Chapter 7

Harlow

I crossed my arms, my brow furrowed as I stared up at Griiq. "I'm coming with you. You can't expect me to just sit here while you're out there trying to catch whoever's behind these attacks."

Griiq sighed, his broad shoulders sagging. "Harlow, it's too dangerous. I can't risk putting you in harm's way. Please, just stay here where it's safe."

I shook my head, my determination unwavering. "No way. We're in this together, Griiq. I'm not letting you do this alone."

He ran a hand through his dark hair, his eyes filled with concern. "You don't understand. If something happens to you, I'll never forgive myself."

I stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. "And if something happens to you while I'm sitting here doing nothing, I'll never forgive myself either. I'm coming with you, and that's final."

Griiq's jaw clenched, his gaze locked with mine. For a moment, I thought he might argue further, but then his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Fine. But you stay close to me at all times, got it?"

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Got it."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Griiq and I worked tirelessly to set up the cameras around the perimeter of the castle grounds. The shadows lengthened, casting an eerie darkness over the area. Despite the chill in the air, I felt a warmth spreading through me every time Griiq's hand brushed against mine as we worked.

We had just finished setting up the last camera when I couldn't hold back any longer. I turned to face Griiq, my heart racing in my chest. He looked at me, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Harlow, what's wrong?"

I shook my head, a smile tugging at my lips. "Nothing's wrong. In fact, everything's right." I stepped closer to him, my eyes locked with his. "I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I can't ignore what I'm feeling anymore."

Griiq's eyes widened, his mouth opening slightly in surprise. "Harlow, I..."

Before he could finish, I closed the distance between us and pulled him to me, my lips crashing against his in a passionate kiss. For a moment, he stood frozen, but then his arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss.

My fingers tangled in his hair as I lost myself in the sensation of his lips moving against mine. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, a fire igniting within me I never wanted to extinguish.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us breathing heavily, Griiq rested his forehead against mine. "Harlow, I don't know what to say. I never thought you could feel this way about me."

I smiled, my hand cupping his cheek. "How could I not? You're amazing, Griiq. You're kind, and brave, and you've been through so much. I want to be there for you, to help you clear your name and show everyone the real you."

Griiq's eyes shone with emotion, a smile spreading across his face. "I want that too, Harlow. More than anything. But I'm scared. I don't want to lose you."

I shook my head, my thumb stroking his cheek. "You won't lose me, Griiq. I'm not going anywhere."

He nodded, his arms tightening around me. "I've never had this before. You are my first."

My heart couldn't deny the way I felt being in his arms. "My life will never be the same, you are my first too."

We stayed like that for a moment, wrapped in each other's embrace as the darkness settled around us. I knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy, that we still had a mystery to solve and a culprit to catch. But with Griiq by my side, I felt like I could face anything.

As we finally pulled apart, I couldn't help but smile. "Come on, let's head back inside. We've got a lot of work to do."

I yawned as I scrolled through the footage from the hidden cameras, my eyes straining to catch any glimpse of the culprit behind the recent attacks. Griiq sat beside me, his brow furrowed in concentration as he pored over his own set of videos.

We had been at it for hours, the sun slowly climbing higher in the sky as we worked. My stomach grumbled, reminding me I had skipped breakfast in my eagerness to get started. I glanced over at Griiq, wondering if he was feeling as hungry as I was.

Just as I was about to suggest taking a break, something caught my eye on the screen. I leaned forward, my heart racing as I watched a shadowy figure dart across the edge of the frame. "Griiq, look at this," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

He leaned over, his shoulder brushing against mine as he squinted at the screen. "What is that?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion.

I shook my head, my mind racing with possibilities. "I have no idea. But whatever it is, it doesn't look human."

We watched as the creature moved with an unnatural grace, its movements fluid and almost serpentine. It was hard to make out any distinct features in the grainy footage, but I could see that it was larger than any animal I had ever seen before.

Griiq's eyes widened as he watched the creature disappear into the shadows. "I've never seen anything like that before," he said, his voice filled with awe and a hint of fear.

I nodded, my fear rising in my chest. Whatever this creature was, ?it wasn't something to be taken lightly. "We need to figure out what it is," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "Maybe there's something in one of your books that can help us."

Griiq's eyes lit up at the suggestion, and he jumped to his feet. "You're right. I have a book on mythological creatures and real-life monsters in my library. Maybe there's something in there that can give us a clue."

He hurried out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway. I turned back to the screen, my eyes scanning the footage for any other glimpses of the creature. My mind raced with questions, each one more unsettling than the last.

What was this thing? Where did it come from? And most importantly, what did it want?

I shivered, pulling my sweater tighter around me as I waited for Griiq to return. We were in for a long day of research and investigation, but I was determined to sort out this mystery.