Page 67 of A Soul to Steal

Did that excuse his behaviour? Not at all, nor did it make it sweeter to swallow.

Still, it gave light as to why he was doing it, which was at least a start. Other than stating that Merikh was ‘mean,’ Aleron had never really spoken of him, so he wondered if Aleron was only hurt in the moment.

From what I can tell, he’s really forgiving.Aleron didn’t seem to hold grudges – or perhaps that was due to his short, and often fleeting, attention span.

“That is not to say I don’t care, though,” Merikh continued. “I sheltered any Mavka within my ward because I desired to protect you. I still do. Being here has weighed on my conscience when I knew Jabez’s wrath was only growing more violent.”

Gideon flinched when he bashed a meaty fist against the table while simultaneously shoving his other hand over his skull. He eyed the Duskwalker’s hand shaking from suppressed frustration.

“I should have just killed that horned fucker when I had the chance. The fact you’re here like this, knowing one of you died, and it’s one of you two... it fills me with so much rage that I don’t know what to do with it. You and Ingram were inseparable. I can only imagine how difficult this has been for both of you.”

With just a few words, that unearthed the truth behind his prickly demeanour, and the burning, barbed anger Gideon had felt dissipated slightly. Not fully, but enough.

He does care.

Enough to take them in when needed, and to feel grief.

“I am... sorry,” Merikh uttered quietly, and in the darkness between the gaps of his fingers, blue flickered.

Gideon’s lips parted, surprised Merikh would apologise foranything. He didn’t seem like the kind of person to do so.

Aleron tilted his head and leaned forward. “Why are you apologising?” He waved at his body. “This is not your fault.”

“Because I made a choice to stay here, when I may have been able to prevent this.” Without removing his hand from his skull, he gestured the other to Aleron. “Jabez offered to cease the attacks on Mavka if I joined him. Even back then... I knew in my heart I would choose Raewyn, even if my absence meant my complicity in the death of one of my siblings. I am sorry becauseeven if I knew the future and foresaw this, I would still choose her and this life over and over again. I am just as guilty of this as he is.”

“I do not think so,” Aleron rebuffed, placing his hand over the top of Gideon’s to squeeze it.

Was it for his own comfort, or to seek strength? Either way, it made his torso swell in tenderness that Aleron would want that from him. He felt needed.

“Yes, I am upset that I am no longer with Ingram, but I have hope we will find a way to be together again. Weldir said there may be a chance I can return, just as he was able to return Ingram’s bride to him after she killed the Demon King.”

“What?” Merikh asked with unbridled shock, lowering his hand from his skull.

Gideon winced and threw a palm up, gesturing for him to wait. “Tried to,” he corrected. “They don’t actually know if he’s truly dead, but they are hoping he was destroyed by the sun stone they used.”

“Sun stone?!” Merikh choked out. Dark yellow filled his orbs, and he cupped the end of his snout in thought, tapping his foreclaw against the side of it. “The Witch Owl... she must have taken it from my cave when we left it behind.” He let out a dark chuckle. “You conniving thief. What would you have done if I returned for it?”

The question obviously wasn’t intended for them.

Then Merikh turned to them, folded one arm across his chest, and half-heartedly pointed between them.

His voice stern and domineering, he commanded, “Neither of you are to inform Raewyn of this, do you understand? I will tell her of Jabez when we are alone, so that she may deal with it comfortably.”

Gideon raised a brow, getting the inkling there was a secret to be told here.

Before either of them could question him as to why Raewyn shouldn’t know, the door to their home softly opened.

All three turned to the woman in question, and the tiny hand she held.

Just as Raewyn gently pulled the child forward so they both could enter, their little eyes widened at Aleron and Gideon’s transparent, ghostly forms. Their features scrunched up before they ducked behind her, grabbing the skirt of her dress to pull it across their face. They buried into the silky fabric and her leg.

They peeked at Aleron before hiding once more.

“Sorry,” Raewyn said with a small giggle in her soothing voice. “She’s a little shy with new people, and I’m guessing more so with you, since you aren’t what we would normally see in Nyl’theria. Ghosts are uncommon, even beyond the ward.”

Raewyn moved forward with careful steps and tentatively placed her hand on the dining table as though to orientate herself within the room. The child stepped to the opposite side of her and then peeked at Merikh.

He tilted his skull down to her.

---