Page 40 of A Soul to Guide

Just as he was about to quieten her, his sight snagged on movement. It seemed her little kick had frightened a small school of fish his way.

He dived both his hands into the water, and his cage of claws struck two fish, wedging them between his palms and the muddy river bottom. The rest left bubbles behind as they scattered. He yanked both free of the water and inspected their sizeable bodies.

Now that his task was done, he headed in her direction, and the water sloshed around his legs as he approached.

“Well done.” She clapped, like he’d completed an amazing feat.

“Why are you clapping?” he asked, his head tilting in confusion. “With a fishing line, I’m sure you could have done this.”

“Really?” Her smile was an oddity to their conversation, and it only caused his orbs to morph to yellow in curiosity. “I’ve never held or seen a fish before. Can I touch it?”

He didn’t really understand her excitement, but he didn’t mind handing it to her. It would free up one of his hands so he could begin preparing them.

“Don’t lose it,” he stated, as he plonked one of the fish in her outstretched hands.

She let out a squeal when the flailing fish wobbled in her grip, but she held it tightly as she fought against its strength, her entire body shaking along with it.

“Why is it moving?!”

“Because it’s still alive,” he answered while tilting his head the other way, unsure of how she wouldn’t have known that.

Didn’t they fish in their realm?I just thought she hadn’t held a live fish.

In his own way, he was a little excited to find out just how different this... Nyl’theria was to Earth. Was it just like–

“Gross! Put it back in the water.”

Merikh practically dived for it when it looked as though she was about to toss it forward into the river. He only had enough time to catch himself with his elbow, otherwise he would have ended up in the river instead.

With a grimace, she touched the natural slime coat of the fish that covered her hands before she manoeuvred herself so she could wash them in the river.

As Merikh was righting himself, holding both flailing fish, Raewyn sat back next to the fire with her chin lifted.

“That was disgusting.” Her lips pulled back in a cringe. “I can’t believe you’re going to eat that.”

“Me?” he exclaimed as his head reared back. “I’m not eating these. I caught them for you.”

She crawled around on her hands and knees to evade the smoke when it began blowing in her face. She paused once she was clear, and then sat on her knees facing him with her brows pinched in concern.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were doing that for me.” Then she lifted a forefinger and bashfully scratched at her cheek. “I can’t eat them.”

The wind changed directions and blew the smoke right back into her face. She gently coughed. She could keep moving as much as she wanted, but it no doubt would happen again.

A small, cruel chuckle would have left him, but it didn’t, not when realisation sunk in.

“What the hell are you talking about?” A small growl bubbled from his throat as his orbs flared bright red. “You said you needed food, and I found you food.”

Her brows and cheeks crinkled into a wince. “You should have told me sooner that you were catching the fish for me.”

“Who else would I catch it for?” He couldn’t believe it. He’d literally gotten himself wet and caught this for her, and she didn’t want it? “You will eat this, or you’ll go hungry. There is nothing else edible along the way.”

“Elysians don’t eat meat!”

“Well, you do today,” he bit, grabbing her ankle when she started crawling away. “Whatever reservations your people have about food, in this realm, you eat what you find or you starve. There is no in between, no choice.”

Just how rich were the Elvish people that they could survive without meat as an additional life force? Humans couldn’t spare not to eat it. When travelling, there sometimes wasn’t any alternative. They hunted because theyhadto hunt.

“Then I choose nothing when the alternative is sickness. I can survive a few days without food, but my physiological makeup is incapable of consuming meat. It brings on a sickness, a curse, if you will.”

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