"Eliminating intruders."
An ice spear—longer than I was tall—whistled through the air like death itself.
I twisted just in time.
"Shit—!"
A cold sting grazed my back as the spear slammed into the wall behind me with a thunderous crack. Frost exploded outward, coating the stone in a pristine layer of white.
I glanced back.
'That was way too close. I aged ten years just now.'
The spear had buried itself into the wall like a stake through the heart. If I'd been even a second slower, I'd be part of the décor.
Fitting, I supposed. A spirit designed to protect priceless artifacts wouldn't use magic that risked damaging them. Instead, it targeted people precisely—and without hesitation.
"To dodge that…" the voice echoed through the vault, calm and curious. "You're no ordinary thief."
I exhaled slowly and turned to face her.
"And you're no ordinary spirit."
