Page 10 of Three's A Wrap
I bite my lip, but carry on when his warm hand loops through mine. He brings my hand to his lips to kiss, and I melt some more. If he keeps this up, I’ll be a puddle by the time we leave.
“Isn’t the exit that way?”
Sebastian looks down an intersecting corridor and turns. “No. This way, we have to hurry,” he says.
I wince as a throbbing pain register in my skull, heralding the headache currently forming behind my eyes with each step towards wherever my new mate is taking us. The walls are getting narrower, crowding us in the further we venture, and the torches are fewer and farther between, creating more shadows than I would like.
I cling to Sebastian, wrapping my arms around his forearm while we hold hands, and I enjoy the way his biceps bulge as we walk. I don’t want to go any amount of time without touching him, thankful I’ve finally found him. I can’t help but smile like anidiot with the obvious knowledge that there’s lots of affection in my future, and I’m not mad about it at all.
He squeezes me to his side and offers me a reassuring smile, even when his feet quicken. “We’re almost there.”
My brow furrows when Sebastian comes to a stop in front of a large stone wall. Even though I can’t cast magic, I can feel it seeping from beyond the wall —dark, omnipotent, powerful, and unlike anything I’ve ever felt.
Fear and trepidation roil in my stomach when he tugs his hand free of mine and places it on the smooth stone.
“What’s in there?” I ask, because why would he want to go in there?
Blue ring markings light up across not only the walls, but his skin too, making his hands glow the same color as the cuff that was on my arm. My jaw drops, and the stone slides open from his touch like a trap door.
How?I could’ve sworn he was human.
“Come on, we’ve got to hurry,” he says, rushing inside.
I step into an antechamber and glance around at the huge ceilings in awe. Large pillars are dotted throughout the massive room. Sconces, like those in the tunnel, light up across the walls, and my brow furrows at how the glow shimmers on the pillars around the room.
Curious, I make my way to one and reach out to touch it.
“It's gold,” I whisper, reaching out to touch the cold, smooth metal, admiring the runes and hieroglyphs covering the pillar.
Magic, heavy and dense, stretches around us, making my stomach flip over with dread at just how much of it there is. It’s also a witch’s wet dream. I can feel the ancient magic in the chamber, and the unearthed knowledge could unlock so many spells. My whole family wouldkillfor a chance to step inside here.
“I do need you to stay with me,” he calls out, his voice echoing.
I head towards him, my stomach dipping with uneasiness as I make my way around one large pillar and spot Sebastian near a large throne in the center of the room.
My gaze widens. The throne is gold too, and all around the edges of the large chair are glowing blue runes in different shapes that seem to shine brighter the closer we get. Only then do I notice the individual sitting on the throne, his mummified hands atop the armrests.
“What the bloody hell is he?” I ask, unable to look away from the mummy man.
“Chloe, I need you to trust me now, alright?” he says, his hands wrapping around my shoulders and squeezing.
I blink, and suddenly, my overworked brain puts things together. I point one finger towards the throne, and the mummy on it. “Was he a pharaoh?”
Sebastian’s expression grows grim, and he holds one of my hands. “Sort of. Now pay attention, please, my darling. I need you to put the bracelet on his arm. Can you do that for me?”
He holds the bracelet out to me, and somehow, it’s now easily bigger than my calf.
I shake my head and snatch my hand away, not wanting that thing anywhere near me. “I don’t want to touch it.”
“It won’t hurt you again, I promise. It never should have done so to begin with, but I needed your help.” Sebastian says, rubbing my arms in soothing motions as I hold the bracelet away from me.
I shake my head again, this time to clear it. The magic emanating from the pharaoh is thick and potent, making it hard to form a cohesive thought as Sebastian pushes the bracelet into my hands.
I nod dumbly and turn towards the throne. Gingerly holding the golden link away from me and pinching it with my thumb and forefinger, I tip toe my way towards the bandaged mummy.
The bracelet seems to buzz and electrify, and I hurry up the gilded steps, not wanting to touch it more than necessary. A low moan breaks from my lips as a strong pulse of magic crashes through me like waves on a tide. Whatever the mummy is, his magic is overwhelming in its intensity the closer I get, making me somewhat dizzy.
“He’s your mate,” Sebastian says.
