"Ugh. This place smells like death."

"I wonder why." My sarcasm wasn't received well by Bishop, and I flashed him a smile to piss him off just a little bit more. "Aww, is the handsome ranger a widdle bit angwy?"

"First off- that bored, huh? Nice try. Second off- never speak like that again, or I swear to the gods I'll fuck right off, Karnwyr's weird attachment to you be damned."

I opened my mouth and considered doing it again for a bit of fun. His steely golden eyes froze me to the spot, and I quickly changed my course of action. "Fine, fine. It's just a joke." I started muttering. "Like my entire fucking life." Bishop obviously heard but ignored my self-deprecating remark.

"Well, princess, what's up next?" Bishop leaned on his hip. "I doubt these two are gonna be the only opposition we face in this damnable place." He kicked at the dead bandits on the ground while I rolled my eyes.

"You're not wrong. They mentioned other bandits, so we should tread carefully if we want to get that claw back for Lucan."

"A golden claw... are you sure we can't keep it?" Bishop stuck out his lower lip in a pout while his eyes gleamed with mischief. I tapped his forehead but didn't go any further. "We can just off the guy who took it and run with it ourselves."

I nibbled at my lip as I thought. "I mean, the shopkeeper said it was important to him. We can make plenty of coin without stealing the claw away. We're not bandits."

Bishop laughed humorlessly. "I suppose you've got a point, princess. Bandits would stab each other in the back if it meant extra coin in their pockets. Not saying I don't blame them." I furrowed my brows, slightly concerned.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Bishop flashed me a wicked smirk. "Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head, ladyship. I have a much better way to get coin off you." Several seconds passed while I stood there, my mouth wide in shock as I scrambled for a response.

"And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

...

I frowned as I picked my way around the dead bandit, staring at the massive statues on the wall. The middle one was missing, but it was also easily found. Fallen on the floor, it made it clear what the combination was. "Bishop, can you make those pillars read Snake, Snake, Whale?" I glanced over, and Bishop was leaning against the already-set pillars.

"Way ahead of you, ladyship." He grinned widely. "Good thing you've got me around, hmm?"

I sighed, slightly frustrated, and bent down to pet Karnwyr. "Yup. Absolutely." I spoke to the red wolf in a stage-whisper. "Your master is insufferable, but it's a good thing he's got you, isn't it? That's my good boy! You're such a good boy!" I scratched his chin, and his tongue lolled out of his mouth. Sure, he wasn't a dog dog, but he loved pets and scratches all the same.

"Stop treating Karnwyr like a pet," Bishop said crossly, setting his arms on his hips. "I already told you not to, and that's not even mentioning the fact that I told you to stop talking like that."

I stood up and tapped my chin. "Hmm, if I recall correctly, you said to stop talking to you like that." I rubbed the top of Karnwyr's head. "And you're not this good boy right here." A wicked idea formed in my evil little brain, and I decided to act on it before I could even consider the ramifications. "No, you're naughty, aren't you?" I smiled coyly and leaned on the lever pointedly while Bishop's brow swooped up in surprise. "You're a naughty boy."

Recovering quickly, Bishop approached me with intent. "You want to go there, princess?" I backed up, though he matched me step for step until I was trapped against the grate and between his outstretched arms. My attempt to escape failed and I was left staring into his dark golden eyes. "I'll show you just how naughty I can be."

...

"Is... is someone coming? Is that you, Harknir? Bjorn? Soling? I know I ran ahead with the claw, but I need help!" Bishop and I shared a look.

"That's probably the bandit those other two mentioned. Arvel, was it?" I stepped ahead, curling my lip up in disgust at the extra-sticky webbing clinging to my boots. "Yuck."

Bishop grinned and stepped on it, allowing me to pull free. "Watch your step, princess."

I stared at the openings to the next room, covered with the same web that had clung to me. "That's, uh... an awful big spiderweb." The ranger shot me a shit-eating grin, and I instantly became wary.

"Just wait until you see what made 'em."

I put my head in my hands. "I've seen frostbite spiders, Bishop." Unexpectedly, an arm wrapped around my shoulder, pulling me closer. After I fought to get free, the ranger still held his wide smirk.

"Judging from how thick that web is, it's a big one." He rested his chin on his palm. "Are you sure you can handle it, princess? I know ladies like yourself can have a rough time with them. Awful scary, aren't they?"

"Shut up, Bishop." I turned away from him and faced the web, touching it slightly. As expected, it stuck to my finger, and I wiped it off on Bishop's jacket. Ignoring his raised eyebrow, I took my sword and cut at the web. It took a few swings, but it eventually fell apart.

The bandit was on the far end of the room, struggling in a web much thicker than the one I'd just cut through. "I'm over here!" His voice seemed to draw the dreaded arachnid from its hideaway on the ceiling, and it dropped down on a strand of silk from its spinnerets. My jaw dropped, not having expected the sheer size of the eight-legged freak. "Augh! Kill it, kill it!" Arvel screeched, writhing about even more furiously than before.

I gritted my teeth in vexation, readying my blade as the gargantuan spider's eyes settled on me. "No, I was planning on asking it to a tea party- of course I'm going to kill it, dipshit!" I heard Bishop's snort, along with the sound of him nocking an arrow, followed by the thwip of the arrow's release. The bolt buried itself into one of the spider's eyes, and the enormous arachnid let out a bizarre screech. It rubbed its fangs together, pedipalps raised in warning. Despite the trepidation coursing through my veins, I rushed the spider with my blade in the air, a howl bursting from my lips.

Karnwyr joined me in tearing at the spider, but the red wolf was quickly overpowered and flung aside. Furious, Bishop slung arrow after arrow into the nightmarish beast, though the shots only seemed to piss it off more than hurt it. With its immense size, it was like sticking needles into a bear. Luckily for me, the arrows at least served as a distraction, turning its attention back and forth between Bishop and me. I managed to slice off one of the pedipalps, and then its front left leg. It shrieked in both outrage and pain, facing me alone and ignoring the shots from Bishop. It began a new kind of attack, one I'd never witnessed from any of its species. It began firing its hairs at me, which I quickly found were deadly accurate once I sustained three agonizing hits. Terrified, I darted around the thing, relying on my smaller size to evade its stomps and shots of icy venom and hairs.

The spider continued spinning around, enraged and intent on killing me. I took note that without one of its front legs, it was not only slower, but also more vulnerable under its abdomen. Biting my tongue, I readied myself for the risk I was about to take. Sending a prayer to whatever god might have been listening, I dug my heels into the ground and rushed it. I heard a cry of dismay from Bishop, but the momentum slung me forward. Bending backward, I dodged its stomps and massive fangs to plunge my blade into its armored thorax, slicing it open as I slid on the dusty stone ground. I was caught under its thick abdomen from a stray patch of web, halting me in my tracks while it shrieked in agony. Its clawed leg barely missed me as it stumbled around, though the sticky web made it impossible to dodge its massive body as it crashed down. Spider guts covered my figure, making me hugely nauseous along with the incredible weight making my breathing laborious on its own.

All at once, the weight lifted, and my lungs filled with a breath of sweet, blessed air. I turned over and hurled onto the floor, the sick mixing with the spider's innards. The stench alone was nearly enough to bring another bout of vomiting. Unconcerned with the disgusting spew, Bishop pulled me to my feet, his mouth set in a hard line. I continued to heave, though I didn't bring up anything else. My stomach was more than empty.

"What the fuck was that, ladyship?!" the ranger snapped, gripping both of my arms tightly. "You could've gotten yourself fucking killed!"

I held up a finger, trying to catch my breath. Ignoring the wheeze that threatened to strain my throat, I gave a heavy cough instead. "Yeah, but-" I hacked away, now unable to hold back the wheezing as I set my hands on my knees. Once I'd finished heaving, I stood up straight, wiping at the spider slime on my face. "But I didn't," I finished. I shook from the adrenaline still rushing through my body, or perhaps it was the panic that still remained despite the spider's demise. "I'm not dead." The words themselves were hard to believe. I'd barely expected to live.

"Son of a-" Unexpectedly, Bishop yanked me in for a tight hug, ignoring the muck that covered my body. "Ladyship, if you ever, and I mean ever, do something that stupid again... I'll fucking kill you." He released me, cheeks slightly red. "Understand?" I nodded with wide eyes, not having expected that reaction in the slightest. The ranger shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Forget it. I don't care. I don't want you getting the misconception that I do."

"...What?" I felt like I was getting whiplash from his rapidly changing emotions. While I wiped away the spider gunk all over me, Bishop walked over to his wounded wolf, the canine whimpering but still conscious. Karnwyr's tail thumped against the ground weakly, and he lifted his furry red head to lick Bishop's cheek.

The ranger ruffled Karnwyr's head. "What about you, mutt? What the hell were you thinking? That thing could have killed you." Panting a bit, the wolf pushed his nose against Bishop's hand. After a brief check, Bishop confirmed that Karnwyr hadn't sustained any serious wounds and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Excuse me? I hate to interrupt, but... a little help here?" Frankly, in the fracas, I'd completely forgotten about Arvel. I'd been a little too preoccupied to give a shit about the bandit stuck in thick webbing.

I scowled at the Dunmer. "Be patient, you little shit," I growled, still short of breath. "I'm still trying to recover."

"Come cut me down, before anything else shows up!" Annoyed that the Dark Elf had completely ignored me, I half-considered just killing him where he was and taking the claw. Bishop and I shared a glance as he stood up and took charge. He was in much better shape than I was, having been the ranged fighter during the battle as opposed to the stuntman I'd become.

"Where's the golden claw?" Bishop snapped, his own patience thin as the hair needles on the ground.

The bandit nodded rapidly. "Yes, the claw. I know how it works. The claw, the markings, the door in the Hall of Stories. I know how they all fit together! Help me down, and I'll show you. You won't believe the power the Nords have hidden there!"

"Hand over the claw first," Bishop demanded, "and I'll consider letting you go."

Arvel stared at the ranger, plainly irritated. "Does it look like I can move?" he pointed out. "Get me out of here and I'll give it to you, all right?"

Bishop stared at the Dunmer, likely pondering whether or not to cut the bandit free. After all, it was fairly likely he'd run as soon as he got the chance. With a relenting sigh, Bishop drew his dagger and cut the bandit down without a word. "Fine." Freed from his sticky prison, Arvel tumbled to the floor.

"Sweet breath of Arkay, thank you," he groaned, standing up and cracking his back. Eyeing me from the side, Arvel stiffened. It wasn't difficult to figure out what he was about to do, and I tried to ready my sword when he turned on his heel to flee. "You fool, why should I share the treasure with anyone?" Arvel's attempt to flee into the tunnel was met with his demise, an arrow immediately stuck into the back of his head. Bishop reclaimed the arrow as the bandit slid to the ground, blood pooling on the dirty ground from the deadly puncture wound. I doubted there was any less dignified way he could have died.

Stretching out, I leaned against the cave and crossed my arms. "You stole my kill," I teased, cracking a smile. Bishop wasn't as amused as I was, apparently still sour from my method of bringing the spider down. My heart rate was slowing down, the weakness in my limbs fading away.

"Yeah. Whatever," the ranger grumbled, avoiding my eyes and instead looking to Karnwyr. The red wolf was recuperating fairly quickly, apparently only having been dazed. Taking to his paws, Karnwyr shook himself off, licking his front paws in turn. Mouth open and tongue lolling about, the sweet canine was ready to move forward. In the meantime, Bishop had taken the claw off Arvel's corpse, inspecting and weighing the thing with a whistle. "Damn. This thing is solid gold."

"I'm not surprised." I held my hand out for Bishop to hand over, giving me a chance to examine the artifact. It was much heavier than it appeared, confirming Bishop's conclusion. "Want to take it for now?" It was here that the ranger finally met my eyes with a skeptical expression.

"What, you're not worried I'll run off with the thing, selling it and living the rest of my life in splendor?" A few moments passed where it was just him and me staring at each other. Quirking the corner of my mouth up in a smile, I gave the claw back to Bishop.

"Call it a hunch, but no, I don't think you will." The briefly astonished look on the Nord's face faded, replaced by his usual gruffness.

"If you say so, ladyship." He flipped the claw up into the air, and upon catching it in the opposite hand, put it into his satchel. "Well?" The ranger gestured to the pathway the death of Arvel had revealed. "Lead the way, princess. I've got your back."

At the end of the tunnel, vaguely familiar growls echoed through the hall. "What is- oh. Shit."

"Shit indeed." Bishop shifted his weight. "I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that the draugr are up and walking. After the racket we just made, there's no way they could have stayed asleep."

I nibbled on my lower lip, taking note of the way Bishop's eyes watched the action. "Any ideas on how to take the bastards out?"

The ranger nodded. "If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that the undead burn like tinder. I say we use that to our advantage."

"How are we supposed to do that?" I muttered, keeping my voice as quiet as humanly possible.

"I was just saying if you've got any magic, now's the time to use it."

"Don't you think if I had magic, I'd have used it at some point since I met you?" I pointed out, returning my gaze to the shadows of the draugr on the wall. "We should start out with stealth, then go full-frontal assault once they've been alerted." After the strenuous battle with the spider, a few glorified zombies weren't going to scare me away.

My leather boots made not a sound as I crept along the stone wall, keeping an eye on both the horde of draugr and the floor to ensure I didn't make any noise. As always, attention was drawn to us, though not by Bishop or me. Karnwyr had managed to hit a stray rock with his paw, clattering on the floor in front of us. He whined nervously when the draugr immediately faced us, their guttural growls becoming unholy shrieks.

"Shit," Bishop hissed, an arrow already nocked on his bowstring. "You mangy mutt!" While the ranger slung arrows into the desiccated skin of the draugr, I charged forward with my sword drawn. Left and right, I cut the draugr down. Although Bishop and I won the fight, I'd sustained a wound on my left arm in the same spot I'd been struck with the spider's sharp hairs. I clutched the injury, pressing down on it to stop the bleeding.

Staring at the bodies, a smirk spread Bishop's lips. "The dead are rising; reminds me of when you wake up on a bad day." I rolled my eyes at his ensuing wink and shook my head.

"Come on, stupidhead. We're definitely not done with the draugr, and I'd like to make it through without too much of an issue. I'm exhausted, and I'd like to take a rest somewhere that doesn't smell like spiders and undead."

"And your arm?" he pressed. I looked down at the gash, blood seeping through my fingers. "C'mere."

"No."

"Ladyship, if we don't get that covered back up, you're going to get an infection." He pulled his satchel off his back and knelt down, rustling through it until he found what he was looking for- the shirt I'd seen him in earlier. "Aha! Here we are." He tore a long strip from the bottom, then returned the shirt to the pack.

"What are you doing?"

Bishop ignored me and continued. "So, here's the plan. Most of the other draugr should still be asleep. We-" Bishop shot Karnwyr a look. "Including you, buddy, all need to stay as quiet as possible." He took my injured arm in his hand with care, expertly tying the strip of cloth around the open wound. "We'll sneak past them, all the way into the deepest chamber where these unimaginable treasures undoubtedly lie." The ranger very pointedly held my arm with one hand, half the strip in the other, and took the opposite side of the cloth in his teeth. His golden eyes never left mine as he pulled, tightening the strap around the gash. "And then we get the hell out of this place."

I waited until he turned around to let the shiver run down my back. Such a simple action, such a frustrating reaction. Goosebumps covered my skin, and I was grateful for the armor that covered them up. Even so, I suspected that Bishop was well aware of what had come of his efforts. You son of a bitch, I thought miserably, keeping my hand on my sword as Bishop took the lead. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it...

...

"Do try not to set off any traps, will you, princess? Stealth is integral for this quest of yours."

"Shut up," I muttered, creeping around a stepping-stone. "The same goes for you." This damnable dungeon was much larger than I'd initially thought, and when Bishop had allowed me to retake the lead, I'd managed to take a wrong turn somewhere. Even with Bishop's silent judgment, I managed to keep my attention on the path ahead and remain quiet. In other words, I was careful where I put my steps. Draugr were generally weak, but for the most part- "Motherfucker!" My screech echoed in the deep chambers of the barrow as a mottled red draugr lunged for me, clouded white eyes full of bloodlust. I responded with a swift decapitation, but that still didn't stop Bishop from laughing into his elbow. I smacked him in the chest with the back of my hand. "It's not funny."

Bishop wiped away a tear as he continued to laugh at my expense. "Oh, come on, ladyship. It's a little bit funny."

"It is most decidedly not," I snapped, rubbing at my eyes to get rid of the ancient dust that had settled in them. "Stop it!"

"I just can't help it," he guffawed. "Just- the absolute terror in your eyes was too perfect, sweetness."

I set my arms akimbo and glared irritably. "It's a corpse, and it leaped at me from a closed coffin!" I insisted. "You've got to give me a little bit of leeway."

"Darling, if I gave you leeway for everything that startled you, we wouldn't get anywhere." He breathed in the stale air and coughed lightly. "You've got to get used to the monsters of Skyrim."

"It's not that I haven't faced them before," I grumbled, kicking at the draugr that had begun this row. "It's just- I didn't expect it, and it's been a few years."

"Oh, yeah? Care to tell?" Bishop tied his hands behind his back and fluttered his eyes flatteringly, but he wasn't about to sway me.

"No, I don't." I turned back to the pathway. "It's none of your business, ranger." With that, I stomped off, muttering to myself while Bishop chuckled quietly at my annoyance.

...

"Don't you do it, ladyship." I looked back and forth between the hall of swinging axes and the ranger. "Don't you dare." I inched closer, enjoying his frustration. "Princess, don't you-" I'd been judging the pattern of the swinging axes, and with one swift movement, rolled through the hall. "God dammit, woman!" Bishop's shout of irritation only made me grin, and I stared back at both him and Karnwyr with a wave.

"Don't worry, Bishop!" I pulled the chain on the wall, stopping the axe swings altogether. "It's all safe now." His vexation was clear in his scowl.

"Didn't I tell you not to do that?" he growled, squaring his shoulders and glaring down at me once he walked through. I refused to be scared by his display and matched his stance despite my smaller stature.

"And didn't I tell you from day one that I wouldn't allow you to order me around?" I challenged, enjoying his pause.

"Damn you, ladyship. You keep putting yourself in danger like that and I- I'll have a damn heart attack." I leaned in and pinched his cheek.

"Aww, I didn't know you cared!"

Bishop pushed my hand away and rubbed at his cheek. "I don't," he grumbled, "but I just don't want to have to carry you out of this damn place."

...

"Dammit, Karnwyr!" Bishop cursed, shooting an arrow into the throat of a growling draugr. He backed up, slinging bolts into the bodies of any that dared approach him. As for me, I was swinging my sword left and right, almost laughing at the exhilarating exercise. Draugr or not, it had been too long since I'd been presented the opportunity to display my fighting skills. Cut, feint, parry, decapitate. Thrust, backward cut, one by one the draugr fell at my hands. A curious object caught my attention, along with the potential to destroy the rest of the undead storming us.

Jumping forward while avoiding the spill, I hit the flaming lantern above the pool of oil, sending it crashing into the shining prismatic liquid. It exploded immediately into a huge mass of fire, sending each and every draugr at my back to the ground. Their horrifying, pained shrieks were almost pitiful, but in all were unlike anything I'd ever heard before. When the last draugr's voice gave out, the undead collectively defeated, I slid my sword back into its sheath with satisfaction.

"That takes care of that," I said cheerfully, brushing my hands off against my leather armor. Behind me, the recognizable steps of my companions were slow in their approach.

"God damn," Bishop said in awe, golden eyes wide as his gaze swept the room. "That was..." Staring at the dead draugr, he cleared his throat. "That was pretty clever, ladyship."

I shrugged. "It was nothing." Although I brushed it off, I was absolutely thrilled with my actions. I'd impressed Bishop while impressing myself at the same time. The quick thinking, the result- I certainly wouldn't be forgetting that anytime soon. My confidence at an all-time high, I lifted my head up and trotted up the steps. "Let's get going. That treasure won't collect itself."

...

"It's about time," I mumbled under my breath when the Nordic door finally came into sight. It was too easy to figure out that the rings needed to match the symbols on the claw, and as soon as the claw key opened the door, I pressed my fingers to my temples. "Gods, I've got a headache the size of that damn spider, and my back hurts like hell."

Bishop took the chance to share another sly remark. "Need me to massage it? I don't have a problem with that. In fact, I'll bet I know the reason your back hurts."

"Oh? And what is that?" I set my hands on my hips, waiting for the inevitable sexual innuendo.

"It's got to be from carrying those impressive breasts all day." He snickered to himself, clearly expecting me to react with embarrassment, or perhaps anger. This time, I managed to keep my cool, and the perfect retort appeared in my mind.

"I don't think so." I stretched out my arms. "It's probably from carrying every battle we get into." His surprised expression made the entire ordeal of finding the claw- including the spider- worth it. I held my laugh and turned on my heel, nearly skipping toward the massive structure nearby. Before long, I heard the pitter-patter of wolf paws, followed by the footsteps of a grumpy ranger.

The giant wall-like structure stood tall, almost compelling as I approached. At first, curiosity was what drove me to inspect it, but the closer I got, a compulsion I couldn't fight forced me in. My eyes were wide and unblinking as an unnatural light shone from the strange runes on the wall, surrounding me with an intense, almost shocking sensation.

My body rose into the air, the enchantment filling the cavern with a strong wind. I felt a pair of hands gripping my ankle, then the feeling of them being ripped away by the vicious wind. Something blocked out all of my senses, leaving me with one sound echoing within my mind. Fus. Fus. Fus.

All at once, the wind released me, dropping me to the ground while the light faded from my sight. A strong pair of hands pulled me up by my biceps, setting me firmly on the ground. A muffled sound was pounding at my ears, slowly growing clearer as the seconds ticked by. "...cess? Alessia, answer me, dammit!" I tried shaking myself out of my stupor, trying to rid myself of the daze the strange magic had caused. All at once, the voice disappeared, followed by loud hollering and unearthly growls. A single thud and the noises stopped.

My vision returning, I was able to spot both Bishop and Karnwyr, the former eyeing me with confusion. The dull sensation in my limbs slowly turned into a pulsating pain that worsened with every second. The injuries caused along the way by the spider and draugr were nothing compared to this. The misery was almost unbearable, and I again fell to my knees. My head pounded, and combined with the electricity pulling at my nerves, a cry of distress slipped from my lips.

I don't know how long I remained there, curled up in the fetal position with tears spilling from my eyes. All I did know was that when I eventually came to, the pain ebbing from my limbs, I was in the arms of the ranger. For the first time since I'd met him, this stoic, gruff, uncaring man wore his heart on his sleeve, unshielded fear in his deep amber eyes. The second he realized I was consciously aware, his walls rose once more. He set me down and resumed his normal indifferent expression.

I rubbed my eyes, still unsure of what had happened. "Bishop?" I murmured, gripping the nearby chest to steady myself enough to stand. "Bishop, what's going on?"

"Trust me, ladyship," he said lowly, and I again saw just a flash of worry in his eyes. "I wish I knew." He stared at the strange magical structure. "Claw or not, we should never have come here."

"I promised to help the shopkeeper and his sister," I insisted, my mind clearing of the fog. "They-"

"Why? Why are we even helping them?" Bishop demanded, slamming a fist onto the side of the open coffin. I absently took note that there was a dead draugr on the ground in front of it. "You have a death wish, princess?!"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Why are we wasting our time, risking our lives for someone who couldn't care less whether or not we end up dead in these crypts?!"

Instead of fighting him- he was probably right, after all- I took a deep breath. "I think we should probably grab the treasures and leave. We can discuss this once we've eaten and slept. Deal?" Bishop's mouth opened for a moment as though he wanted to argue, but he snapped his jaw shut and nodded instead.

"As you wish, ladyship," he responded curtly, waving his hand to the chest and draugr. Picking the lock on the chest was easy enough, and inside was several bags of gold that had to be well over three hundred. Among it was a few jewels and old weapons, though I didn't bother taking the latter. At the sight of the treasure, even Bishop's mood seemed to improve when I handed him his cut.

"Happy now?"

"Happy enough, I suppose." He weighed the pouches, then put them into his satchel. "Shall we be on our way?"

I nodded. "Yeah, just a second. I'm going to check the draugr real quick. These big ones hiding in the internal chambers usually have valuables on them." I searched around the draugr and in its coffin, and as usual, I was right. While the body only had a few coins, its coffin held a large gray stone with writing similar to the runes on the magic wall.

"What's that?" Bishop snorted. "Some rock? Leave it."

"Nope. I guarantee you that some wizard or historian will be interested in this kind of thing."

"Oh, yeah? And how can you be so certain?"

A bag of coins in my hand, a warm arm around my waist, a kiss on my cheek with an empty promise whispered into my ear.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I looked away from Bishop before he could see the twisted expression I now wore. "You'll just have to trust me. This kind of artifact is more valuable than you know."

…

…

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Enhanced Draugr FX by Lord Valkoran

Zombie-like Draugr -Darker - by Elgar2389