Page 200 of A Soul to Guide

“Raewyn?” The tone was deep, yet soothing. She would know him anywhere.

She stepped forward with her brows furrowing. “Cy-Cykran?”

“Rae!” he yelled back in joy, his footsteps quickly approaching her as though he was running.

She squealed and bolted for him, knowing the tall but strong Demon would catch her. They collided, and he instantly spun her in a circle while she hugged him tightly. She took in his familiarity, the smell of home that lingered on his clothes, his very skin.

“Do you know how long we’ve been searching for you?” he said in the Elvish tongue.

“How did you find me?” she answered back.

Just as he was about to answer, a snarl caused them to separate. It was also moving towards them with heavy, quick footsteps, and when she turned her head to the sound, white sparks flashed.

Merikh.She made it a step, intending to ward him back, but Cykran threw her behind him.

“A monster!” someone shouted. “Guards, form a shield. Protect her.”

Metal and leather ground against each other as a group of people shuffled to act as a barrier, while more moved behind her, towards the portal. She knew they would be holding polearms with blades on them that could be activated to cover the blades with deadly energy.

Each of them would be a Delysian, besides maybe two or three. They had taken it upon themselves to become soldiers, since they had no problem with bloodshed and killing, unlike the Elysian people, who were far gentler.

Dread sunk into her like a viper with venom, and it filled her veins with ice.

“Wait!” Raewyn shouted in Elvish. “Wait, stop. He’s not a monster.”

No one listened to her. Why would they when Merikh let out a blood-curdling roar that had even her shrinking away from its hostility?

She hoped he didn’t think she was planning to abandon him now that her people were here to save her. She would never do that. She’d made a promise, and she had every intention of bringing this big, secretly soft-hearted Duskwalker back with her.

Cykran dragged her away in the opposite direction, towards the intense crackling. “We need to leave. The portal will only last so long.”

“Let go of me, Cykran,” she bit.

She struggled in his arms, but she was too disorientated to realise she’d spoken English and he wouldn’t understand her. The Delysian was also too strong for her to get free from, and no matter how much she slapped at his forearms or pried his fingers from her waist, he just wouldn’t let go.

“Merikh!” she squealed, hoping he could make it to her so she could drag him through the rift as well.

Raewyn realised two things after she shouted his name and he roared in answer: she shouldn’t have called for him while panicked, and things were about to gohorriblywrong if she didn’t intervene.

Red sparks flashed. Merikh let out a yelp as the smell of copper tangled into the air. He’d been hurt, and her fighting redoubled.

I have to go to him. I have to calm him before it’s too late!

If he turned into his mindless state, they would get themselves all killed – her along with them.

“Let go of me, you stupid jerk!” She bashed on Cykran’s arms harder. She even tried to stamp on his clawed toes. “I want to take that Duskwalker with me, and I will throw you off the top of the highest point of the central tree if we don’t! That’s an order!”

Her being a councilmember had to havesomesway.

Cykran halted and must have looked at her, since she could almost feel his gaze boring into her. He gripped her shoulders tightly in what could only be disbelief, nearly crushing her.

Through clenched fangs, he hissed, “You want to take the monster with us?”

They’re taking her away from me.

Merikh fretted as he tried to get around the soldiers –withouthurting them.

He was also concerned for how they might hurt him as well. Their weapons were long, with blades running down one side. Coloured ribbons were attached to the satin-looking white metal.

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