Arthur looked at Astarte's smiling face and felt a cold wave of nervousness flood his mind.
'Yeah, that smile definitely means this won't be easy,' Arthur thought. 'I can already tell.'
He turned back toward the cavern mouth, studying it one more time—the heat rolling out, the oppressive aura, the faint smell of ash and blood.
Behind him, Astarte's voice flowed lazily through the air.
"What's wrong?" Astarte asked. "Getting cold feet?"
She folded her arms.
"If you don't want to, you don't have to," Astarte continued. "I can just assume you were talking big without the power to back it up."
Arthur exhaled.
"Well, it's not that I can't do it," Arthur said. "It's just… I don't think the rewards I'm getting for it are worth that much."
Astarte frowned.
Her black eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?" Astarte asked. "I already said I'd fulfill your wish of meeting Aiden. Do you think that's not enough?"
Arthur took a step forward.
There wasn't a hint of fear in his movements.
