Page 126 of A Soul to Guide

When Merikh had tried to chase them away from his home after they’d grown their bodies back – and his arm returned – Raewyn had intervened with a loud shout. When they slowly scampered away, their tails down in submission, she’d managed to coax them back.

Their surprise had been unmistakeable, but their dark yellow orbs of curiosity had turned bright in joy.

She’d offered them sweet smiles and head pats, and they’d grown smitten with her. They’d spouted a hundred apologies and tried to give her head pats in return, which caused her to explode in a spout of soft giggles.

Since then, they’d been talking. When she sat, they’d each found a way to nuzzle into her.

There had been a small fight about who would get to lay their head in her lap, which she’d managed to control before another incident occurred. From a distance, Merikh listened to them asking her questions about what she was, where she came from, why she was on Earth.

It was obvious they didn’t understand all of it, but they didn’t mind. They’d found a friendly creature to talk to who wasn’t like them, and they were curious about her.

At first glance, had he not known better, it would have appeared like they’d known each other all their lives. Raewyn was exceptionally patient with them.

Any time Merikh tried to approach, the twins would shirk away, lowering themselves after their defeat yesterday.

He was forced to remain away from them, from her.

He felt like a fucking outcast.

He couldn’t remember if his orbs had ever turned green in jealousy, but the emotion clawed at his chest like a rabid beast. It wounded him deeper than the arm he’d torn from his own body.

Forced to stand on the other side of the yard, he watched to make sure she didn’t come to harm. Arms folded and back leaning against the wall, he dug his claws into his arms in annoyance.

Any time she laughed, his sight would become green with envy that they had managed to make her so content while he struggled to do so. Then his orbs would turn red in anger that he was experiencing these negative waves of emotions because of her... in his own territory, his own damn home!

The sun was bright today. Although it was dropping down the horizon, it bathed them in light like a pretty, warm scene. Merikh was in the shadows, like usual.

It was just a reminder that he’d always been in the dark, alone, while others experienced joy as he watched.

Covering the side of her mouth with one hand, Raewyn whispered something, causing the raven-skulled Duskwalker to look up at Merikh.

“Yes, he still stares,”he said.

The other added,“He always stares.”

Merikh rolled his head and tightened his arms across his chest. He was being watchful, which could be the difference between her life and death.

“He does not like us being here,”the bat-skulled, pink-orbed Mavka stated.

“We have rested. We must leave soon before his patience wears thin.”

It was already thin! The only reason he hadn’t chased them away by now was because of her.

“Come with us. He is mean.”

“You do not have to stay here.”

He noted that Raewyn’s ears flattened, and the joy she had been wearing disappeared. “That’s not a very nice thing to say.”

“But it is true,”the purple-orbed, raven-skulled Mavka said.

“Come with us.”The bat-skulled Mavka had gotten up and began tugging on her arm.“We will protect you within the Veil.”

That was enough. That was the line Merikh had to draw for these foolish Duskwalkers. He made his way over to them.

“No,” Raewyn said with a stern voice, pulling her arm back. “I will stay here with Merikh. If it weren’t for him, you two would have hurt me yesterday.”

Both their orbs turned a deep blue as their skulls lowered. At least they understood the truth of that.

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