Page 187 of To Free a Soul
It was making him hesitate. His mate was a mystery, even now, and her inner thoughts had always been unspoken.
Did Lindiwe care for him in the same way he did her, or had she been trying to make the best of her situation?I still remember her hateful gaze.He’d found it insignificant then, butnot so much now.We have a companionship, but it has always been shaky.
And given that she no longer desired to be near him or intimate with him, even after many decades had passed, he wondered if perhaps she’d just grown bored. He’d offered her no future other than the one they currently had, and it had always been for Weldir’s selfish gain.
Such things probably lingered over their bond like a dreary cloud. Perhaps any fondness from her was as false as she found his realm and his body.
Yet, he didn’t want to believe that things had been so shallow and surface level. He wanted to believe there had been more, even if she hid it for whatever reason. Maybe it was a stretch, and he was being foolish, but he simply didn’t want all the affection and intimacy to be a lie.
There is only one way to find out.
And once Aleron found Ingram, and Nathair settled into life fully within his cave, Weldir was ready to present the choices to her.
The crown fragment flashed with light when he shoved his own mana into it.
This will be my final gift to her.
July 8th, 2024
The spell sputtered out when Lindiwe once again tried to see Fyodor, Magnar and Delora’s daughter. Not only did nothing show, but the scrying disc also wouldn’t conjure at all.
Her worry deepened.
“Why can’t I see her anymore?” she whispered, bringing her knees up while seated on her bed. “Did someone give her a new name?”
Without it, Lindiwe couldn’t scry for her. It was the same when her children obtained new names, as picturing their faces while thinking of their names was what the spell required.
“But who would give her one? She doesn’t have enough humanity to make a real companion.” Her lips tightened in thought. “Unless she suddenly gained humanity. Butstill.”
Lindiwe sighed and racked her brain about what to do. She’d already visited Fyodor’s burrow to find it empty, and Weldir was unable to see her, as she wasn’t his direct descendant.
She’d grown into a full adult when he’d been asleep right after Faunus’ skull was first cracked, and she hadn’t returned to theVeil since. Had she done so, he could have familiarised himself with her spirit to manually link their family threads.
Without that established connection, the only way he’d be able to find her now was if she were to walk into his mist.Unless she does so when he’s asleep again.She already could have right before Nathair and Aleron had been brought back to life, but Weldir had slept for a month during that time as well.Ugh! This is so frustrating. I want to make sure she’s okay!
She scratched behind her ear in irritation.I should have paid more attention, but I was dealing with Nathair.She’d relied on Weldir during that time to make sure all the Duskwalkers were well, forgetting that onlyshecould see Fyodor.
“If she doesn’t turn up shortly, I’ll have to go find her myself.”
Right now, Lindiwe was taking a... break.
She was emotionally worn out and just wanted a period of ease before jumping back into her life. After the hellish past two years, where almost every day had been anxiety inducing as Lindiwe waited for Jabez to make a move, she thought she deserved a reprieve.
“Well, me-and-you-two time,” she said with a small laugh, watching her babies wrestle on the bed. “Hopefully the dust has settled enough that I can give you both your skulls and horns.”
One was a little bigger than the other and bore a skull kind of like a human’s but with large canine fangs on the top and bottom jaws. The other still looked like a newborn Duskwalker.
She threw her foot out when they were close to tumbling off the side of the bed that wasn’t up against the wall, and her leg stopped them both from falling. She placed them back in the centre so they could continue to play.
“Lindiwe,”Weldir called softly.
“I swear, if you’re about to tell me a Duskwalker is in danger, I will come to your mist and strangle you,” Lindiwe answered playfully, although she wasn’t entirely joking.
She really did just want everything to be fine for a little while.
His answering chuckle, although light, was like a balm to her spirit.“No. All is well regarding them.”
She smiled softly. “That’s a nice change.”
