Page 178 of To Free a Soul
So I can’t even promise that she’d be returned if he did want to make her his bride.That’s evenifthat was an option.
The question still remained: why would Emerie even agree to it in the first place?
She cared enough to free him, but would she give up her life for him?Lindiwe mused on that question as she effortlessly continued to hold back the Demonslayers.
Then a selfish, callous, and just downright despicable thought came to mind. She clenched her jaw so tightly she felt like she was pulverising her molars in penitence.
What if I make them journey to the Veil together in hopes that she falls in love with him, and the others?Her chest sawed in and out as anxiety clutched her.Gosh. I truly have become a horrible person. I’m willing to use someone’s love and kindness to manipulate them into saving my children.
Tears welled in her eyes, and she released the shield when all her strength and determination sapped straight out of her. The Demonslayers crept forward in surprise. Then they paused, unsure of what to do with her standing there and no longer blocking their path.
Covering her face with a sob, she thought,I’ve become so awful. I don’t deserve to live with such selfishness in my heart.
Worse still, she didn’t think her guilt was enough to stop her if it preserved the lives of Duskwalkers – especially those with brides and children of their own.
If he makes her his bride before they reach the Veil... then the option is out of my hands.She’d find someone else to help them, a different human.
As she turned into an owl before the eyes of the Demonslayers, she lifted off to go after the escapees.
Hopefully they make that decision for me.If Ingram took Emerie’s soul, then there was nothing she could do about it.
She had no intention of intervening to stop them from growing fond of each other, even if it meant things took longer.
I’ll find someone.
Even if she had to force them to. If it couldn’t be Emerie now, then someone, surely, would be desperate enough to trade their life for something. What she could offer in exchange, she didn’t know.
A sacrifice, just like me, just like Orpheus’ offerings.
Someone needed to end this cycle before it was too late and more precious lives were lost.
A time unknown, but of mischief
Weldir feigned leaning left, just so he could bounce to the right and intercept his offspring darting around him.
He grabbed Aleron by the rear leg and dragged him backwards.
“Nooo! I do not want to fall!”Aleron yelled, gouging his claws into the ground.
Black goop bubbled from the marks he left behind, a flaw in Weldir’s design of Tenebris; he’d forgotten to place dirt beneath the grass.
“You should learn how to fly,” Weldir argued, as he approached the edge of a cliff he’d managed to trick Aleron into nearing.
In reality, he could’ve forced the issue by teleporting Aleron into the air, but Weldir found thismuchmore fun. Teasing his rather playful offspring was quickly becoming a highlight of spending time within his own realm.
“I am sorry! I will not do it again!”Aleron whined, trying with all his might to win the battle against Weldir – to no avail.“No more eat souls. Promise.”
“You’re turning out to be a big liar, Aleron,” Weldir said with a chuckle. “You’ve already eaten three, and you’ve said the same thing each time. This also isn’t punishment.”
Although Weldir had initially been annoyed his bat-skulled offspring had picked off a few souls, on purpose, when he wasn’t around to stop him, he hadn’t remained upset. Weldir wasn’t using much of his mana right now, instead storing it in case Lindiwe had need of him.
Swallowing Aleron had increased his reserves to a little over one-third. Of course, since he’d eaten a few souls, it’d brought that down to one forth. That was more than enough to keep him useful, and his offspring was now a little more intelligent.
Most importantly, Weldir had managed to remove the shattered fragments of each soul from Aleron immediately, preventing him from being afflicted with the same curse as his serpent sibling.
His back muscles had also strengthened around the base of his wings. From what Weldir had been able to gauge, heshouldbe able to fly now.
He didn’t mind Aleron stealing a few souls if it improved his quality of life here. Especially as he’d struggled to adjust to Tenebris at first.
