Page 143 of Soul Forge

She relaxed again, breathing in the floral scent of the water and wishing she could go to sleep right where she was.

“We need-”

“Don’t say it.”

“We need to go.”

“I saiddon’tsay it,” she groaned.

“We can’t stay here forever,” he chuckled.

“Fine,” she sighed, sliding off Sypher’s lap and standing. His gaze tracked the water sluicing off her, following her as she stepped out of the basin. She located two linen towels, still feeling his eyes burning into her back. She froze when she heard the water slosh as he stepped out of the bath behind her, not sure whether she should turn around or not.

While she was still deliberating with her back turned to him, the second towel was plucked gently from her fingers. He wrapped it around his hips and planted a kiss on the junction between her neck and shoulder from behind.

“Don’t overthink things,” he suggested when she turned, guessing her train of thought. He lifted a hand to pull the moisture from his body. The water beaded on his skin and hair to collect in a cloud above his palm. He directed it back to the basin in a small shower, completely unaware of how impressive the trick looked from the outside.

“I’m just not sure if I’m supposed to look at you without clothes on,” Elda answered awkwardly when the last drop had fallen.

He chuckled. “If it makes it easier for you, I won’t be offended. It’s not rude of you to want to. Likewise, it’s alright if you’d prefer not to.”

“And what about whenIchange clothes?” she questioned, turning away again when he pulled a pair of leather trousers out of his dresser. He didn’t answer right away, though she heard the rustle of fabric. When he did speak, his voice came from right beside her ear.

“If I watched you change, we’d never leave this room,” he murmured. She felt his chest touch her back, his arms snaking around her waist, and a shiver rippled through her. “But we must. I’ll leave you to get into some fresh clothes.”

He raised a hand, and she felt a strange sensation ripple across her skin. The water soaking her clothes and saturating her hair was lifted from her in an instant, drifting over to the bath at his command. The droplets pattered down in a tiny rain shower, rippling the surface wherever they landed.

“That should help.”

His lips touched her jaw right by her ear, lingering just long enough to make her pulse stutter, then released her. She expected him to leave, but he took hold of her wrist and turned her, his free hand rising to cup her cheek.

His kiss was molten, searing her lips with its intensity. A tingle spread from the roots of her hair right down to her toes, her body melting against him. The kiss weakened her knees and sent her stuttering heart crashing around in her chest, eyelids fluttering closed.

She’d never imagined that Sypher would ever be this way with her. Thatanyonewould be this way. Her mother had raised her to believe that love was for the poor, that it was unimportant, that marriage was a duty to be upheld, and that taking a husband would be painful and lonely. Elda had read fairy tales most of her life, wholeheartedly believing that the love and affection featured in them was a fable, a dream far beyond her reach.

The Soul Forge proved her wrong yet again.

When he pulled away, he left her dazed, her lips still tingling from his lingering kiss. His thumb stroked her cheekbone. “I’ll see you in the kitchen, maite.” Another gentle peck, a tender smile, and then he retreated, leaving the room so she could change without distraction.

Her hands that had been resting on his waist felt oddly empty. The phantom sensation of his mouth on hers, his pointed incisors squeezing the plump skin of her lips, made her shiver.

It took several more minutes for her to regain enough sense to change into fresh clothes, but eventually, she was lacing up her boots and leaving the room after him. She walked through hallways slowly, mulling over all the things her mother had told her. She was quickly realising that her narrow view of the world, passed down from a violent father and a fearful mother, was a grievous misjudgement.

When she arrived at the kitchen, most of the group was gathered around the table waiting for her to join them. Julian cocked his head, a broad grin splitting his cheeks, and she knew right away that, somehow, he was aware of what had happened between her and Sypher.

The Soul Forge himself leaned against the counter with his arms folded across his chest, clad in his black armour with his sword sheathed across his back. His wings were tucked close to his body, and Elda’s mind immediately shifted to the feel of his feathers beneath her fingers. He shot her a crooked smile and winked.

“Did I miss anything?” Yani asked, strolling in from the garden. “I went to see Nox.”

“You missed plenty,” Julian grinned, shooting a pointed look at Elda. Sypher elbowed him in the stomach. “Nope,” he wheezed. “You didn’t miss anything.”

“Have we any idea what to do next?” Yani asked, shaking red hair out of his eyes. Elda noticed they were paler than usual, and when she glanced at Julian, his silver hues had also lost their lustre.

“Clover followed the Corrupted from the city when Sypher and Elda returned from chasing them down,” Gira supplied, sitting on the wooden bench and resting his elbows on the oak table.“He returned an hour ago with no news, but he’s back out now trying to find out if anyone has seen where they might have gone.”

“I can visit the king,” Sypher put in. “Perhaps his scouts have come up with something we can use.”

“Let me visit Artan,” Elda suggested. Sypher’s head tilted. “Reiner and I can go together. If we can’t find anything out from the scouts, our next option will be to move. All of us need to be fed and rested for that. Sypher, you should feed Julian and Yani or help them find someone who can feed them if you can’t.”

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