Page 112 of A Soul to Steal

With every step they took in what he believed was a northerly direction, the more he worried they were going further and further from his kindred. Finding them would be harder by the hour, let alone the day.

And yet, he continued to follow Gideon. He continued to do as he wished, understanding that he needed... time. But seconds felt like agonising minutes, and the loneliness was stifling. The crisp air felt raw on his whine-ripped lungs – a noise he’d been trying to hide from Gideon so as to not bother him.

I did not realise I could feel so lonely in another’s presence.

He’d thought things were beginning to change when Gideon asked him for their story. He’d been excited to share, detailing every moment to the best of his recollection.

He’d realised shortly that learning of Emerie’s suffering, herscars, his home burning, and his parents dying that same night, had brought on deeper pain for Gideon. Aleron had been hesitant to share more when salty liquid dripped down his blank face again.

He had accidentally forced his fragile human back into a hollowed state. He’d even turned transparent against his will and didn’t seem to notice that he had. As if... he’d truly grown numb, emotionally and physically.

It was then that Aleron checked on his soul by taking it from between his horns. One fissure of light remained, a barely noticeable crack across his face. It persisted, spurting tiny flames from the crack as though trying to spark the entirety of it back to life.

Despite Aleron’s craving to remain silent, Gideon had pushed for more. So, wary and fearful, he obliged and told him the rest.

It had taken much time – an entire day and night, in fact – to explain the duration of a month within Tenebris. During the evening, Gideon laid down to rest before Aleron had finished telling it.

Having to watch his bride cling to himself, shaking from the cold, had been one of the most painful things he’d ever witnessed. Aleron had the answer to his warmth, but his little human’s persistent rejection was preventing him from being able to help.

When he couldn’t take it any longer, he eventually laid on his side and spread one of his wings backwards so it could blanket Gideon from the cold, but hopefully not suffocate him like the previous night. Rather than being cocooned completely in his tight embrace, arms and wings engulfing him, Aleron did just enough to take away the chill so he might rest peacefully.

He hadn’t meant to fall asleep himself near dawn, but some time later, Gideon sitting up shoved him into alertness.

Sitting up as well, Aleron nervously cupped his hands against his stomach. He didn’t want to be shouted at again, nor did he wish for Gideon to keel over onto his hands and elbows like the world was ending.

He didn’t do either of those things.

Although Gideon shoved the weight of Aleron’s wing away, and gave him a distrustful look from the corner of his eye, his reaction had not been the same. He didn’t thank him, but Aleron also didn’t care – not when the consent to do this was granted silently.

He could keep his bride warm, a meagre blanket of a single wing that didn’t cover his head. It may not be much, but it was something.

Aleron wanted to tend to his male, to bring him into his arm and snuggle like they once had, but being some form of shelter from the night and cold was more than he’d been allowed in days.

Perhaps it was foolish, but it allowed hope to bloom.

Aleron stood and unconsciously extended his hand to help the male to his feet. Gideon denied it, getting up on his own, but he hoped every gesture to rekindle a connection was recognised.

Maybe one day, they could play their game again. The one in which Gideon tried to pull him to his feet, and Aleron sat there while holding back his chuckles at the little human’s useless struggles.

And so, Aleron waited for Gideon to lead the way on their journey that had no destination. During it, he continued their story of Tenebris – of a time that spanned a month and meanteverythingto Aleron.

He noted Gideon appeared calmer, and not so pale, as he detailed meeting Merikh, Raewyn, and the Elven world. The sombre male even asked questions, starting aconversationwith Aleron borne from pure curiosity. Unfortunately, he couldn’tanswer many of them. It forced him to explain that Duskwalkers gain humanity by eating his kind, and that he didn’t know much about the Elves, humans, Demons, or even his own kind.

But a small glimpse of Gideon’s prior self shone through because of it.

‘How are you supposed to learn anything if no one teaches you?’Aleron clung to those words when they fell from his lips a second time.

Gideon, without meaning to, comforted Aleron about his lack of knowledge and intelligence in a similar way to how he did in Tenebris.

It revealed that his bride was still there, still kind and warm, but was currently swallowed up by mental decay.

Even if he needed to chisel his way through the coal of his inner self, Aleron would make sure he flared bright like lava once more.

Just as he was beginning to explain their return to Tenebris after meeting the Gilded Maiden, a heavy, hard waterdrop crashed against his skull. He paused mid-sentence and looked up.

Through the swiftly rustling leaves, the sky radiated light from grey storm clouds. Another drop hit him, then another, and another, until a light shower drizzled over them.

The foliage was enough cover at first, but eventually the cups of the leaves tipped and poured large droplets on them.

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