Page 232 of A Soul to Guide

Particularly her laboratory, where they were going to be spending most of their time. She hoped he was ready to become her assistant, because it was nearly around the clock work, with how much she buried herself in her paperwork and experiments.

Now, with the resolve to save his brothers before it was too late, she knew she would be even more determined.

“My home is standing in front of me,” Merikh answered warmly as bright pink sparks flashed.

Reaching up, she waited for him to place his weighty skull in her palms so she could nuzzle the end of his bear skull snout.

Mine too,she thought.

With a quiet hum, Raewyn worked on cleaning the main bench in her laboratory. It was currently a mess of paperwork, the result of her catching up on all the different tasks and requests that had piled up during her disappearance. There were also notes from meetings she’d missed and important events that had happened within the city.

Although it was in elbraille, she was able to read the handwriting with Merikh’s borrowed sight.

A small smile curled her lips.He’s a good assistant.Her eyes fell on him, curled up in his monstrous form right next to her legs.For someone who naps three times a day.It’s not his fault; he was born in a different realm with a different sleep cycle.

That wasn’t going to suddenly change in the single week he’d been in Nyl’theria.

She also didn’t truly need assistance when she was just reading hours upon hours of paperwork, which, honestly, was half her job.

Although this was the first time he’d done it, he’d given her his sight when she said she wanted to clear her laboratory to make some room. She said it was for new experiments, but it was really so she could figure out a space for him to do his own work.

Merikh was going to learn how to read and speak Elvish. Besides her father, no one else could translate and teach him, so it was an additional task on her plate – not that she minded.

She’d delegated some of her work to another scientist, palming off almost everything for the time being, except for experiments like growing hufflepumpkin or anything Demon protection related. Hopefully, she didn’t accidentally make another portal.

At least if I do go to a new realm by accident, Merikh would call me back here, as long as he doesn’t try to save me.They’d already spoken about it, and he made no promises on how he’d react if she were in danger.

Despite hating it, even though she’d only done it once, she explained that she’d just turn into a Phantom and float senselessly through the world until she returned.

At least that calmed his worries, though it elevated many of her own. She’d likely be more reckless now, since she couldn’t permanently die. Bonus for her.

It had only been a week, and already, Raewyn was certain she’d made the right choice in falling for Merikh.

He was sweet, caring, naughty, but also considerate.

He understood many were uncertain about him, and he was as patient with strangers as he was with her. He was willing to try anything, and she appreciated him for it.

His big, warm, rough hand had swallowed hers as they walked through the city together. She’d spent two days showing him around, their handholding highlighting the unity between him and her people. No one had to know it was because they were in a relationship, although she had no intention of hiding it.

Many approached them out of curiosity, many didn’t.

He seemed awkward and out of place, not used to conversing with those who could see his real face. It always startled him when someone asked if his skull was real, since his jaw didn’t move when he spoke.

The first time someone asked if they could touch it, he’d been nervous and put off. It’d been a little rude to ask him in the first place, but he did allow a small handful to curiously touch it – especially children who had been frightened of him at first.

Her ovaries nearly exploded when he got on his hands and feet so a small child could cup his jaw, especially when his orb sparks had gone from a reddish pink in embarrassment to yellow in joy.

Raewyn had showed him the beach, the markets, and all of the central tree palace, since nowhere was off limits.

It’d burned much of their time, so she’d only returned to her laboratory the day before to begin working. Before that, they both just worked on resting intheirhome, bathing and spending time together in peace.

There was lots of touching, since Merikh was interested in ‘rediscovering’ Raewyn now that she was his bride.

Since she’d already moved everything around and cleared a bench for him in her laboratory, she was confident she could navigate it again without her sight. He’d slept through it, since she’d been relatively quiet for his sake.

I’m glad Cykran didn’t mind that I fired him.

Actually, the sarcastic Delysian had been overjoyed by it. He’d enjoyed the work because he was her friend, but when he discovered his replacement would be Merikh, he was happy to step down.

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