Sticks and Stones

Chapter Twelve

Sofia didn't know what scared her more. The thought of sitting by that door alone and waiting for it to open or the look Caspian gave her when she continued to follow him.

But sitting by the door would be terrible. With that body in sight. The sounds from the outside world. What if those lanterns went out, plummeting her into darkness? And the rats? The snakes? The creepy crawlies and spiders?

Safety in numbers.

Caspian would be glad for her sooner or later. Or so she hoped. As she watched the muscles in his back flex as he walked, it became obvious that Cas was used to this. Working alone. Doing what needed to be done. Getting the job done.

Suppose she wasn't following because she was scared—but come on! This was Sofia's first mission. So far, she was failing tragically.

Caspian was her only hope. Her only source of light. What choice did she have but to follow?

Maybe I could've been a little...nicer.

But she was new to this! Immortals were struck down for showing weakness. She had to make her mind up on matters fast.

As they waded further into the dark- the space around them lit by Caspian's fire glyphs- a cold chill spread throughout her body. With the darkness creeping up on her, she felt the absence of the sun. Goosebumps broke out across her flesh.

As she hugged her arms for warmth, she glanced to Caspian, expecting to see him suffering.

But he wasn't.

At all.

As a matter of fact, Cas seemed completely fine. In his element. As if this were the most comfortable he'd been in a long time.

Scoffing, Sofia grabbed his arm before he could recoil. Warmth. Cas was a damned sauna.

"Why aren't you cold?" She asked, hoping maybe he'd take pity on her. As he turned to her direction, she was evidently freezing. For a second, Cas' gaze flickered with pain, but then it hardened.

"We're not all cold-blooded snakes."

She rolled her eyes. Cute that he's trying. But even he didn't sound like he believed that.

Cas was trying to push her away. Because I hurt him.

She sucked her teeth in.

They barely knew each other for heaven's sake! But he had been good to her right from the beginning...

And what have I shown him in return?

"Seriously. You should be freezing right now."

But whilst she was over here freezing her tits off, Cas was completely fine.

"Inferno demon, remember? I can make fire by will. There's enough heat running through my body to heat a castle."

Good for some.

Sofia, for one, felt like an icicle.

"I'm cold."

He looked her up and down once, twice, then turned back to the front. His fingers were twitching at his sides. Twitching from the struggle of not grabbing her. Of not sharing his warmth.

"Good to know."

She gaped at his audacity.

"Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

He shrugged, still walking at a leisurely pace. "Enemies."

"Mates."

"I'm playing by your rules. Not fun, is it?"