Page 23 of Soul Forge

“How long will that take?”

“Have you never been to a wedding?”

He squinted at her. “Why would Ievergo to a wedding?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe your friends got married?”

“Yeah, all my many friends,” he scoffed. The sound was sharp. Any other time, she would have ignored it. Any other time, she might have risen above the anger it set burning in her chest, lifted her chin, and acted like she was unaffected.

But not today.

“You’re such an ass,” Elda snapped. He blinked. “Irileth says you’ve been through a lot, but that’s no excuse. I have done nothing –nothingto you. I didn’t blackmail you into a wedding. I didn’t beg for your help in that hall. This isnothow things are going to be between us. Stars above, what have I done to deserve this treatment from you?!”

The red in his eyes dimmed, that muscle in his jaw feathering again. “It’s not what you’ve done.”

“Then what is it?!” she pressed, resisting the urge to jab a finger at his chest.

“It’sthis,” he growled. “This forced meeting with yet another wielder. The knowing that soon you’ll be demanding my life story like you have a right to know anything about me. It’s having my choice taken away from meagain.”

Elda froze, staring up at him. Shadows rose around him in thin wisps, his gloved hands clenched at his sides. There was more than just anger.Farmore. He was hurting. She knew the look in his eyes, that feeling of being trapped. It was the same one she saw in the mirror each day.

“Why won’t you give me a chance?” she asked quietly, a lump rising in her throat. He looked so alone, standing in front of her in his wedding attire. She’d always imagined a groom would be happy on his wedding day, not looking down at her like she was a weapon in a ball gown.

“Because we’re not friends,” he ground out.

“You don’t even know me.”

“And that’s how it will stay.” Those fisted hands disappeared into the fold of his arms when he crossed them, like he was physically restraining himself from reaching for the dagger he’d no doubt hidden in his boot. Elda knew soldiers like him didn’t go anywhere without a blade. “I’m here to train you, then I’m going to leave and not look back. You can go about your life as a happy little princess, and I’ll go about mine the way I want to.Alone.”

“I don’t know who or what hurt you,” Elda replied quietly, ignoring the jibe. “I don’t know what you’ve been through. But I am not the cause, and I am sure as the Voidnot your outlet. If the civilians saw you being so hostile, they wouldn’t bow at your feet.” She swallowed the dreadful swell of furious tears and drew her shoulders back. “If they saw who you really are, how you really act, they’d run.”

“You have no idea how right you are,” he hissed. The flickering red in his eyes flattened almost to black. Fear trailed its clammy fingers down her throat at the sight of his bared teeth, the elongated incisors gleaming dangerously in the empty hallway. “I stuck my neck out to save you from the Falkrynian. I don’t owe youanythingelse.” He turned and strode away from her.

She watched him leave, glaring at his back. How dare he make her feel like everything was her fault? She hadn’t asked for his help, nor had she expected him to offer it.

“He has trauma.” Elda bit down on a shriek when Irileth spoke suddenly from beside her. “He doesn’t always know how to handle it.”

“Can younotdo that, please?” she gasped. “I almost fainted!”

“Sorry, I know I said I was going to work on it.” Irileth flashed an impish grin and tucked a few strands of glowing hair behind her ear. “What I said about Sypher is true, though. There’s a reason he’s so...” She trailed off, not sure of the word.

“Brutish? Rude? Such anass?”

“Exactly!” the Spirit beamed. “Give him time. He grows on a person.”

“Like a fungus?”

“Behave,” Irileth scolded gently, putting a frozen hand on Elda’s shoulder. “I’m asking you to trust me. Can you do that?”

Elda considered saying no, but the deity was looking at her with such hope. To defy the wishes of one of the creators seemed like blasphemy. She sighed, defeated. “Should I go find him?”

Irileth shook her head, pale hair cascading over her shoulders. “No. Let him walk it off. He needs some time to calm down.”

“Won’t it look odd if I enter my wedding celebration alone?”

“You won’t be alone,” Irileth beamed. “I’m used to my physical form now. I’m coming with you!”

Elda baulked. “Ireallydon’t think that’s a good idea.”

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