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“Interesting.” Lucienne regarded the giant. “I was shocked, too, but it didn’t shock me as much as it did you.” She pressed the eye symbol again.

The giant tensed, ready to leap to Lucienne’s rescue.

Again, only feeble current surged through her. Was her Siren’s mark protecting her? Lucienne massaged her shocked hand, then pulled out her encrypted Eidolon, dialing. It instantly connected.

“Ziyi,” she said, “I need you to crack the code on the keypad. Let me know when you’re done.” She clicked off the phone and went to the back of the Ghost House.

The giant trailed behind, darting his eyes here and there, searching for threats, as inconspicuously as possible. This was spy business.

An outdoor glass elevator gleamed, descending. Cam drew his handgun and leveled it toward the door of the elevator.

“Relax, Cam,” Lucienne said. “It’s Ashburn.”

The elevator stopped. Ashburn stepped out, throwing the hood off his head, his eyes flashing with anger and anxiety. “You can’t be here, Lucienne!”

“Queen Lucienne,” Cam corrected. “Or Your Majesty!”

“Shush,” Lucienne quieted the giant, eyes staying on Ashburn. Under the pale moonlight, his features looked ethereally beautiful. He gave her an once-over, too. Lucienne was dressed like an unmasked ninja.

“Look who’s talking,” Lucienne said. “Your law forbidsyouto go into the Ghost House. So, what are you doing here?”

Ashburn reached for her arm and dragged her away from the area. “It’s not safe for you to come here.”

“Get your hands off Queen Lucienne!” The giant lunged.

“Let me take care of this!” Lucienne snapped at the giant before he grabbed Ashburn. She shoved off Ashburn, but found him surprisingly strong. As she struggled, he wrapped one arm around her waist to pull her forward. It was ravishing to be in his arms, to be touched by him, even though he was forcing her to leave. She wondered if the pleasant feeling was the reason she didn’t use her martial arts on him or simply stomp on his toes.

“Ashburn, stop this nonsense!” she warned.

“You must leave now!”

“Why can’t I be here, but you can?”

“There’s a reason this place is called Ghost House.” Ashburn put more force into dragging her away. “It’s my playground, but not for anyone else. You don’t know what lurks inside.”

“Then why don’t we all go inside and take a look?” Lucienne resisted moving forward, so the two were at an impasse—Ashburn was incredibly strong, but Lucienne had the training. From the giant’s point of view, it looked like Ashburn was bear hugging her from behind.

“Not if you want to live,” Ashburn said in a chilly tone, instantly ending Lucienne’s delightful experience.

“Oh, yeah?” Arching her eyebrow in ridicule, she used her training to shove Ashburn back. Then, to her surprise, Ashburn moved his fingers along her waist and tickled her. No one, other than her old nanny Aida, knew that she was horribly ticklish.

Lucienne dropped all her defenses and giggled. Ashburn tickled her harder until she rolled on the ground, laughing and begging. “Stop. Stop it! Please, Ashburn!”

“Are you leaving? Promise you’re leaving.” Somehow, Ashburn had taken off one of Lucienne’s boots, and he tickled the sole of her foot. Her Eidolon vibrated in her belt, but Lucienne couldn’t get to it while laughing so hard and feeling as weak as a jellyfish.

Cam wheeled around them like a frantic referee in a boxing ring. It’d be humiliating for Lucienne to command the giant to help her stop Ashburn since she had forbidden him to interfere earlier. If Kian and Vladimir had been here, they would have thrown this insolent boy off her without a word. “Fine.” She rolled into a ball, giggling like hell, yet very irritated. “This is ridiculous, Ashburn!” she called between her giggles.

Ashburn let her go. “You’ve promised,” and began to put her boot on for her.

Sitting up, Lucienne snatched her boot and put it on herself. Her eyes stayed on alert; her cheeks flamed with exasperation.

He still crouched beside her, his eyes intent.

If he tried that again, Lucienne decided, she’d kick him really hard. “I gave you my word, and I’m leaving as promised, but I’ll come back. So, if you don’t want me to return, tell me what’s inside the building.”

“Something that can and will kill you, and nothing and no one can stop it.”

Lucienne peered into Ashburn’s eyes and chill sank into her veins. “What is that thing?”