Page 167 of To Free a Soul
He chuckled at her reaction.It almost makes using a soul like this worth it.She acted similarly every time he appeared when it had nothing to do with their offspring.
“I told you I would be using a soul,” he said, crossing his arms and tilting his head at her.
His mist was thinning rapidly, but he had a few more minutes before it was disastrous.
“Yes, but not like this.” She eyed him over, his visible fullness, and nibbled her lip. “How... how did things go?”
“Leonidas is now called Faunus.” Her eyelashes didn’t flicker, informing him she already knew his newly appointed name. “He is also alive.” As soon as those words left him, all the stress, the pain, the fear, melted from her in the form of joyful tears. “He’s also bonded to a female with black hair.”
“Mayumi bonded with him?!” she asked, her pretty brown eyes brightening as a large smile curled her lips.
“Was that her name? She agreed to offer her soul in exchange for his life. We have her to thank.”
“I guess I’ll have to figure out how to do that,” she stated with a laugh, her eyes darting this way and that, only to fall to the fading white soul partially hidden within his shadows and mist.
Lindiwe wrung her hands and stepped a little closer while staring up at him. She looked awkward and more out of place with him than usual – and that was saying a lot.
It looked like she wanted toreach outto him. Then again, Weldir could be mistaken, wanting that to be the truth. Orperhaps it was thathewanted to cup the side of her cheek affectionately.
Her smile right now is worth much.It was what he’d wanted to see, for it to be shone directly upon him for the first time in nearly fifty years since their unwanted distance began.
It was why he came here.
“I’ll have to sleep for a while. I ask that you remain safe.”
His mate laughed lightly, happier than he’d seen her in a long while – likely from the high of her relief. “You’re forgetting what I am.”
I am not.He worried for her regardless of the fact that she was a Phantom, as she could still suffer pain in her heart and soul.
February 11th, 2024
Opening and closing her hands, Lindiwe hissed through clenched teeth at the agony that radiated down to her bones.
Fissures had grown over the skin of her fingers and hands. They looked like cracks of lava as much as they felt like it. They were hot, constantly aching, and nothing Lindiwe did removed the pain. It hurt to touch anything, let alone move her hands. Every time she tried to make a fist, the skin pulled taut and tears threatened her eyes.
I wish Weldir was here.He’d likely know how to fix the pain, and this magical wound she’d given herself.
Her years with the Anzúli had taught her many things. Magic detection was one of them; another was how to sap excess magic from a person. However, due to the nature of how she healed, which was the same as her children, she had to bear the wound herself.
Merikh didn’t even thank me for helping him.
Just once she’d like him to see all that she was doing – all the ways she was trying to make amends – and accept it. But, asusual, he wanted to see the worst in her, even when she healed a strange Elvish woman he was keeping in his cave.
She was healing her magic depletion on her own, yet he tried to give her some of his to help her.He said it was because she had a use to him, but Lindiwe wasn’t an idiot, and she’d been watching closely. Well, as close as his ward would allow.Why does he have an Elf anyway? How did she get to Earth?
Her pointed ears and height were a dead giveaway, as was her white hair. From seeing such features in Jabez, Lindiwe had known straight away she wasn’t human. And considering she lacked horns or fangs, she also surmised the woman wasn’t part Demon.
Her eyes had been brown, with starburst pupils rather than black circles, and she had tight, coily, corkscrew hair. Her skin had been a deep brown, with a grey undertone that didn’t match the depth seen in humans – but appeared beneath their skin. She’d also only ever seen this in Jabez, who was an Elf as well.
She was very pretty,Lindiwe mused, leaning her back against the wall on her bed.He likes her, even though he lied about it.
Merikh was gentle with Raewyn in ways Lindiwe never thought possible. He took care of her while allowing her to keep her independence, likely due to Merikh desiring that very same thing. With her teasing him, he often joked back in return, or covered his face to hide his reaction, and to quieten his chuckles.
A few days ago, she’d also accidentally witnessed them entangled sexually before she quickly shut her viewing disc.I tire of witnessing my children partaking in acts a mother really should not be seeing.Each time, she wanted to scratch her eyes out, even though it did make her hopeful for their potential future happiness.Why do they keep doing it outside when they have beds?!
Grabbing her pillow, she brought it to her lap and hugged it. She rested her chin on it and grumbled to herself. “He refuses to listen to me, no matter if I have his best interests at heart.”
The Elven woman couldn’t stay here; she needed to go home. She didn’t belong on Earth, and Merikhshouldn’tgo with her.What if it endangers all his brothers?Not just the ones in Austrális, but the entire world.I know Weldir wants to keep what he’s been doing a secret.
