“Is it long? Because we have to go soon.”

“I’ll make it quick, but trust me, you’ll want to hear this.”

Nahum studied the script on the twisted stone columns, wishing Ash was here instead of him. These words were gibberish. He rubbed his eyes, blinked, and tried to focus. Damn alchemists and their weird speech.

“Are you okay?” Olivia asked, calling up to where he was studying, halfway up the column.

“Fine. I don’t think this is what we need. I’ll be down in a moment.”

Olivia was another reason for his ill temper. She had shared a room with Maggie the previous night, and he hadn’t had a chance to talk to her alone. He’d had some romantic notion that she might need his protection, and he could angle an excuse for sharing her room. Instead, he’d been relegated to a room down the hall. At least he’d had a bed. Lucien had slept on a sofa, admittedly a large one, while Harlan and Jackson had shared a room. Of course, Barak shared with Estelle, and both had already left for the airport with Lucien. He was worried about their safety and wished he could go, but someone had to stay and find a way to stop Belial for good.

When he finally flew down to the ground, Olivia looked pensive. “Nothing useful?”

“No. This is madness. Finding what we need could take years.”

Olivia nodded absently as she took his news in. “Look, if we don’t find a spell to negate Belial’s power right now, it will be okay. The jewels have been around for years without causing outright destruction. We’ll root them out.”

“And my brothers? And Shadow and Estelle? If Jiri draws on Belial’s power, it won’t be a fight, it will be a slaughter.”

“They have JD’s weapons and bombs.”

“It’s still an unequal fight.”

She swallowed, casting her gaze to the floor. “It’s my fault. I wish I’d never have found those damn things.”

He reached forward and lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes. “It’s not your fault. It’s Belial’s and the damn Brotherhood.”

She nodded. “I know, but…”

“No buts. Where are Maggie and the others?”

“Maggie is dealing with the dead bodies. Her team is on the way, with Layla. Jackson is helping her. Harlan is with JD, working on other strategies.”

He took advantage of their privacy, and stepped closer. “Are you okay after last night? I haven’t really had a chance to ask.”

“It was a bit of a shock to be attacked, but I’m fine. I need to improve my aim. It’s shit.”

He laughed. “Well, I didn’t want to complain, but you almost killed me a couple of times.”

“I had to try!” She scowled. “Harlan was extremely insulting. He almost wrestled the weapon off me!”

“Good. I owe him a drink. Probably several.”

“You’re both very cheeky. But how are you? You were fighting for your life.” Her hand tentatively rested on his abdominal wound, and her touch was electric. A flare of desire raced through him, and he didn’t dare touch her hand. Or should he? Her lips were parted as she stared up at him, a flush on her cheeks. Fuck it.

He took her hand in his left one and turned it over, the thumb of his right hand stroking her palm. Her breath caught in her throat, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she stepped closer as he said, “It’s healing already. Don’t worry about me. Look, Olivia, I don’t know what the future holds, but I think…”

But before he could say anything else, JD yelled, “I’ve found something! Come and see!”

Nahum ignored him, his attention solely on Olivia, “I’ve been thinking about our living arrangements. I don’t want to be away from you or our daughter at all. It feels wrong!”

“You want to move in? With me? All the time?”

“Is that so horrible? You’re having my child. I’m excited and terrified all at the same time. And I think… I know that I’ll miss you.”

She smiled as she leaned into him. “You will?”

He lowered his head, desperate to kiss her, when JD shouted again. “Come on! It’s important.”

Nahum’s jaw tightened. “I wish he’d shut up.”

Olivia didn’t speak. Instead, both hands reached around his head and pulled him towards her, kissing him with fierce intensity. His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer, losing himself in the breathtaking kiss. He couldn’t think straight. All he knew was that this felt right. When they broke away, he was breathless, his desire stoked, desperate to revel in her nakedness.

She spoke first. “Let’s talk later?”

“Sounds good.” He held her gaze for a few meaningful moments, hopeful of some kind of future together, and then after another annoyingly insistent shout from JD, led the way across the cave.

JD and Harlan were in one of the side rooms that Lucien had opened up before he left. He’d found another dozen that Nahum had barely glanced at, but it seemed JD had deemed them important enough to study further.

“Oh, good!! JD said eyeing them with annoyance as he turned to the doorway. “You took your time!”

Harlan snorted. “I think I know doing what, too.” He motioned towards Nahum’s lips. “You missed a smear of lipstick there, buddy.”

Nahum grinned, refusing to be embarrassed as he rubbed his finger across his lips, and wanting to tease Harlan after putting up with weeks of his overprotective behaviour. “It was more fun than translating old text.”

Harlan just rolled his eyes as Olivia poked her tongue out at him.

“Is anyone interested in this?” JD asked, hands on hips. “I might have found a way to stop Belial!”

Nahum focussed on the text inscribed on the walls of the cave. It was roughly the same sized space as the others, but this one was carved in the shape of a six-pointed star. “What a weird room. Aramaic script again.”

“A language I understand reasonably well,” JD said. He looked wild-eyed this morning, and Nahum realised he’d had little sleep. His hair was tangled and untidy, and his eyes looked red from too much reading. He scowled at Nahum and Olivia. “Does the shape of this room seem familiar?”

“It’s the Star of David,” Nahum said.

“And also,” Olivia added, “it represents the alchemical sign meaning as above, so below.”

“Exactly!” JD pointed to the main cave behind them. “There is one on the ground in the centre of the cave. This room is all about that sign!”

Harlan grinned at Olivia like a naughty schoolboy. “It’s the key!”

Nahum frowned, confused. “To what?”

“The star on the floor, dummy!”

“And the wider cave,” JD added, now bouncing on his toes with excitement. “It’s the map room!”

Olivia traced a section of script with her fingers. “It’s the map to the whole cave?”