Page 202 of To Free a Soul
He’d taken over the parental duties entirely and secretly coveted the task. Lindiwe had been a mother to all their offspring, but this was the first time he’d truly been a father. He was soaking in as much of it as he could, even though they were often a nuisance.
Especially when he wanted her naked and up against him.
Weldir would throw them into the ether of his prism, where he’d left behind his mist so he could be trans-dimensional. At some point he’d reveal to the Elven deities that he’d left his prism. Then he’d request that they do not touch it. He liked having two realms, even if one was really just a prison he found comfort in because he and his mate could easily escape to it should they need to.
It was a safety net, even though he could transport them anywhere across the world his mist touched.
“How is everyone?” she asked, leaning back to observe the viewing discs he had before him.
It was annoying that he couldn’t surround himself with scrying discs like he was within the centre of a ball, since he didn’t float in this new form and the ground was in the way. He also limited it to what was in front of him, so that he wouldn’t impact her view.
“They are fine. Nothing truly exciting to note, except for maybe Nathair.”
Her dark, arching brows drew together. “Everything okay?”
A black tendril shot out from his knee so he could grab Astar, the Demon-skulled Mavka he’d named, when they wandered off too far.
“I’m not quite sure what is happening, if I’m being honest.” He brought Nathair’s viewing disc to the centre and waved all the others away. “It appears he’s made friends with a human town, and they are currently putting him in some kind of dress.”
Her wooden spoon clunked against the rim of her pot, and she rose to her feet, walked over, and knelt beside him. Her frown deepened as she tried to understand what was happening.
A smile curled her lips. “I didn’t know he bonded with that human. Linh, right?”
“Yes, I believe that is her name.”
Situated between Nathair’s hooked ram horns, a reddish-orange soul flame glowed brightly. It looked like the little female he’d had in his keeping beneath the earth in the watery cave.
“It’s custom for both the bride and groom to wear some kind of flower crown,” a human male, whose face had a light sprinkle of facial hair, said.
Then he stepped on a wooden stool to place a tangled ring of white flowers over Nathair’s horns. His orbs instantly reddenedat the human being far, far too close to his bride’s soul, and his sudden, bursting snarl frightened the male so much he fell off the stool and into a fence. The flower crown landed lopsided on the serpent Mavka’s head, and he tore it off, petals cascading over him.
Weldir tsked.I would have reacted the same.
Which is why he’d hidden Lindiwe’s precious soul deep within his chest – a place no one could see or touch it except for him. He didn’t even wanthernear it, as it was his and he was never going to give it back, especially not after their recent heated intimacy.
“Oh my goodness!” Lindiwe exclaimed, patting his forearm repeatedly while bouncing on her knees. “Are they getting married? Like a real, human wedding?”
“Is that what’s happening?” he asked, tilting his head. Now that she’d said it, the scene made a lot more sense, except... “Why? It seems rather redundant, considering they’re already bonded on a spiritual level.”
“Because it means a lot to a human and is our way of expressing how much we love someone.” He wasn’t sure if she was aware that she gripped the back of his hand and wrist. “Aww. That’s so beautiful, and he looks so handsome in his suit. Can we go?”
She gazed at him beseechingly, her eyes sparkling with adoring hope. He wouldn’t have denied her, even if she hadn’t looked at him in such a way that his chest tightened uncomfortably – the sensation tender, painful, and warm.
As if she thought he’d deny her, she continued, “It wouldn’t have to be long, and I know you can’t really be seen, but I’d prefer to watch in person rather than through a scrying spell.”
Weldir sneaked a look at the bubbling pot, thankful he didn’t have irises or pupils to give away where he looked.
He offered her a grin.Any excuse not to eat that.
“Of course, owlet.”
Hidden down a narrow alleyway between two buildings, Weldir and Lindiwe watched Linh walk silently, without even a single note of music playing, down an aisle of people. A long red dress swayed around her legs, and a golden tiara glinted in the sun above her black hair, which was wrapped into a neat bun. A small amount of make-up had been applied to her dark, fawny skin, making her brown eyes and full lips pop. The male who had upset Nathair earlier accompanied her down it while she held his arm, and both smiled – the human male a little teary-eyed.
Sighing, Lindiwe leaned into him while absentmindedly wrapping both her arms around his right wrist. “She looks so beautiful. I wish I could meet her.”
“Why don’t you?” he asked, unsure as to why she was hesitant.
He may not be able to leave the shadows, but she, who looked human, surely could.
