Page 41 of A Love of Wrath and Rapture

“Don’t we?” Her smile is bright as she unwraps a piece of cloth, revealing at least three kinds of plants. “Herbs I found while gathering firewood.”

“Not bad,” I say, impressed by her resourcefulness. We prepare the meat, sticking sharpened branches through the pieces I cut off, and enjoy a pleasant evening at our little fire.

While we eat, I tell Evangeline stories of my kin and history, and she shares tales of her village and childhood. All too soon, the fire has died, the embers glowing cozily under the moonlight.

We curl up together and I hold her tight, wordlessly promising to always be by her side.

The early sun’s rays wake us up slowly, and after enjoying a meaty breakfast, we continue our journey to the village.

We finally approach our destination, and I feel dread wrap itself around my heart. What awaits us behind these wooden walls? Compared to the humans, I’m a monster. One that could devour them all in an instant if I wanted to.

At the same time, I’m curious and don’t really know what to expect. Evangeline was surprisingly accepting of me. Maybe her people will welcome me as well. Maybe.

I walk with my back straight, my Astreldi pride preventing me from trying to hide how imposing and intimidating my stature is. I shake my wings a little, a small part of me wants to unfurl them just to see the shock and fear in the eyes of these humans who rejected Evangeline.

Evangeline opens the gate and we walk in. I stay as close to her as I can, carefully scanning the faces around us. I’m intrigued by the way the village was built. It lacks proper defenses and the buildings aren’t reinforced, making me doubt how sturdy they could be.

I hear the whispers of disbelief and fear make their way through the growing crowd eyeing us warily. More and more people rush to the village entrance to watch us.

“Evangeline! What are you doing here? You’ve been exiled. Surely you know what that means.” A man with short brown hair speaks up first.

He glances at me and I grin when I realize he’s too scared to look into my eyes.

“And you bring this… this monster into our village, where our children and elderly are!”

My lips curl menacingly. I can sense the threat behind their fear and a low growl escapes my throat before I can stop it.

Evangeline’s soft hand gently touches my hand. Her smile is kind and her eyes tell me to remain calm. Against my better judgment, I feel myself relax. Evangeline has a unique way of calming me down without words. She gazes at me with a serene warmth in her blue eyes. Suddenly, the humans around us don’t seem as irritating anymore.

I nod and scan the crowd once more, quiet but clearly not submissive.

The crowd allows three older men and a middle-aged woman wearing long robes in rich purple and red colors to make their way to us.

They stop a few feet away. The woman eyes me up and down before she focuses on Evangeline.

“What is the meaning of this, Evangeline?” She speaks with authority and her eyes are fierce. The men look angry and shocked, blatantly staring at me.

It takes all my self-control not to rip their limbs from their bodies. They dumped her in the forest as if she meant nothing to them.

Savage and painful deaths are all they deserve.

Evangeline clears her throat. She doesn’t show it, but she’s nervous. I can feel it, her trepidation and worry mirrored in my heart. It makes me feel vulnerable and uncomfortable, and I don’t like it. I furrow my brows, concentrating on the older woman who seems most threatening.

Evangeline’s voice is even when she speaks. “I want to come home. In exchange for my safe return, I offer protection.” She gestures to me and I stand taller, not shying away from all the eyes on me. “This is Xeros and he’ll stay with me. He is a seasoned warrior, he can keep us safe.”

The crowd audibly gasps and the air crackles with tension. Voices speak over each other, loudly expressing disapproval at the mere thought of bringing a monster into their midst.

The council share glances, their faces stony. The woman in front speaks.

“Impossible. We would be fools to willingly open our village gates for a monster.” She spits out the last word as if it bit her tongue. “And you’re a fool for suggesting it.”

I glance at Evangeline, who smiles serenely. I can sense that she expected outright refusal.

“Xeros and I have… a special bond. The ritual—you were right about it. I freed him when I spoke those words.”

She holds up her hand to quiet the murmuring crowd and I glare at their faces, daring them to say more.

“Our bond goes beyond human perceptions of relationships. It’s hard to put into words, but I can guarantee that Xeros will be our ally.”

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