Page 157 of To Free a Soul
The woman being given a fright from a few Ghosts was nothing in comparison to the danger Jabez presented to her children – even if she was pregnant and in a fragile state.
I feel bad for her. I know her mind isn’t well.Despite the light beginning to return to her deadened eyes, she just didn’t seem all that happy.And being pregnant with one of their kind really heightens our emotions.From what she’d witnessed, Delora was really struggling, just as Lindiwe had when she’d first started carrying them.
Nathair had been the hardest, as he’d been the first.
Hopefully Magnar is wise enough to not bring her to the meat market.She unfortunately doubted it. She knew her children, including how the level of their humanity could affect whether they made bad choices or not.He probably doesn’t even know she’ll be able to see the Ghosts, unless Reia mentioned it.
One of her infant babies accidentally unlatched from her feathers, and she dived to catch them in a taloned foot before they reached the treetops below.
That was close. Last thing I need is to chase after one through the forest... again.Thankfully it was a rare occurrence.
She flapped her wings faster to get to Spiral Haven as quickly as possible.
A time unknown, but of misery
Situated on top of Nathair’s lazing rock, while he was deep in a trance within his lake, Weldir had multiple viewing discs around him.
At the forefront was Magnar as he walked down the porch steps holding his small, newly born offspring. They sulked, screeching as they crawled over him in search of something before giving a wail. They only calmed when he spoke to them, constantly shoving their ear holes up against his fox skull.
“What do youmeanshe gave birth already?!” his mate yelled, half-awake as she scrambled to leave her bed.
The blanket twisted around her ankle, and Lindiwe fell face-first off the side of her bed and hit the ground. He winced on her behalf, especially when she groaned. One of their offspring crawled out from underneath her, gave her a bawk, and then proceeded to start climbing into her curls – to her annoyance.
“I’ve done this too many times in my life,” she muttered, rotating her body to sit. She untangled her leg, placed her hands on the side of her head, and let their offspring do whatever theywanted as both climbed all over her. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m quite sure,” Weldir answered. “Magnar is currently holding them outside, and I believe she is inside. You know I cannot see too closely due to his ward.”
“Why?” Lindiwe whined, throwing her head back. “Why did no one call for me?! I told them I was nearby should they need me.”
Weldir couldn’t help chuckling.“You know they are independent creatures. It is just the way they are.”
“I know that! But this is different.” She slumped against the side of the bed while remaining seated on the ground. “I would’ve helped. I’ve done this plenty of times myself, and had I known theywouldn’tcall for my assistance, I would have informed her what would happen immediately after giving birth. I just... I didn’t want to frighten her when I could simply use a scent cloak and help in the moment.”
She speaks of the way Mavka will attack their mother, due to her smelling of blood during the birthing process.Even Weldir considered this a flaw in their design.
“Would you like me to transport you there now?” Weldir offered, seeing she was rather dispirited.
“What’s the point?” She sighed and closed her eyes. “I can’t help them if they won’t let me. They think they have to do it all on their own when I’m right here.”
Weldir grew quiet.I don’t know how to comfort her.Especially when she was just like them – she thought she had to do it all on her own with a brave face when he, too, was right here.
Well, some of the time.
Due to her request for no more intimacy, he’d been focusing on spreading his mist. He spent what he gained, pushing it further and further until he now thought he’d covered half of thelandmasses where there were portals. In some places, he’d even managed to cross the oceans and cover some small islands.
The last time she was in my realm for an extended period was when Leonidas was captured.He knew that was quite some decades ago. He’d thought of it fondly, despite her tears, simply because she’d permitted him to hold her for an extended period. She’d cried in his tendril arms and against his barrier, clinging so tightly it seemed like she didn’t wish to let go.
Since then, and like before it, their face-to-face interactions had been minimal.
“Weldir?”
“Yes, owlet?” he asked, still rather smitten with the nickname he’d given to her long ago.
Her cheek twitched; she was always surprised by the endearment. Each time, something glinted in her pretty brown eyes, something tender that she quickly hid. That, or he was misinterpreting it because he wanted to.
“Maybe I should just leave them be,” Lindiwe said, looking up at the ceiling of her small home. “Maybe... you shouldn’t sleep for a while and watch them, while I move on. You can always bring me back here.”
“That’s unlike you.” He lifted his gaze to the brightness of Tenebris, unsettled by her response. Enough so that his mist tightened against him. “When something important is happening, you like to be near.”
