mortal. The tools had recognized her. His shadows moved around her with protective intent. All of it suggested something deeper than mere coincidence.
"I think you're more than what you appear to be. Whether that's special or just unexpected remains to be seen."
"Unexpected." She seemed to taste the word, rolling it around like fine wine. "I'll take that over 'useful.'"
The corner of his mouth twitched. Barely perceptible, but she noticed.
Her wine glass hit the table with a thunk. "You almost smiled. The Reaper almost smiled at something I said."
"No." But his shadows stirred with amusement.
She laughed. A sound he hadn't heard from her before. It was brief, more of a soft exhale than full laughter, but it changed her face entirely. The wariness melted away, replaced by something lighter, more genuine.
Beautiful.The thought came unbidden and unwelcome, but he couldn't entirely dismiss it.
"After you get comfortable with your abilities," he said, forcing his attention back to practical matters, "we'll have to visit other territories."
"What does that mean?"
"Other ward-lock sites. Survey the damage, attempt repairs if possible." He paused, considering how much to warn her. "It won't be comfortable. Some locations require traveling through unpleasant territories."
"More unpleasant than a realm ruled by the Lord of despair and terror?"
"Different kinds of unpleasant." He stood, and she followed suit. "The Court of Violence, for instance, exists in a state of perpetual war. The Court of the Consumed..." He paused, shadows darkening at the thought of taking her to Vex's domain. "Let's focus on understanding your abilities before we worry about the destinations."
As they moved toward the chamber's exit, he noticed how she walked beside him rather than behind him. Equal footing, as if she'd already claimed the partnership he'd tried to frame as a temporary alliance.
His shadows noticed too, curling with what felt suspiciously like approval.
"I have a question," she said as they entered the corridor.
"Yes?"
"Earlier, when we were working on the ward-lock, your shadows helped me. They moved the tools when I needed them, provided support when the mechanism was unstable." She glanced at him. "Was that intentional?"
"Not entirely."
"What does that mean?"
They had reached the main corridor that led back toward the residential wing. The ribcage architecture rose around them, bone arching overhead. She walked through without the revulsion she'd shown those first days.
Growing bolder. More comfortable. She had no idea what that ease could cost her.
