Page 128 of A Soul to Keep

She snapped it shut and turned to follow the path of feathers once more. Freezing on the spot, she saw the bookkeeper staring at her at the end of the isle behind a shelf that was in the middle.

“You are a human,” he said quietly, ducking behind the shelf more to only show one of his cat-like eyes.

She cringed behind her mask as her gut twisted in apprehension.

“N-no, I’m not. I’m Mavka.”

He pointed a curled claw at her.

“Your hands.” She winced when she looked down and saw they were bare and uncovered as she was clutching the three books she’d already taken. “And I can see flesh on your neck when you turn your head. Your laugh was also strange.”

Reia reached up and pulled her hood more forward to hide it. Her dress came up to her neck, but as long as she kept her head forward and down, it hid her skin.

“So what?” she asked, reaching behind her to show she’d grabbed the hilt of her sword strapped to her back. “If you come near me, I’ll attack, and if he comes back and finds you eating me, he’ll kill you.”

He shrunk, lowering himself as he gripped the shelf tightly.

“I have never spoken to a human before, only ever eaten. I have always wanted to.”

“Why?” She kept her hand on her sword but loosened her grip.

He reached around the edge of the free-standing shelf he was hiding behind and hooked a claw on top of a book to tilt it back from its resting place.

“They write books, and I like them. I have traded for many of these and have only gone back to the surface in search of more. Your kind is so remarkable, able to create stories with nothing more than pen and paper and your wonderful minds.” His lips curled into a smile that revealed feline fangs. “How can I kill creatures that create something I enjoy so much? I always wonder if I had eaten a human who would have written my favourite book.”

Reia lowered her hand as her anxiety quickly faded.

“You like humans then?”

“Like?” he laughed, meowing at the end. “I love humans. Can I approach?”

“Fine. But keep yourmittensto yourself.”

His eyes brightened, and he ran forward, making her scuttle back. He ignored her demand and gripped the wrist of her free hand to pet the back of it. Now that he was closer, he appeared even smaller. He only came to her chin.

“Have you ever written a book?” he asked, turning her hand over to touch her palm with a delicate touch.

“No. I’m not much of a reader either.”

He gave a tsk before looking up to her. “May I see your face? The books talk about so many expressions, and I have not seen many of them. I want to know what they are so I can picture them better.”

She couldn’t help smiling, finding him rather odd, but also no danger to her. Perhaps Reia had too much of a trusting personality. She lifted the mask to show him her face and he gave her a beaming grin in return.

“Look at your eyes! So green, just like in the stories.” He reached up like he wanted to touch them but didn’t, his fingers, and hazardous claws, twinkling in front of them. “They say same some look like emeralds, others like leaves. Yours are sparkly! Is this a smile on a human? What does it mean when your lips thin?”

She showed him, and his eyes grew bright.

“You look so angry and annoyed! Another, show me another expression!”

Reia laughed at him, and she thought he was nearly about to jump up and down with obvious glee.

“How about a pout?” she offered, exaggerating when she stuck her bottom lip forward.

His mouth opened wide as if with shock, before he attempted to mimic her. His feline fangs tried to catch on his bottom lip as he jutted it forward.

“I like this one. Can you cry? Demons do not cry tears and apparently much happens on a human’s face when this happens. Does your face go red and snotty like in the books?”

Reia opened her mouth to say that was a far too complex emotion to share without a source. However, the door opened to the shop, and she swiftly shoved her mask down. He retreated when her name was called, immediately looking cowardly and wary once more.

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