Page 30 of A Soul to Guide

A smallish, winged Demon flew overhead, circling. When it spotted Merikh, it hissed at him and flew off in the direction of the dead Demons. It kept searching, occasionally doubling back to find Raewyn.

He could feel her heart pounding deeply against his torso, how her lungs rushed for air, heavy and rapid. She was still giving off a delectable fear scent, but it’d at least lessened during their small run.

He slowly drew his hand away, allowing her to breathe comfortably as he waited to make sure the Demon was truly gone.

“I thought you said they don’t come here because of the border,” she whispered so quietly that he doubted her voice went past the barrier of his body.

“No. I said those who cannot climb cannot get through it.”

The Demon perched itself nearby, scouting the area, since Raewyn’s scent here was fresh. The subtle chirp of crickets went quiet, as if they, too, were wary of it.

“However, that brings the southlands more dangerous Demons, such as those who can fly or are strong enough to climb.”

When it flew off, she didn’t squeal as he swiped his arms around her so he could cradle her light weight. Once more, he ran.

Merikh wouldn’t allow anything else to have his prey, and anything that tried... would die. Raewyn, currently, was the luckiest creature on this very planet. She had, what he knew to be true, the fiercest and most ruthless protector – unless he turned on her.

Until he decided on what he would do with her, she was safe.

As long as she does not try to kill me...If she set off his rage, which he often freely let off its leash, she’d be dead within seconds.

When Merikh arrived at the old, empty cottage house, he set her feet on the porch. By this point, her fear had dissipated almost completely.

“Go inside and stay in there,” he demanded.

“How?” she bit, throwing her hands to the sides. “I don’t even know where we are.”

Great. She was being feisty all of a sudden. It was cute that she thought she had any way to defend herself against him. She may have magic, she may be able to fight him off, but there had been one guarantee in Merikh’s life.

He.Always. Won.

“You are standing on the very porch you were standing on this morning,” he informed her as he dug through one of the two satchels strapped to his waist. “I know you know your way around it,stepforstep.”

Out the corner of his sight, he noticed her lips part as her jaw fell in disbelief.

“You...” With her hands clenched into tight fists, she stamped her boot. “You were taking me in circles!”

She must have realised it’d only taken them about twenty minutes to get here when they’d been walking all day and most of the night. He was fast, but unless he was on all fours, he wasn’tthatfast.

“Not really circles,” he admitted as he pulled four charms from his bag. “More like wiggly lines. Just go inside.” He waved his hand to shoo her before realising she couldn’t see the action. “Before a Demon runs off with you.”

He didn’t catch her reaction other than her stamping her foot again. He was too busy making his way down the side of the house, putting up the charms he’d made the day before.

On each corner of the house, he placed an ornament made from dill, red berries, a small animal bone, and a jingle bell, all tied together by a white ribbon. They would create a magical barrier over the house, protecting her completely from any kind of prey.

He’d once taught another how to make these so she could show another of his kind how to, but he reflected very little on that fact whenever he used them.

Once Raewyn sobered up from her trepidation and her confusion, fury settled in.

Okay, so maybe she wasn’t handling navigating a new realm she couldn’t even see in very well, a realm that had little to almost no defences against a horrible enemy. Then, to top it off, it had something even more monstrous in it! Something she wasn’t familiar with... and had been travelling with.

Despite the fact he’d protected her, she wasn’t foolish enough to believe it was from the goodness of his heart – if he even had one.

Raewyn was now at the mercy of asomethingshe had no idea how to fight. What were his strengths and weaknesses? Could he die?

She didn’t even know what he looked like! Even though he’d barely made a move when he’d been trapping her against the ground, just hovering above her, one of the Demons had literally screamed in agony. He hadn’t even moved a muscle.

The thought of running crossed her mind, but she rolled her eyes. Where? Where could she run that she would be safe? He’d either catch her or a Demon would.

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