Page 177 of To Free a Soul
Even if it means I have to die, I’d rather that than be the reason another one of them dies.She expected to feel saddened by that realisation, or even a little frightened. She felt none of those things. Determined resolve overtook her, and there was...reliefin it.
She’d lived long enough, and Weldir had enough children to feed him souls. She wasn’t needed anymore, and none of her children really wanted her interference.
“No.”The word was curt and dark.
“No?” Lindiwe lifted her gaze to the window, and she was so high up in the fortress she was able to look over it entirely. “If neither a Duskwalker nor their bride can use it, then it has to be me.”
“I understand. My answer remains the same. No.”
“Why not?!” Lindiwe retorted, before quietening her voice when she realised she’d half shouted it.
“This stone won’t just kill you; it’ll completely eradicate your soul. I won’t be able to bring you back. I will not see my mate perish. I refuse.”
Lindiwe stamped her foot. “There is no other way!” She raised her arms to gesture at herself. “I won’t be able to take it if another one of them dies, not when we have the answer! What does it matter if I die so long as they live?”
“Because it matters to me!”Weldir roared, making her flinch.“You, little female, do not seem to realise how much I care for you. My answer is no. It will always be no. And I’ll never give you the stone unless I know you won’t use it for such a reason. My answer is definitive, and if you try to convince me otherwise, or state such a thing again, you willdeeplyregret doing so,owlet.”
Lips parted in shock, Lindiwe didn’t know what to say, or how to feel.
It just reminded her that she didn’t know how he truly felt about her. Because... she didn’t want to know the depth of it and had been trying to hide from it for half a century, while running from her own love of him. Because it was too painful otherwise.
Sometimes he makes me feel like he is capable of love,she thought solemnly, as her face tingled, tears imminent if she didn’t quickly distract herself.
“Okay.” The word cracked from her lips. “I’ll figure something else out. I... I need to go save Ingram.”
She needed to turn away from her thoughts, and the way they made her heart ache.
Lindiwe held back the army of Demonslayers that tried to go after Ingram and the human named Emerie, who had helped him escape. She was a guildmember who had surprisingly taken pity on him, distraught over what they were doing to him.
Admittedly, Lindiwe was thankful for her help.
Getting Ingram out had always been certain, buthowhad been a worry. As much as she wanted to stab every guildmember in the heart for what they’d done, she truly didn’t want to leave the civilians they protected without soldiers.
Their presence was needed – desperately.
With Emerie’s help, there had been minimal casualties. Lindiwe even held back the army by using a shadowy shield to bar them from exiting their fortress gates. They attacked it with spears, arrows, and swords, but she refused to relent.
She barely saw them as her mind whirled.
Emerie is human.It was obvious that she didn’t trust Ingram, nor he her, but could they learn to trust each other over time?If Ingram truly wants to destroy Jabez, and we have a means to do so, then he’ll need to go to his brothers.
To the Duskwalkers and their brides living in proximity to each other.
If Ingram doesn’t bond with her...Her chest swelled with guilt so deep, it cycloned down to her stomach with a sickly swirl.Then could she use the stone?
But asking a human to sacrifice themselves for us might be too much.Why would Emerie do such a selfless thing for creatures she likely considered monsters?But we would need a human to do it.Someone who had no spiritual tie to a Duskwalker.
Someone who would be willing to face the devil, and grin as they literally blew him up.
But what if Ingramdoeswant to bond with her if they spend an extended period of time together?He’s already lost Aleron...
“Weldir,” she called, her throat thick with emotion. “Will a human’s soul be destroyed by the sun stone?”
“I cannot answer that. The deceased souls are unaffected, as they have no physical body, but I cannot accurately tell you if a living soul will be destroyed or not.”
“Say they’re not, would you be able to bring them back to life if they were to bond with a Duskwalker?”
“I cannot answer that either. I may be able to, but I’ve also never tried. I know I can bond a living soul, but a deceased one may be different.”
