Page 62 of A Soul to Steal

This is the reaction he has to learning his brother died?Gideon thought with disgust.What a fucking jerk.The least hecould have done was be gentler or nicer about it. Instead, he’d come across as superior and accusatory.

In his peripheral, Gideon noted how Aleron’s head lowered and his shoulders turned inward. “The Demon King ordered for Mavka to be attacked. We were overrun by a horde, and I did not survive it.”

Merikh’s large, meaty hands clenched and unclenched as tension visibly shook them. Then he slapped one over his skull, snarling,“Fuck.”

Within the gaps of his thick, dark-grey fingers, Gideon swore blue flickered in the darkness behind them. Yet, when he lowered his hand to cup the bridge of his snout, his glow was red once more.

He turned to the man on his right, and the man’s tied-back, shoulder-length hair swayed as he faced Merikh. With a dull expression, he allowed the Duskwalker to tower over him.

“You! You little fucking shithead,” Merikh cursed, jamming at his armoured chest with a claw. “I should bash your skull in for this. Had you not–”

“Merikh, please,” the woman to his right pleaded as she tentatively reached out for his arm – only to miss and try again. It was then that Gideon realised she had a visual impairment, when that should have been obvious by the cane looped around her wrist. “Who is it?”

Merikh turned to the woman, and likely noticed her scrunched-up, concerned features. Her white brows were terribly furrowed, her full lips pouting and pressed together in tension. He immediately calmed as he dropped his arm back to let her hold it. The other hand lifted to palm down the length of his bear skull.

“Aleron,” he uttered quietly, his tone softening decimals for her.

Her brown eyes, framed by long, curling white lashes, swiftly brimmed with tears. She faced towards them, and the starbursts in her eyes – as though they replaced her pupils – glittered at them.

“Hello, Raewyn,” Aleron greeted gently, lowering himself as she approached, with Merikh shadowing behind her.

Gideon released Aleron’s hand to let him move towards them without getting in the way.

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, placing her hand on the barrier while wiping one of her cheeks with the side of her wrist. “We were going to mine some mana stones now that Merikh is here, but we are too late for you.”

“It is okay. It is not your fault, so you do not need to apologise.” He placed his hand on the barrier, right where hers was, when a louder sob broke from her. “Please do not cry, little Elf.”

“But it hasn’t been that long since we left Earth,” she stated, before slightly turning her head to Merikh when he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It should have only been seven months since then. I never expected this to... Oh my gosh!” She gasped as she faced Aleron once more. “Where is Ingram? Is he okay?”

Aleron let out a small but weak chuckle. “Ingram is alive, and with his bride. Emerie is very sweet.”

“He’s not alone?” Merikh asked. “I’m surprised to learn he’s found a bride already.”

“Much has happened. I did not know you came to this place with Raewyn.” Aleron stood and stared down at the shorter Duskwalker, who appeared to be only a foot taller than Gideon. “We thought you went back to the surface.”

“Did you two make a mess of my cave?” His tone lacked bite, but there was an inkling of displeasure.

Funnily enough, Aleron lifted his skull up and to the side. “I have no idea what you speak of. Your books and ornaments are exactly how you left them.”

Gideon stifled a snorted laugh behind a cough, unable to help himself at Aleron’s obvious lie. This only brought attention to his presence.

He would have stiffened, if it weren’t for the fact he was insignificant in all this. Gideon was just a bystander and nothing more. He would aid Aleron if he needed it, but there was no point in him inserting himself into the conversation otherwise.

Aleron, being his usual, easily distracted self, leapt towards him. Gideon flinched in surprise and dug his heels into thin air when he was pushed forward to be displayed.

“This is Gideon, my human companion I found in Tenebris.” The joy in Aleron’s voice was accompanied by his wings and tail vibrating, his feathers whooshing and flapping. “He is Emerie’s brother, and we have bonded during our time together. He has taught me much.”

Like an awkward idiot, suddenly wishing he could disappear, he waved. “Sup? Nice to meet you all.”

Now that he was closer, he had to crane his neck back to even face Raewyn, who stood over half a foot taller than him. True, she wasn’t a giant, but she was a big lady in comparison to him.

Merikh paid him absolutely no notice, directing his skull to the woman at his side. “Since they are Ghosts, I don’t see their entry as problematic, correct?”

Raewyn gave a singular nod. “Since they can’t harm anyone, I don’t see that being an issue. But...” Her full lips tightened. “We must know why you have come here. As a councilmember, I can answer as to whether or not there is a chance for approval.”

“Weldir has given me a task. He wishes for me to speak to the Gilded Maiden on his behalf.”

“Then no,” Merikh quickly snapped. “Tell that useless demi-god to rot in his realm. Whatever he seeks–” He let out a weak choke when Raewyn smacked him in the gut with the back of her arm.

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