Page 130 of A Soul to Steal

Sure, Gideon was aware that the Demon eating him meant he probably helped make him more human. That haunting thought still stung, but he decided to not linger on it.

He needed to let it go, for Aleron’s sake. He doubted there would ever be a chance for the Duskwalker to gain his affections if he didn’t.

Gideon believed in destiny, and he thought this was the universe’s way of helping him along.

He wished it was easier to let go of all the important people in his past, but he hadn’t figured out how to do that yet. It hurt too much to think of them, and he didn’t know how to navigate all his pain, regret, love, and guilt to be able to swim through that vast sea without drowning.

“Gideon,” Aleron called, so softly, so breathlessly, that it shook Gideon back to alertness with its gentleness. He tipped his eyes up to meet his blue orbs, since he couldn’t see anything else in the dark apart from them. He found that comforting. “Will... will you tell me what is wrong?”

The laugh that sounded out of him was wrong, dark, and awkward. A lie, simply because he didn’t wish to bother Aleron when it didn’t – shouldn’t – matter.

“It’s nothing,” Gideon stated, peering around them. The storm clouds were barely letting in enough light to illuminate the area, and shadows touched every wall. “You did an amazing job, Aleron. The cave is empty, I’m guessing.”

Then he shifted in his cradle to indicate he wanted to be put down, but Aleron’s grip on him tightened instead. The Duskwalker’s hands shook when he finally put him down and stepped back, as though to put space between them.

Gideon turned just as a strike of lightning illuminated everything in brightness. The way Aleron nervously held his hands to his stomach, fidgeting with them, while his skull was turned to the side, told him everything he needed to know.

He didn’t want to push Gideon, in case it made him withdraw, but he wanted to know.

A sigh fell from his lips. Shivering, trying to stay warm with the loss of Aleron’s heat, Gideon looked towards the ground.

“Sometimes the world is smaller than we think it is,” he mumbled. “Of all the places we could have gone, to all the caves in the world, to all the Demons we could have met in the north when I came from the south... tonight, we met the one who killed me. It was a lot to take in. Sorry if I worried you, but I’m alright now.”

Gideon believed that, as strange as it was. He wanted to let it go, along with all the negative emotions regarding it. He wanted peace within his mind, even if it was one gruelling step at a time.

He hadn’t expected an echoing growl to come from Aleron, or for his orbs to turn such a violent crimson.

“That Demon is the one that haunts you?” The dark and menacing tone of his voice made the wet hair on his nape stand on end. Was it fear, or did he find it titillating since that rage wasn’t turned towards him? “You should have told me. I would have destroyed him for you!” Aleron stamped a foot with a heavy, wet plop. “Once the storm passes, and my wing heals, I’ll take us back there for you. If it will help you to heal, I will–”

“Stop, Aleron.” Gideon hesitantly stepped forward in the dark, worried he’d trip over something he couldn’t see in the dimness.He followed Aleron’s glow like a beacon. “It’s fine. I don’t want to go back and hurt them.”

“But it hurts you,” Aleron snapped back, more upset than Gideon was over this. “Your face in the storm... I have never seen something so painful.”

He placed a palm on Aleron’s forearm.

“What you did back there, letting that family stay while taking us back outside, I thought that was really admirable. Not many humans would think selflessly when faced with danger, and yet you did so out of kindness for them, for that Demon child. I would rather that be what I remember than more bloodshed.”

Maybe Aleron didn’t realise it, but it had exceptionally softened Gideon towards him. A monster had showed exemplary righteousness. He didn’t even know he valued that so deeply in a person until just now, because of him. It wasn’t a common trait, even among humankind.

“Do you not want revenge for yourself?” Aleron asked, lifting the arm Gideon was touching while looking down at it.

“Before I met him, yes. But not anymore. I wouldn’t want to take a child’s father from them, no matter what it is. I know what it’s like to lose not just one parent but both as a kid, and I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone.” He stepped back and attempted a smile, only to let it fall when it felt false. A spine-clutching shiver tore through him. “To be honest, I’m more concerned about getting warm. I wish there was some wood here. I bought a small travelling flint-and-steel kit in case I ever wanted to make a fire. Plus, it’s really dark. I can’t even see your face.”

“There is wood,” he grumbled. “There is an old Demon nest here. I did not know a human’s sight was so poor, but it is just over there.”

Aleron’s heady scent lifted to right under Gideon’s nose when the Duskwalker pointed to a spot just behind him.

He squinted his eyes to better see, noting a pile of...something. “If it’s not rotting, I should be able to make a fire with it.”

If the pieces were too big, he could easily cut them up with his small woodchopping axe.And then maybe I can do something about that soft whine I can hear coming from him.

Aleron continued to whimper in pain, even if he was trying to be quiet about it.

Creeping slowly forward so as not to be noticed, Aleron watched Gideon strike a tool that gave off sparks. He tried to stay out of the human’s way while he worked on starting a fire, but he was enrapt by the task.

Gideon humoured him and answered his eager questions about the process.

“I bought this, but I was also kind of hoping you could spit fire like a dragon,” he muttered, before striking his tool again.

---