Page 182 of A Soul to Touch

“I’d rather die,” she bit. “If you weren’t listening properly with those freakish pointed ears of yours, I should inform you that I am a Demonslayer.I’d never help you.”

“Tsk. Then you will get no answers from me.”

Jabez took a single step back and then stood to remain in the shadows. He didn’t step back enough since a streak of sunlight washed over his shoulder, causing burning smoke to form. He hissed and dropped his shoulder forward into the shade.

“I enjoyed the show, and for that, you can keep his broken skull as a glorious trophy for defying the odds against you.”

It would never be a trophy.

She didn’t want to feel a shred of pride for anything that had happened this day. It would be a painful memory for the rest of her life – one she would live simply because Faunus wanted her to do so.

In the blink of an eye, Jabez disappeared – only to reappear seconds later next to the winged Demon. Then he placed his hand on its shoulder and they were both gone.

Even though he’d asked to take Faunus’ skull before he so ‘kindly’ let her keep it, and maybe he’d truly wanted her to come with him, but she couldn’t help thinking he’d approached her just because he wanted to be an asshole and taunt her for obviously caring about him.

“Who the hell was that?” Klaus asked when he sprinted over to Mayumi.

At Jabez’s disappearance, the wooden vines holding them flat against the ground withered away and died. She was honestly surprised he let any of them live. Maybe it was because they were all humans and were seen as weak and insignificant to him.

Whatever the reason, she wasn’t given time to linger on it when she was suddenly crowded.

“More like what the hell was that?” Yoshida said while wiping his chest and shuddering. “Obviously wasn’t a human. Those vines felt gross.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Mayumi murmured before looking down at Faunus’ skull, thankful she still had it in her arms. “There are a lot of unknown things in the world, and it is burdensome for the mind.”

“Cut the crap,” Klaus snapped. “You can’t just expect us not to ask a bunch of questions after what happened here today.”

Henry, who had been silent the entire time, lowered himself onto one knee and leaned to the side to look at her expression from below.

“Why are you holding that Duskwalker’s skull like you just lost someone dear to you, Yumi?”

Her lips tightened, the desire to keep them shut strong. She relaxed them when she peeked at Henry when he removed his helmet. He appeared concerned, and the lack of judgment in his gaze was enough for her to answer.

“Because he was my friend. I’ve been trying to save him.”

“Was that why you came to us asking about glue?” Yoshida asked, and she raised her gaze to him standing there.

“Yes.”

“Why were the Demonslayers after you?” Klaus asked while removing his own helmet so he could brush back his long, matted orange hair.

“The Duskwalker gave me information about Demons and the Veil, and I was stupid for sharing it with the guild. I knew too much, so they needed me dead.”

“Fuck’s sake, Yumi,” Henry rasped while shaking his head. “You’re a bundle of chaos no matter where you go and what you do.”

She shrugged, wishing she had the strength to stand, but she couldn’t move. She worried Faunus’ skull would be too heavy for the weight of her heart to carry.

“Makes me interesting.”

“What did you learn about Demons? It must have been serious for the guild to come after you.” Klaus asked. “And how did you even befriend a Duskwalker, anyway?”

Henry snapped his head to him. “Stop asking her questions. Just let it lie. She’s obviously not doing too well. Let her deal with this.”

“It’s a Duskwalker!” Klaus yelled in outrage. He even threw his hands forward. “Who gives a shit about it? It’s better for us that it’s fucking dead, so I don’t understand why she’s upset about it.”

Heat flared through her, but before she could get to her feet and confront him, Yoshida shocked them all when he suddenly went into motion. He grabbed Klaus by the shoulders of his armour and yanked him forward.

“Shut that loud mouth of yours before I shut it for you,” he threatened, shocking Mayumi when she had been expecting him to take Klaus’ side.

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