Page 25 of A Song of Shadow and Starlight

I am engaged to Bastian and even though I'm angry he sent a squad of Soul Eaters to find me, I still intend to return to Midori, and marry him as intended.

"What's a Soul Eater?" I slowly sit up and Atlas moves back.

He hops to his feet and offers his hand to help me up. The rain is coming down in cold sheets and we start trekking back to our campsite.

"Soul Eaters are rare. Some believe they were all killed during the Great War twenty years ago, but clearly, that's not the case."

"But what are they? Are they human?" I wrap my arms around myself, but it does nothing to fight the chill.

Atlas slips off his jacket and wraps it around me. "Soul Eaters are demons."

"But they look human, minus the red-rimmed eyes."

"That's how you can tell." He moves a tree limb for me to pass. "Soul Eaters are demons who have infiltrated a human vessel. That person's soul is destroyed, but their body remains intact."

I have more questions: What was the Great War? How does Bastian know Soul Eaters? How did Soul Eaters survive the Great War? How did they track me down so fast?

"I'm no expert," Atlas chimes in, as if he can read my mind. "Finn knows more about this stuff than I do, but there's a library in Tronovia where you can find the answers to all your questions."

"Can you read my mind?" I need to know.

He smirks. "And if I can?"

"Then I'm surprised you saved me as many times as you did, knowing how much I despise you."

But we both know that's a lie.

Atlas laughs and shakes his head. "No, I can't read your mind. But it's logical for you to have questions. You've been through a lot this week."

That's the understatement of the decade.

"Thank you," I say, stopping Atlas in his tracks.

"For what?"

"I should hate you," I start off, and his eyes are filled with mirth.

"But?"

"But," I take a deep breath, "I don't. It seems you've been more honest with me than my own family. Don't get excited," I hold my hand up, silencing whatever retort is dancing on the tip of his tongue. "I still intend to do everything in my power to return home, but I have questions that I need answers to first, and I don't think I'll get them in Midori."

Nine

Ihatetoadmitit, but I'm relieved to return to camp where Finn, Nyx, and Eris are, and from the looks on their faces, they're just as relieved to see us. Thankfully the rain stopped, and our campsite is inside one of the only buildings with most of its ceiling still intact, so our belongings aren't soaked.

"What happened to you two?" Nyx hops to his feet, ushering me to sit close to the fire to warm up. "I woke up and saw you were missing."

"We thought we heard Shaye scream," Eris chimes in, her calculating gaze bouncing between me and Atlas for answers.

"We had a little run in with a pack of Soul Eaters," Atlas says nonchalantly, plopping down on his sleeping bag.

"Soul Eaters?" Nyx is wide-eyed. "Where are they now?"

"With any luck, at the bottom of the lake." Atlas lays flat on his back, draping his forearm over his eyes.

"How can you sleep knowing Soul Eaters are on our trail?" Eris frowns, kicking Atlas' boot. "It's not an easy feat to kill a Soul Eater."

"How do you kill them?" I ask but no one seems to want to answer. "Why is everyone staring at me like that?"

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