God of Ruin (Legacy of Gods #4) by Rina Kent

I stop at the entrance of the back garden and sniff the air. Sure enough, there’s a hint of her perfume—magnolia.

Two options come to mind. She hid in the corner of the garden and then went inside when I left.

Or two. She ran around like a headless chicken, then came back here.

At any rate, she has the option to retrieve her dress and run away from the property.

Sure enough, I catch a shadow leaning down near the coffee table, probably to pick up the dress. Most of the candles have died down, so it’s hard to make out her profile.

“Is that you?” My low, whimsical whisper echoes through the old walls.

The shadow jolts and Mia abandons the dress and rushes to the stairs.

“Hide, little muse. If I find you, I’ll swallow you whole.” I follow after, taking the stairs two at a time. I can hear the creaking of the wood under her small frame.

Old houses are the best snitches that ever existed on the planet.

My smirk widens the closer my feet lead me to where she’s scurrying around like a literal mouse.

Again, I give her a bit of a head start, igniting her hope that if she runs fast enough and gives in to the adrenaline, she’ll be able to escape me.

Humans, by nature, can’t live without the promise of hope, as false as it might get. It doesn’t matter if the doomed reality of their situation hits them in the face. If they believe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, they’ll go for it. Over and over again.

There’s nothing worse than hope.

Hope is the medicine of all fools, which is why I make complete use of it in any possible situation.

The wood creaks under my weight as I make my way up. Judging by the noise, Mia is close to the top, at the second and final level that consists of an open bedroom.

There’s a smaller third level that serves as an open roof, but it’s half destroyed and the makeshift stairs that lead to it are partially gone.

Soon, the creaking stops. Only the amateur symphony of the owls filters through. There isn’t even the faint sound of breathing that most humans can’t conceal.

But Mia isn’t just any human. She already sealed her voice and is probably able to suppress so much more.

“I know you’re here.” My voice drifts in the darkness. “Your hiding abilities are feeble at best and your running skills are categorically nonexistent.”

I expect her to jump me and make her favorite threat about snipping my balls—or kicking them—a reality. Although she’s a menace with the same boldness level as her brother, she’s also, like him, easily provoked.

She does have some of Killian’s characteristics as well. Which is probably why, contrary to the possibility I entertained, she doesn’t show herself. She doesn’t even make a peep or an indication of her location.

Smart little minx.

“Do you honestly believe your little attempt at hiding will succeed? I’m Landon King and you’re nothing but prey, waiting to be eaten.”

That should’ve done it, but no.

She’s definitely not falling for my provocations.

This is both bothersome and, surprisingly, more gripping than I’d previously anticipated.

My eyes scan the area for a possible hideout. There’s a closet, but considering her nyctophobia, she wouldn’t go for something that terrifies her the most.

All the other options—under the bed, on the small balcony, and behind the half-torn curtains—come up empty.

My eyes narrow on the closet. She couldn’t have possibly gone in there. Unless she’s in the mood for a panic attack.

Just in case…

I move in that direction, but the moment I open it, a creaking noise comes from behind me. On the opposite side of the room.

Right on the broken stairs.

She can’t possibly—

I run to the stairs and, sure enough, Mia has managed to climb through the available stair skeletons. She hid under them, waiting for me to be far enough away so that she could pull this stunt.

While I don’t catch the whole climbing up process, I do see her lifting the weight of her entire body on a broken step.

Fuck me. Now that’s an impressive athletic body.

She jumps up on the makeshift roof, rising to her full height, and stares down her nose at me and flashes me two middle fingers.

A fucking goddess under the full moon.

The silver light bathes her glistening naked skin and the generous slope of her breasts, highlighting the tips of her soft pink nipples.

The knickers and boots add an edge to the ethereal view.

I throw my head back in laughter. “I’m impressed.”

She lifts her chin and holds the middle fingers higher. As if telling me she couldn’t give a fuck about what I think of her.

I grab the stairs with both hands. “I am impressed, but you’re not the only athletic one here.”

Easily, probably as easily as she did, I lift my entire weight with my hands over the few available stairs.

Mia’s expression turns from triumphant to frantic. Her eyes dart around as if she’s looking for a certain weapon, but it’s too late.

I’m already close to her.

As a last resort, she attempts to jam her boot against my face. I duck at the last second before she smashes my head in.

Knowing she has no reprieve from my imminent and very real chance of catching her, she abandons her position.

I jump up, a step breaks under my weight, and I land on the not-so-sturdy rooftop.