Page 111 of A Soul to Guide

Had it been a month ago, he probably would have snapped, “What do you want?” It was hard not to think deeply on small differences like that.

“Nope,” she stated as she lifted her chin and simultaneously sat while folding her legs into a crossed position. She rested the back of her hand holding the plate against her calves and stabbed into her food. “What are you doing?”

“Sitting here, looking up at the sky.” There was a shrug in his voice.

“Mind if I ask why?”

“Because I can? I currently have this pest in my home, taking up all the space. Where else am I to sit and have some peace?”

Her lips pulled into a bigger smile; she didn’t believe he thought she was a pest.

“I actually happen to think I’m great company, thank you very much, Mr GrumpyBear.”

“You know what? From now on, that shall be my name. However, I think we should make it more formal. Sir GrumpyBear, just so you understand the hierarchy of our relationship.”

“Then I shall be Queen RaeOfSunshine. Just soyouunderstand the hierarchy of our relationship.”

“I kneel for no man, yourhighness.”

Ooh, he was being rather condescending.

“Luckily, I’m not a man,” she answered, poking her fork in his direction.

“Not what I meant. Man as in all of humanity.”

“Luckily, I’m not human, either.” When he grunted in answer, her smile grew so bright it hurt. She took another bite, pushed her food to her cheek, and asked, “So, Sir GrumpyBear, why are you avoiding me?”

“I’m not. Just giving you space in case you wanted it. You’re the one who hasn’t searched for me.”

Raewyn’s jaw fell ajar. Well, damn, he wasn’t wrong about that. Still, she couldn’t help thinking that might be a lie. There was much he’d said that might be a lie, but she was choosing not to think on those things.

“You know you have to give it to me eventually,” she stated, her smile falling.

A light gust of wind chose that moment to wrap around them, foreboding and full of the heavy silence he sat in.

Quiet and solemn, he whispered, “I know.”

The fact that Merikh hadn’t given her his diadem with the mana stone in it yet showed he was concerned she’d fail. To be fair, she was nervous about it, too.

It was the first time Merikh had truly shown any vulnerability, and it was the sign of someone who might be a little scared. Picturing him frightened wasn’t an easy task, but she understood the weight of what he’d be giving up.

Her heart swelled in tenderness.

He wasn’t as infallible as he seemed, and it deepened the many facets of him. He wasn’t a two-dimensional jerk riding his spite as acop-out. He had fears, worries, and dreams – some he’d shared, and many she imagined he hadn’t.

“Why is it you can’t create another portal like the one that brought you here?”

He was looking for an alternative, a way out of giving up the one item she didn’t think he could live without.

“Because that was a chaos portal. They are usually created without a mana stone and by accident, and they can take you anywhere. Mine happened to bring me here.”

“You couldn’t accidentally create another one?”

She swore she saw a flicker of white, but it quickly flashed back to red before fading.

“No. After speaking with the leaders in other realms we were in contact with, they asked us to close all our portals and not to open them again until we’d dealt with the Demons. Out of respect for them, and for the safety of others, we’ve chosen to agree so we could gain their help in the beginning. For instance, the Anzúli sacrificed a few of their people by sending them here, to Earth, while another realm helped us build the first part of our stronghold city. Another gave us resources to help feed the large influx of people, while others helped to save as many as they could and bring them to the city before retreating.”

“You were in contact with other places?” Merikh asked, and a spark of yellow flashed in her dark sight.

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