Page 29 of Soul Forge

She blinked. Crossbreeding wasn’t uncommon, though it was seen as improper among nobility. Curiosity blossomed inside her. “What species were your parents?” she asked carefully.

“I wasn’t born, I was made.”

“Meaning?”

“I started this life exactly as you see me now, minus a few scars.”

“How could that be possible?”

“Beats me.” He looked back out in the direction they were headed, tilting his wings to adjust their course slightly. His whole body was tense beneath her. It felt wrong to press for answers, but she couldn’t help herself. This was the first sign he’d shown that he was willing to talk to her.

When he raised an arm to wave at Reiner where she saddled up Atlas below, Elda dared to ask the question. “How can you not know?”

“Because the Spirits decide what they want to tell me. Which for the last eight hundred years has been pretty much nothing.” His tone soured, signalling the end of their brief conversation. Guilt sat heavily in her chest, but a huge part of her was relieved that he could be amicable when he wanted to be, even if it was short-lived.

“I am sorry about last night,” she tried after a while of flying in silence, hoping he might be more receptive to her apology. “I shouldn’t have assumed you’d behave like Horthan once we were married. I panicked. It was wrong of me to treat you that way, Saviour.”

“Sypher.” He turned his head and again she saw the side of his face. “I can’t stand titles.” He sighed. “And you don’t have to keep apologising.”

“Let me guess. You hate apologies, too?” He didn’t answer, but his cheek lifted in a faint smile. Butterflies fluttered in Elda’s stomach. She fought to squash them down before saying, “Is there anything youdon’thate?”

“Nope.”

“You can’t hate everything. Tell me one thing you like, and I promise I won’t speak again until we land,” she pleaded.

“You want to know that badly?”

“I do.”

“And you won’t talk until your boots hit the ground?”

“Not a word.” She waited for him to weigh up the benefits.

Eventually, he nodded. “I like to read. These days, it’s getting hard to find books I haven’t already read, but that’s what I like to do.”

“That’s… not what I expected you to say.”

“Nuh-uh, no more talking.” He turned to look at her over his shoulder again, a wide grin on his face. “You promised.”

Elda rolled her eyes, scowling at the back of his head when he beat his wings harder to pick up speed. She wondered what was waiting for her in Saeryn.

A whinny from behind had the Soul Forge circling back, turning towards the Pegasus gliding smoothly towards them. When Reiner and her mount flew together, the purple power that lit up her veins trailed from Atlas’ wings, mane, and tail, signifying the soul-deep bond they shared.

“This is where you get off,” Sypher said, pulling alongside Atlas.

Elda baulked. “In mid-air? Are you insane?”

“Nope.” Instead of waiting for her to argue, he tilted abruptly, tipping her from his back and into Reiner’s waiting arms. Herstomach rolled, but the captain caught her safely and deposited her on the front of the two-person saddle, Atlas’ flight barely wavering from its course.

“Who sent you out here?” Elda asked as soon as the world stopped spinning, turning as much as she could to look her guardian in the eye.

“I did,” Reiner replied, keeping her attention on the horizon. “It was my choice.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t trust anyone else to rescue you when you inevitably make a stupid decision, Elda.”

“Not even the Soul Forge?”

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