Page 14 of A Soul to Keep

He’d always pitied them, but he wouldn’t stop while they were out in the open.

I have not held a human in a long time.It had been decades, and the last time had been because it was dying, not by of his own hand.I forgot how soft they are.

Reia felt warm and soft, making him want to squeeze her tighter against his chest.Can’t do that, I will kill her.

Her face twitched, starting in her cheeks as her eyes clenched tighter, before they fluttered open slightly. The green in her eyes was more vibrant than the forest she peered around at before they slowly came to him.

“Shit. I fell asleep?” Her eyes then narrowed into a glare. “Did you use a spell against me or something?”

Her limp body, relaxed from being asleep, bounced lightly in his arms from his steps as he twisted his head at her.

“No. I don’t have such magic. I can only create illusions, cast protections, and other minor spells, but something must be sacrificed for me create them.”

Her sharp brows drew together to create a deep crease between them. “You’re not all powerful then?”

“No,” he answered plainly, turning his head up to watch where he was going better. “My magic is quite minor in strength.”

“How can you even use magic? Demons can’t, and only certain humans can.”

Orpheus was surprised she wasn’t demanding for him to cease cradling her like this. She hadn’t preferred this position over sitting in the crook of his elbow, yet she wasn’t asking to be moved straight to it now that she was awake.

“Some Demons can use very minor magic. However, there is one who can freely use magic and is even stronger than me.”

“Who?”

“Someone you do not need to concern yourself with. You will never meet him.” Despite his constant effort to not squeeze her, he couldn’t stop his hands from clenching around her.

No. She can never meet him.Orpheus tried to make sure none of his humans did, even though he wasn’t always successful.

“Fine, but you still didn’t answer my question as to whyyoucan use magic.”

He said nothing because he didn’t want to answer.They do not like it when I tell them the truth.

“Orpheus?” she said with a frown in her voice.

His eyes turned to black, which was the only way she would have been able to tell that he’d closed them for a short while.When was the last time I heard someone speak my own name?

It was even said softly. It sent a tingling thrill throughout his body, ruffling his flesh and making his insides shudder.

Only a handful of offerings had deigned to know if he had a name, choosing to call him Duskwalker as if that was all that he was, but none had everspokenit to him.

“Is the answer actually that terrible or do you not know?”

He allowed a tsking sound to resonate from his mind as her words caused his eyes to open. He turned his head down and twisted it to see her.

“I’ll give you a boon.”

Her relaxed body tensed as she lifted her arms to fold them across her chest. “Are you seriously bargaining with me over the answer that could be you simply saying you do not even know?”

He almost felt the urge to chuckle if he wasn’t so serious.

“Yes.”

“Fine. What’s the deal?”

“Say my name again like how you did before, and I will give you your answer.”

“That’s it? You just want me to say your name?”

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