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“Hurry up, gerbil, or you won’t get any honey later.”

“What?” Sprig’s eyes grew big.

“I’ll plant your face in a huge bowl of smashed bananas with dried banana chips.”

Sprig stared at him like he gutted Pam in front of him.

“Try positive reinforcement.” I shook my head. “Sprig, I will find you some honey if you hurry up.”

“See, butt-pirate?” He stuck his tongue out at Croygen. “And you wonder why your only friend is your hand. She’s nice.”

“She’s not very nice, believe me.” His voice went low, suggesting more than what he said.

Click.

The lock broke free, the door swinging open. We rushed into the room as footsteps came up the stairs. I hoped it was anyone but the men staying in this room.

“They’re gonna know someone was here now,” I whispered.

“By then, we’ll hopefully be long gone.” Croygen shut the door behind him. A firebulb was left on, giving the room enough dim light to see.

“Sprig, keep watch,” Croygen ordered. “Listen for anyone coming.”

Sprig leaped off my arm to a dresser near the door.

The room was a box with twin beds and a nightstand on a tile floor. There was a sink, one dresser, and a bathroom down the hall. The balcony was on the opposite side of the main door. Basic and low budget.

All the items they purchased at the market sat in one corner, but none of them captured my notice. It was the map and papers strung across one bed.

I beelined for the cot, Croygen coming up beside me, our gazes locking on a map of China. Red symbols marked a path from Shanghai, heading inland, toward a small landlocked province called Hubei.

“Hubei?” My forehead wrinkled. “What the hell is there?” I had many adventures and had seen a lot, but I stayed close to the sea. I wasn’t big on being places without access to the ocean. “Why would the nectar be there?”

Croygen leaned further over, his finger stopping on an area that was underlined.

“Oh… wow.”

“What?”

He huffed, shaking his head.

“What?” I stressed louder.

“Lichuan, Enshi City… is where the Tenglong Caves are.”

“Annndd?”

“Tenglong means soaring dragon.”

“Still not following.”

“Maybe someone should’ve stayed at school, Kitten.”

“I’m going to gut you in your sleep.”

“We can get into your kinks later.”

My cheeks heated, causing my hands to clench. This man could so easily make me blush, and no one had been able to do that in a long time, if ever. I had heard all the innuendos, the blatant sexual comments, the dirty talk, and never even batted an eye, but he could have me flushing like a schoolgirl in an instant.