Page 68 of A Soul to Steal

After giving a wary glance to them, she bolted to his side. Then she proceeded to lift her hands into the air, and open and close them, much like how a child would ask to be picked up.

“Tc’kt, tc’kt,” she exclaimed up at his skull, never taking her eyes off it.

Her skin was a medium brown, but that same grey undertone was present in it. Loose, coily white hair cupped around the back of her pointed ears, while the rest of it only came to the tops of her shoulders. Two horns, that appeared too large for a toddler of her size, pointed upwards in a similar fashion to Merikh’s bull horns, but were a darker shade of sand.

Tiny black claws glinted in the light from the stones above, while her red irises sparkled as she trustingly faced the rude and frightful Duskwalker.

Within seconds of pleading, Merikh scooped her up with both hands, settled her backside against his inner wrist, and held her back with the other to secure her. She immediately buried her face into the side of his thick neck to hide once more.

Her sleeveless, light-orange dress was simple and came to her feet. Like Raewyn, the bottoms of her ‘shoes’ lacked soles, but were like sandals that just decorated the top arches of her feet with loops around her big toes to secure them.

Raewyn stepped closer and placed a hand upon the crook of her little neck before gliding her fingers up. She tucked more strands of hair behind the child’s ear, then spoke Elvish to her. The child just shook her head.

“Aleron?” Raewyn asked, directing her face to their side of the table.

“Yes, Raewyn?”

She turned her head more to him and smiled. “I apologise for taking so long. Once I informed the other councilmembers of your arrival, I had to pick upLehneniafrom her lessons.”

“She is a little Elf,” Aleron stated, tilting his head at the child. “I did not know you could be small.”

Merikh’s sigh was telling. “She is a youngling. People don’t start out mature.” He patted her back. “She is also not an Elf. Not fully, at least.”

“She is a Delysian.” When both Aleron and Gideon shook their heads, not understanding, a knowing smile curled Raewyn’s lips. “She’s a Demon. Most of those with horns within Lekezos are Demons.”

“I do not understand,” Aleron stated. “Why would you keep Demons here, if you have a ward to keep them out?”

“It’s different here,” Merikh replied before she could. “Once Demons eat enough people, they take on their features and gain intelligence like us. They stop desiring to hunt, and instead begin to form a society, like with the Demon village.”

“Oh. I have never been inside the Demon village,” Aleron said, bashfully scratching at the side of his snout. “They never allowed us in.”

“There’s a village of Demons?” Gideon’s lips twisted into a cringe. “And they act like people?”

“I’m not surprised they wouldn’t allow you inside,” Merikh said, before turning to Gideon. “And yes, just so. They become like humans, and even eventually start looking like them. It’s the same here for the Elvish people. However, because there are almost no Elves beyond the ward anymore, the Demons have begun hunting those who are fully formed to increase their own selves.”

“We give all those who have reached the end of development shelter here in our city,” Raewyn continued, her hands busy pulling apart the segments of her seeing cane so she could neatly fold it away. “Since they have no desire to hurt anyone, we have no issue with having them inside the city. My species of Elves are called Elysians, which is why we call them Delysians, because they are just like us despite a few physical differences and dietary requirements.”

“I questioned it too,” Merikh stated, shaking his bear skull like he could read Gideon’s cringe of disbelief. “But they really do live in harmony here. The Demons are treated fairly and are welcomed since being accepted into the city means a form of rebirth. Their pasts are forgiven, and they are so trusted that several of them even help lead the city.”

Gideon couldn’t wrap his head around this. These people allowed Demons into their homes as if they weren’t monsters. Demons had terrorised humans for hundreds of years. One had even killed and likely eaten Gideon.

It was difficult to ignore that fact and accept they were capable of change.

Gideon eyed the child resting on Merikh’s arm, trying to understand it. He also attempted to keep any loathing or distaste from his features, considering the Duskwalker was holding her with care as though she were precious to him.

“Lehnenia’s mother died not long after arriving here,” Merikh stated. “Her parents were attacked while fleeing to the city.”

That made Gideon’s brows furrow. “So you adopted her?”

“I think it would be better to say she adopted us.” Raewyn offered him a small smile. “We were not ready for something like this, but she immediately took a liking to Merikh, as you can see.”

Oddly enough, a reddish pink swallowed up Merikh’s orbs, and he fidgeted in his seat. He didn’t deny it.

The child continued to cling to the Duskwalker until he managed to pry one of her little arms from his thick neck. Lehnenia wouldn’t pull back, even as Merikh spoke in Elvish to her. His articulation and pronunciation were slow, as though he lacked confidence in his speech.

Raewyn stepped towards the kitchen-like area and began making two drinks. One cup was small, while the other was large and kind of looked like a teacup with no handle.

Merikh tilted his head back towards the Elven woman. “How would I say, ‘They are Ghosts who are visiting from the afterlife’?”

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