Page 129 of A Soul to Keep

“Over here,” Reia called out, and Orpheus emerged into the aisle with the Mavka in tow. “See? All safe and sound.”

He came and placed his arms around her, rubbing the side of his head against her mask.

“Not again.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed before pulling away from him to go to the last shelf the feathers led to. It was a book of monsters, both real and mythological.

It had detailed descriptions of Demons, Duskwalkers, and Ghosts – all of which were real. Then there were the mythical creatures such as Centaurs, half-human, half-horse creatures. Werewolves, humans that were cursed to shift into monstrous wolf like humanoids. Even Phantoms, a creature that lived on the cusp of life, neither alive nor dead. They could be ghostly or be of flesh, like a human.

Why did she want me to have this?Regardless, Reia took it.

She presented all four books to Orpheus.

“Can I have all these?”

“You can have whatever you like,” he answered, and she walked to the counter.

The joyful cat Demon from earlier looked skittish as the Duskwalkers towered from behind her.

“She wants these,” Orpheus told him, not knowing that she and this Demon had already spoken to each other.

He reached into his sack of crystals and offered them to him. The Demon took the hard-cover bound books, wrapping each one in brown paper and then putting them in a bag for her, all the while eyeing the feathers sticking out of her hand.

She gave half to him since it seemed like he wanted them.

“But I have already traded,” Orpheus said with a confused twist of his head.

“I don’t need all these, and he looked interested in them.”

He smiled as he took them, gripping them tightly with both hands in glee. He was rather expressive for a Demon.

Then they started to leave.

At the last moment, Reia turned her head over her shoulder and out of Orpheus’ cloak. She lifted her mask enough and closed a singular eye towards him.

“A wink!” he shouted just in time for her to hear it before the door shut. “Amazing!”

She bit her lips together tightly to stifle her giggle.I liked him.

Reia walked with Orpheus while the Mavka walked on the other side of her as they stepped back onto one of the busier streets.

She yanked on Orpheus’ shirt to get his attention.

“Why are they all staring?” she asked quietly, noticing heads turn to stare more than before.

“He caused a disturbance,” he answered while nodding his snout at the Mavka.

She saw his eyes had changed to a reddish-pink.

“I was distressed when I could not find either of you. I thought something terrible had happened.”

“He was running through the streets, pushing and knocking people over to find us. It caused alarm and many were worried. He also damaged a cart, and I had to trade crystal in compensation for repairs.”

His shoulders slumped heavily under his cloak.

“I thought I had failed in protecting you, when you had helped to bring me here.”

He knew the only reason Orpheus had brought him to Demon village was because of Reia, and he felt indebted to her. He was taking his dutyveryseriously.

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