Page 78 of Soul Forge

“Of course I did. I could’ve planted my feet and stopped you sweeping my leg,” he shrugged, not making a move to push her off him. “But you still did well.”

“I thought you didn’t fake progress.”

“Youhavemade progress. Last week, you wouldn’t have been able to do that.” He shot her another crooked smile. “Take the win.”

“Yikes. Can you two keep the foreplay behind closed doors?” Julian muttered, looking up from Atlas’ shining coat to raise an eyebrow at them. Elda watched Reiner lift her head and fix her with a glare, lavender energy pulsing in her pupils.

Elda looked down, realising she was straddling Sypher. He was still grinning at her. She scrambled off him as quickly as her aching muscles would allow, heart hammering in her throat. Heat blossomed in her cheeks, spreading down her neck and up to the tips of her pointed ears in a molten blush.

He chuckled and stood, taking in her burning cheeks and dishevelled clothes. “You need a break, El. Go get something to eat.”

The nickname made it worse – her pounding heart threatened to smash its way right out of her chest. It was something he’dstarted using more as he relaxed around her, and every time he said it, it set her nerves jangling. It worsened whenever Reiner begrudgingly left them alone.

Elda nodded and started to hurry away, hoping the distance would calm her blush. The last thing she needed was to be teased about the unreasonable reactions he produced in her.

“El?” Julian echoed. She knew he was fully aware she could still hear them.

“Shut up,” Sypher answered, slipping his gloves back on when she glanced back over her shoulder.

“You called herEl.”

“Shutup.”

“You didn’t freak out when she sat on you,” the vampire continued. “You nearly beheaded Lillian when she did that.”

“What part ofshut upis too difficult for you to understand?” the Soul Forge asked, and Elda glanced back again to see him fold his arms across his chest. She ducked inside and out of earshot, her face so hot she was surprised it didn’t turn the air around it to steam.

“Everything alright?” Gira asked, catching sight of her with her back still pressed against the wall and her eyes closed. “You look upset.”

“I’m alright,” Elda lied. “Just a little warm from training.”

“Hmm.” He didn’t look like he believed her, but mercifully, he didn’t get the chance to push it.

“Nox!” The excited yell drew their attention back to the garden, cooling the heat in Elda’s cheeks in an instant. She hurried back outside to see the tulpar demon making her way towards Julian, splaying her wings to slow her descent. Reiner had been halfway across the garden, obviously intending to follow the princess. She turned on her heel at the vampire’s greeting.

Julian’s silver eyes widened when he saw Nox had passengers. Two men dismounted as soon as she landed, and the smallest of them shot towards Julian, slamming into his chest and crashing their lips together like his life depended on it. When they drew apart, Sypher raised an eyebrow, and Reiner slowly lowered the dagger she’d been about to throw.

“Yani. Long time no see,” Sypher greeted wryly.

“Fuck me,” Julian muttered. “I haven’t been kissed like that inmonths.” He reached out and touched Yani’s face gently.

Elda tracked the path his hand took, a lump forming in her throat at the sheer force of the emotion in his eyes. He hadn’t said much about his loved ones, but it became clear the moment they reunited that this was his family. Julian and Yani were two people unwillingly torn apart by circumstance, she realised. Two people that loved one another deeply.

She’d never seen such a feeling displayed so openly when she lived in the palace, but she’d read about it. She’d dreamed of having it herself one day. Seeing that it was more than just a fairytale took her breath away.

“What are you doing here?” Julian asked, his voice unsteady.

“We came to give you some news,” the other passenger answered, turning pale eyes on Sypher. He could have been Julian’s twin – they had the same features, though the newcomer was stockier, and his sandy hair was grown out to his chin in loose waves.

“What news?” Sypher asked.

“Arden is missing,” Julian’s twin answered gravely. “He was taken by the Corrupted.”

The floor bottomed out beneath Elda’s boots, her heart dropping into her stomach. Arden was a wielder. How had the Corrupted taken him?Whyhad they taken him? Her palms turned clammy at the look on Sypher’s face. He made a noisehalfway between a hiss and a growl, some of the crimson leaching out of his irises.

Reiner’s face creased into a scowl, fingers tightening around her dagger. “Where was he taken from?” she questioned, power sweeping through her veins. It reflected in the feathers of her Pegasus, making him bob his head and paw at the grass in answer.

“Bratus,” Yani said, still clinging to Julian. “He was helping to clear out an infestation of demons when the Corrupted came for him.”

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