Page 174 of A Soul to Guide

“You gave me your sight? I know you don’t like doing this.”

“I didn’t like it because I thought you’d run away with it again.” He blindly reached up and petted her hair. “I willalwaystake it back, Raewyn. Always. However, I don’t mind lending it to you if you truly need to borrow it.”

A small smile crept up her lips, and she gave him a surprise kiss – one he couldn’t see coming.

Then she settled in, wiggling her back against his crossed legs until she was laying down more as she read the book to him.

It was after only two pages that herudelystated, “Fucking hell, you’re so slow. You’ll put me to sleep at this rate.”

“Hey!” she shouted. “I learned how to read and speak Earth languages when I was a child, thank you very much. I was slow at speaking when I first arrived here. I don’t even know what language we’re speaking. Español, I think?”

“It’s English, Raewyn. English.”

She rolled her eyes and threw her hands up. “How was I supposed to know that? Feel lucky my father was a linguist and learnt every language he could to teach me; otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to speak to each other. I only know a handful of the languages from here, and I wasn’t particularly good at learning them as a child.”

“You talk so much it may have benefitted me. I could have tuned you out better.”

Raewyn smacked him in the chest with the book. “You’re such a bully,” she whined, knowing he was only being playful.

“Only to you,” he said as he cupped the back of her head and nuzzled her cheek. “You’re the one creature I do not wish to be harsh towards, but I don’t mind teasing you.”

Her stomach swirled with tenderness. “Do you want me to keep reading or not?” she pouted.

“You could slowly read to me until the world ended, little fairy. Your voice is soothing, and I’m enjoying this.”

“Then why’d you poke fun at me for?”

His chuckle was so warm and light her ears tingled from its pleasantness. He’d begun laughing with her more freely lately, like he found her humorous. It was odd, considering he’d rarely done it before.

“Because I thought it would be funny.”

“Ha ha,” she said with a sneer. “When did you get so jolly?”

“When a strange female came along and decided to annoy me with questions about a book I didn’t even write.”

Her lips parted in disbelief. He’d gotten revenge! To her dismay, it had her melting for him.

“You better watch out, Duskwalker, or I’ll make you regret meeting me.”

He chuckled again, this time while licking at the side of her neck. “I already know I will.”

She was about to giggle back and keep reading, but suddenly paused. Was he poking more fun at her, or was there a grim undertone of honesty to his words?

Before she could ask him about it, a loud, booming, and near-heart stopping crack of thunder had her jumping in his arms. A wavingshaathen spread just beyond the entrance, highlighting the sudden outburst of rain as the cloud passed over the area.

Her shoulders drooped as she turned her face to listen and watch with Merikh’s borrowed sight. The world now looked less colourful, instead a dreary grey in appearance.

The wind was pushing away from the cliffside they resided in, but a wet, icy temperature softly billowed.

The book forgotten, it fell to her lap as she stared at the miserable outside world.

She grumbled, “I hate the rain.”

Since it was obvious she’d lost interest in the book, Merikh glided his claws just behind her ear as he took back his sight. He turned his head towards the rain to stare at it.

A sense of peace washed over him.

When she shivered, he stood and placed her on her feet. He almost chuckled at her crestfallen face; it was apparent she’d been soaking in his warmth and was upset she’d lost it.

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