Page 220 of A Soul to Steal

They loosened their hold, neither truly wishing to let go, to face the two Duskwalkers who towered over them in their more humanoid forms. One with the skull of a raven, the other with a fruit bat skull, and both with different goat horns. Both had bright-pink orbs as they looked down at them.

“You are also reunited with your kindred,” Aleron stated, reaching out to place a hand on Gideon’s side.

“I wouldn’t say kindred...” He eyed Emerie, who smiled knowingly. “Our bond isn’t as close as yours. Family, not by blood, but by choice.”

Aleron lifted his snout to Ingram. “I do not understand why it matters.”

“It doesn’t,” Ingram responded.

“Let’s go inside,” Emerie said, letting her remaining arm drop as she turned to the log-cabin home. “There’s a fire going. It’s too cold to be out here.”

Gideon turned to follow, his palm racing down Aleron’s arm as he let his side go, so he could hold his Duskwalker’s hand. Heled the way, only to stop at the porch steps as Emerie climbed them.

“This is where you’re staying?” he asked, his lips drawing tight with thought.

“Yeah,” she faced them just as Ingram came to her. The poor guy had to bend his body awkwardly just to fit his raven skull and upward-jutting goat horns under the roof of the porch. “Mayumi, a friend of ours and another bride, said we can stay here since she no longer occupies it. It was her family’s home.”

Taking in the height of the entryway, just compared to Ingram, Gideon’s features twisted in uncertainty.

“Aleron has longer horns, and I don’t even think his wings will fit through the doorway.”

“I know it’s not the most comfortable, and we already take up a huge amount of space, but we need somewhere warm to stay during winter. It’s only going to get colder, and the storms are starting.”

One of his cheeks twitched at that.

She wasn’t wrong. If given the choice, Gideon would prefer to settle somewhere they could stay warm and dry until the snow season passed.

But this? Sure, it looked suitable for them, but Aleron... give it a day or two and he’d feel claustrophobic. The arches of his wings sat a foot higher than his skull, around eight and a half feet in total. And Gideon, who was nearly six feet tall, could tell his hair would scrape the top of the doorframe as he entered.

This place was obviously designed for shorter people in mind.

Whatever. I’ll figure something out.

For now, he wouldn’t complain. He didn’t wish to sour their reunion further than it already had been.

Ingram and Aleron chose to remain outside to sit on the porch steps, where they were both comfortable. Gideon went deeper inside, only to be further disheartened by the size.

“I was really hoping you two would bond, if I’m being honest,” Emerie stated as she walked across a long area that appeared to be the entirety of the house. “When we left you two in Tenebris, we both hoped you’d come back. I’m so glad you did.”

With a grin, she leaned her backside against a dining table that sat on the other side of the room and on the left. A long kitchen counter sat next to it, with a door on the other side of it behind her, leading to what looked to be another room. At the back of the house, two cushions sat on two different armchairs, with a low coffee table between them.

Everything had a homey feel, since much remained, like ornaments and decorations, the person having chosen to leave it all behind for their new life. It looked lived in, loved, and somehow... abandoned.

The fireplace to their right was lit and warm, and his feet instinctually moved to it. He breathed in its heat, shivering in delight at it curling around his half-frozen form.

The only time I’ve been this warm since coming to Earth is...A small but fond smile settled as he stared at the flickering flames.Since today, when I woke in Aleron’s embrace.

“Gideon,” Aleron called, as if summoned by his thoughts. “You left this outside.”

He spun around to find his Duskwalker crouching at the doorway with his case. He blocked it completely, and already Gideon could tell he’d struggle to shove his way through it.

Walking over, he took it from him with a thanks, and Aleron retreated back outside to sit with Ingram.

He placed it next to the entrance, crouched down, and opened it. Inspecting the contents, he was relieved to find his guitar had survived being thrown. The case, however, had a massive dent in the body of it.

“I can’t believe you have that.” Emerie nodded her nose at it. “It looks exactly like your old one.”

Gideon spared her a solemn glance. He remained silent at first, unsure if he should tell the truth or not. A deep, annoyed sigh fell from him.

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