Page 61 of A Soul to Guide

He looked down,needingto look down – not only so he could watch what he was doing with his task, but... to make his gaze move away from her.

“Oh,” she answered sheepishly. “Did I forget to mention I sleep longer than a human? I was also really tired, as I haven’t slept properly since we started travelling together.”

“It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?”

He peeked up to see her shoulders had lifted, as though she was nervous.

“I said it’s fine,” he bit out before soothing his tone. “I slept as well, and I have been busy.”

Shefinallyfixed her damn sleep dress. Then she reached down beside the bed and pulled her bag onto her lap so she could dig through it. She retrieved an apple from her bag and ate it as she placed two hair ties on the blanket between her legs.

For someone who had just woken up, she was more bright-eyed than he’d expected. Merikh was often quick to get to his feet, but that was because he had a goal, a mission on his mind. Every second wasted was a second longer he’d have to wait for what he wanted.

Once she’d finished her apple, she began braiding her hair like she had before, in preparation for travel.

“So...” she started slowly. “What are we going to do now?”

“No fucking clue,” he abruptly answered, trying his hardest to not over-screw a bolt he was tightening in anger. He’d been wondering what the hell they were going to do now for the whole day, and he’d come up with absolutely nothing. “I have been searching for a way off Earth for years. Don’t ask me for answers because I don’t have them.”

Her shoulders slumped as her lips turned inwards in disappointment.

“I have searched every corner of this continent, have been researching for years, and there’s nothing,” he continued. “There’s no text I can find that teaches me how to make portals myself. There are no hidden pockets that will take me elsewhere. There are no other creatures besides the Anzúli, Duskwalkers, or Demons on this planet that can make them, or even use magic.”

“Theremustbe something,” she beseeched, and all the docile drowsiness from before was destroyed by the reality he shared. “There’s always a solution.”

He’d be upset with himself for ruining her contentment within minutes of waking, but she’d started this conversation. With the way she cried on the temple steps the day before, she must know he didn’t have any answers; otherwise, he would have given them.

“There’s only one damn option, but unless you can somehow make us intangible, or teleport us to a place you’ve never been to, it’s pointless to even consider it.”

Her lips tightened again. “You’re talking about Jabez’s portal.”

“Precisely. That bastard’s portal has been like a taunt for years. There’s a way out, but it’s so deep inside his castle, getting to it is impossible.” Merikh then let out a bitter laugh. “And trust me, I know it’s impossible. I’ve tried.”

Raewyn’s ears twitched alongside her face as she thought deeply, her sightless gaze moving side to side.

“What... what if it could be made possible?” Raewyn asked softly, her face pointed to the side.

“I would be willing to try anything at this point.”

Once she finished the first braid, she paused. She lifted a hand and brushed her lips, obviously weighing her options.

Then she reached up and covered an eye.

“You’ve never asked me how I lost my sight,” she commented quietly. “Why? Most people do.”

“My morbid curiosity does not validate me asking such a personal question when it does little to be helpful or useful. It makes no difference to me whether or not you can see, or why you cannot,” he answered plainly. “If you wanted me to know, you would have told me.”

He wasn’t sure, but hesworeher lips twitched like they wanted to curl into a tiny smile. It didn’t last, her expression turning solemn.

“I don’t really mind talking about it,” she said as she began her second braid. “But yeah, I don’t really like it when people ask me about it because it usually comes from a place of curiosity rather than care.”

Merikh grunted with a nod, having already figured as much. Humans tended to have a problem sticking their rude little noses where they didn’t belong.

“I, um... as you learned yesterday, I’m actually one of the head scientists for the eighteensynedrus councillors. My work varies from genetic cloning via magic growth to the study of magical creatures and how their DNA interacts with each other, especially with our Elysian genome. Sometimes, I also assist our pharmacologists. In short, I’m a biologist, geneticist, and because of how our magic works and the kind of DNA I focus on, I’m also a herbologist. All our scientists are required to learn herbology before they can enter their desired field. I’m currently working on a thesis that will allow me to grow a difficult vegetable with a wide variety of vitamins. It would be an invaluable resource to be able to grow through magic, rather than waiting the seven months it takes to fruit. If I can do that, I can work backwards with other edible plants that have been difficult to clone. It requires a molecular-level understanding of the plant.”

Merikh tilted his head. “What does that have to do with anything? What do you want to do? Grow a potato in the middle of Jabez’s castle?”

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