Page 85 of Soul Forge

“It felt that way.” She shuddered.

“What’s happening?” Reiner demanded, bursting through the doors leading to the garden in a thin nightdress, feet bare, braids protected by a silk cap, and her mace firmly in her hand.

“Is Elda hurt?” Gira came bounding outside behind her with his claws extended, skidding to a halt when he saw the pair sitting in the grass in the middle of the night. The other guests weren’t far behind him. Even Lillian had woken from the noise.

“We’re fine,” Sypher said, getting to his feet and offering Elda a hand. She took it, her legs trembling. He noticed and frowned, moving closer in case she stumbled. “Elda had a nightmare that I’m fairly certain was a premonition.”

“Whatever it was must’ve been horrible,” Gira remarked, his gaze sweeping over her pale skin and wide eyes. “Go back to your room. Tell Sypher what you saw when you can talk about it without feeling sick.” He smiled kindly. “I had a premonition passed onto me by Aetheria. Even second-hand, it was jarring. You shouldn’t stay alone tonight if you can help it. It will likely come back to haunt you.”

“She can stay with me,” Reiner offered, but Sypher shook his head.

“She’ll stay with me for now.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the ex-captain protested. Elda looked between them, too nauseous to interject. Sweat coated her palms, her weakened muscles wracked with violent shivers.

“Forgive me, Reiner,” Sypher answered firmly, “but I don’t think this is your choice to make. I know you don’t like me because of what I am. I know you think I’m going to hurt her, but the fact remains that the only person who can help her right now is me. And I’m telling you,as her husband, that she will stay with me tonight.”

Elda waited for the violet energy to illuminate Reiner’s eyes or for the mace to slice through the air and open him up, but it never came. The ex-captain lowered the weapon, worrying at her lip. Her bravado shattered, her emotions plain on her face.

“I don’t care if you’re a husband, a demon, a saviour, or one of the Spirits themselves. If you break your word,” she said softly, “I will end you.”

He nodded. “I don’t doubt it.”

Elda felt his hand against her back, encouraging her to walk. She tried to put one foot in front of the other, but her traitorous body failed, and she faltered on the first step. Before her legs could fold beneath her, he swept her up into his arms and strode back inside.

Elda wasn’t released until she was in Sypher’s room, and even then, it was only to lay her on the bed against his pillows. He ignored his bleeding scratch marks, letting his wings vanish in a haze of black smoke. Elda saw the bite wound on his throat hadn’t healed fully, and she realised he was still exhausted from feeding the vampires.

“I’m sorry I scratched you,” she mumbled, guilt clogging up her throat. He was already hurt, and she’d made him bleed again.

“You did?” He touched his cheekbone, blinking when his fingers came away red. “It didn’t hurt. Don’t worry about it.” She watched him clean the blood away with a linen cloth.

“Are you really okay with me staying here?”

“I know you won’t harm me.” He kicked off his boots and climbed in beside her.

“You’re still healing. You need rest, Sypher. Are you sure you can sleep with me here?” Her heart thundered – she’d never shared a bed with another man before. What was expected of her? What if she disturbed him?

“I’ll befine.” He folded one arm behind his head, his other hand tracing the outline of the pendant through the fabric of his tunic. “You really don’t make me uncomfortable anymore.”

“That’s good,” she mumbled.

He stifled a yawn. “Can you tell me what you saw?”

“I saw a mountain standing over a huge lake. I was at the bottom looking up. When I blinked, I was at the top, and there was a courtyard, like people lived on the mountain. The walls were...bleeding.” Elda shivered at the memory. “There was an archway that I couldn’t get away from. My body walked without being told to. People werescreamingat me.” Her eyes closed, a tear sliding down her cheek at the phantom pain the premonition brought. “They were dying, or that’s what it sounded like. The screams of people dying in droves. They want me to go to that mountain.”

“Do you know where it is?”

She shook her head. “No. Do you?”

“I don’t. The bleeding walls are familiar to me, though. I’m not sure where I’ve heard it before. Perhaps Gira will know.” He shrugged. “It looks like fate won’t wait for you to finish training.”

“I’m not ready yet.”

“The wielders rarely are. Even with decades of training, the call to your purpose will always be a surprise.”

“What if I fail?” she asked quietly.

He turned onto his side, facing her in the dark. “You won’t.”

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