Page 70 of A Soul to Guide

Even if he were an outcast within their city for a long time, it would have to be better than never being able to show his own true face. Someone would eventually befriend him... right?

He’d need to change his personality for that to happen, and he didn’t see that coming any time soon.

Then again... Merikh glanced down at Raewyn once more.She doesn’t seem bothered by me.

Hesworeshe’d giggled a few times at him, and she’d definitely smiled more than he was used to... Or was she just feigning friendliness towards him?

Fuck, I don’t know,he thought with a growl.

All he knew was that he was growing annoyingly infatuated with her beauty. Pretty things like her shouldn’t exist, much less sleep so trustingly, peacefully, and sweetly against his chest.

It was difficult to be sour towards someone who shined a certain kind of innocence, despite being quite bratty when she wanted to be. She pouted a lot, blowing her cheeks out in annoyance, her eyes narrowing, which only highlighted her long eyelashes.

She also liked to lift her chin, but he noticed her ears often flicked with unease.

It was hard to imagine she was a scientist of anything when she often sounded naïve, but he thought that might be because she was thrust into a world she didn’t quite understand, with a person she didn’t understand.

Still, he liked her, not that he would tell her that.

She had been kind towards him, open with him.

Except for his murderous tendencies, she seemed more forgiving than he could ever be. He didn’t think anything he’d done should be forgiven. Not that he regretted a single action – he held no remorse for the lives he’d taken, and he would gladly take more, as long as it got him what he wanted.

Merikh lowered his head so he could sniff her cheek, and he immediately shuddered.

The fact she smelt likelily of the valley, a flower so wonderful yet also so toxic, was chaos to him. He never should have removed his scent-diluting cloth, but he needed to be able to sense their environment better to protect her.

Despite her height, she was small, delicate, and he would protect her with every piece of him – quills and all.

Yes, she was his way out of this realm. However, a growing part of him just wanted to keep her safe, to protect her, to be her shield. Odd, considering he’d only ever been that for himself.

She was a bright spark in a dim world; he wouldn’t mind being the reason it kept shining.

Merikh lifted his head when she gave a little mewl, and he realised he’d just been greedily taking in her intoxicating scent. He’d tickled her ear and neck with his breaths.

Embarrassed by his unusual behaviour, his orbs turned a reddish pink. It’d been a long time since he’d seen this colour, and it was only because of her. He turned his focus back to the sunny forest around them.

Raewyn had been asleep in his arms for about eleven hours. He didn’t mind holding her, content in doing so, when a week ago, it would have annoyed the absolute shit out of him.

We should reach the last town before the southland border in around two days.They’d now been travelling for four days, and they had many, many more to go.

The last town would be the final place she could rest comfortably, obtain more food, and gain whatever she needed before a long journey.

We’re making terrible time.

He would have preferred to walk on his hands and feet, since it was faster. He could have run the distance in a day if he truly wanted to. His quills made that impossible, since she couldn’t sit on his back. Heabsolutelyrefused to wear a saddle like a damn horse.

Giddy up? More like giddy go-fuck-yourself.

He pictured her giggling at his speed, though, and suddenly, the idea didn’t seem so abhorrent to him.

When a second drop of liquid splattered upon her cheek, Raewyn’s closed eyes scrunched up. Not quite ready to wake, she curled into Merikh’s chest.

She’d barely been asleep for an hour, and they’d already travelled for three days since the last town. Being tired was an understatement, but she’d tried to stay awake for as long as she could stand.

The aches and pains knotting her muscles were from holding onto his body and barely being allowed to move. He did, occasionally, let her walk alongside him, but he would eventually scoop her back up to his side.

She was aware they were in more of a dangerous territory, where there would be all manner of Demons rather than those who could fly or climb over the southland’s border wall. They’d already fought against a few. Well, him really, while she just shielded herself.

---