Time went on, and the thudding sound of the Elder Crocdaemon's approach never stopped.
Closer. And closer.
Every passing minute, the dull thuds echoed like a ticking time bomb.
But the strange part?
It was slow. Painfully, awfully slow.
The sun had already set, and night had swallowed the skies whole. Even then, the monster still hadn't reached the cavern.
Freya wasn't stupid enough to peek out again. The sound was enough to tell her—yes, it was nearby. But still not right outside. Not yet.
Her arms, which were tightly wrapped around Cassius, slowly loosened. Her body trembled, exhausted from everything that had happened. At some point, her eyes grew heavier and heavier, and before she realized it—
Sleep claimed her.
When she woke up, it was with a jolt. Her heart hammered in her chest, and for a second she forgot where she was.
Her face had been resting against Cassius's head.
Her arms were still around him, snug like a shield.
