Page 119 of A Soul to Steal

“Amonster?” Aleron quietly uttered, palming hismonstrousclawed hand over his fur-covered chest.

Gideon winced, especially with how much he could see that hurt him. Perhaps that was too far, but he’d let the bitterness of his temper get the best of him.

I shouldn’t have said that.Even if that was what Aleron was, he hadn’t been horrible to him since he’d woken up in his new life.

“Aleron... Look, I’m sor–”

“Is this what you wanted?” Aleron said, as he reached up and took Gideon’s soul, and it weakly laid in his palm.

He took one of Gideon’s hands, turned it, and gently placed his soul onto it. It didn’t lay on him, but rather floated where Aleron last left it.

Then, his wings shuddered when he stepped back, before his entire body followed suit, like a sudden chill crept over him.

“It is yours as much as it is mine, but I cannot do this anymore.” The quietness in his tone was haunting, even against Gideon’s rage. “I cannot do this by myself. You do not wish to see, nor do you wish to trulylisten.”

After gawking at his soul, he turned his gaze up to Aleron. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m not the one who lied here.”

“I have never lied to you, Gideon,” Aleron stated, even more dejected than before. “You just do not remember enough to realise the truth. I am hoping Ingram and Emerie can help you, as I do not have the humanity to thaw you of your frost.”

“I don’t need any help!” He could do this on his own, like he always had. Every time Aleron said it, the more it made him feel so damn weak and pathetic.

“You have asked me to leave you alone, so I will finally do so.”

Before Gideon could even respond, his slack jaw threatening to unhinge in shock, Aleron spread his wings. For the first time, he saw the full, daunting lengths of them, and guessed they spanned twenty feet combined.

He shuffled back in surprise.

They whooshed when they flapped. He lifted off the ground – only to fall on his face two seconds later. Dark yellow infiltrated his orbs as he shook his head on a straightened arm. He leapt off, flapping his wings fast, only to drop to the ground on one knee.

“What the hell are you doing?” Gideon asked in disbelief, his lips twisting.

“Trying to fly!”he roared. “I have never flown on Earth before. The air and wind here are different. It is not as easy.”

Gideon’s nose wrinkled with a sneer. “Thank goodness you weren’t holding me when you did this.”

Reddish pink flashed before Aleron changed. His form grew more monstrous, his legs bowing and arms elongating to accommodate a four-legged position.

“Holy shit,” Gideon rasped, stepping back in surprise. He’d never seen Aleron do this before.

Without another word, although he did give a chomping snarl, the Duskwalker sprinted into the forest in the direction of the incline. Unsure if he felt worse or better by his leaving, Gideon stared off into the space he’d last seen him.

He eventually turned down to his soul.

Whatever. It’s not like it matters.Tears of frustration and sadness stung his eyes, even more so when the flames covering the entire head of his soul retreated back to being nothing but a crack across its face. Talk about being hot-headed.

His soul leaned up on one elbow and reached in the direction Aleron had gone. Snapping its face to Gideon’s, two solid green slits narrowed into a glare before... giving him the middle finger!

Oh, well fuck you too.

It disappeared, likely going back to Aleron.

I can’t believe he... left.He really hadn’t expected him to.

Rubbing at his chest in frustration, it suddenly hurt.

“Screw this!” Gideon shouted, turning to walk into the forest.

He made it only a few metres before he circled back to the shore, returning just in case Aleron came back. He didn’t know, probably to fight with him some more. Hewasn’tgoing back in case the Duskwalker regretted leaving and came back for him. That’s what he told himself, at least.

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