Page 41 of Gyft

He raises his brow and I know that’s not the way to go with this stubborn fool.

“Fine. You want a human mate? I’ll put in a good word for you.”

“And your word is good how?”

I swear I’m about to strangle him. “Yvette and Olivia are as close as siblings. That makes Yvette almost my sister-in-law. Don’t you think Yvette will be more enamored with you if she finds out we’re twin souls? Don’t you think this will seal the deal, so to speak?”

Because we both know that Yvette may like the idiot, but she hasn’t done anything more than allow a few kisses here and there. No time alone for him to woo her. She’s too focused on exploring the planet and helping Olivia prepare for this Christmas thing. While I know Yvette has feelings for him—my Bride shares all with me—she hasn’t focused on him as much as he would like. He thinks perhaps she finds him lacking.

He wonders if it’s because his face is scarred.

Yet, I know the human females find that mysterious. Sexy. As if he’s a reformedbad boy, as Yvette put it.

I’m not sharing that.

“Yvette truly wants us to humiliate ourselves by wearing the color?” he asks, eyes narrowed.

“They both do. It’s the tradition.”

“And you think she’ll be more interested in me?”

I scowl again. “Of course. What else do you have going for you?”

He narrows his eyes. “You’ll share with her that we’re twin souls?”

“Yes. She’ll want you more than ever when she finds out our relationship.”

He nods, resigned to my manipulations.

“Well, get dressed. They’re setting up in H’liyio as we speak.”

He scoffs and opens his brichet to show he’s fully dressed underneath.

While I assumed he had been out for a morning run and had simply thrown on any old brichet, he’s ready immediately. It makes me wonder if he only owns the same colors that I wear.

As we board my shuttle, we take the dual controls for a faster flight through the falling snow. It feels like old times, twin souls playing videogames together. By the time we arrive at the indoor mall, I don’t even mind the cold that I’ve hated for a lifetime. Since we were trapped overnight at the beginning of the cold season. Huddled together under the tree roots, each afraid to tell the other his freelig turned white. And when we were rescued by our father near dawn? We scrambled into his arms, burying our once-twin faces into his neck as we sobbed. Our father cried too, maybe holding Minniel a bit tighter because of his new looks. His fresh scars.

Maybe, just maybe, I resented that a little.

“Thank you for saving me,” Minniel says softly. “For entering the deadlands after me. You didn’t have to put yourself at risk like that.”

“Yes, I did,” I say simply. “You’re my twin soul. I couldn’t watch you die.”

Right there, in the middle of the back entry to the mall, I turn to him and hug him tight. We pull away slightly when Olivia and Yvette open the door to the meeting area they’re setting up.

The elf costumes they wear are green, with short skirts and striped stockings and pointy shoes. They wear matching hats and manage to look regal and sexy at the same time.

“Ohmigod,” Yvette says, turning to Olivia and squeezing her arm. “Brothers. That explains so much.”

“Twin souls,” Olivia corrects. “Makes even more sense that you’d be attracted to Gyft’s lookalike.”

Minniel huffs. “Gyft looks like me.”

Yvette, odd female that she is, nods in full agreement.

“Thank you both for coming to our first-ever Santa sitting. Without the Santa,” Olivia says dramatically, waving her arm and waiting for me to interject that we’ll be okay to dress up.

I sigh, reminding her once again. “Bride, you know I’ll do anything for you.”

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