Page 77 of A Soul to Steal

He peeked around the Duskwalker to stare with stark eyes, mesmerised by the pretty woman.

Two wings made of glowing gold fluttered behind her back at Aleron’s threat, finally making their presence known. Oddly, they weren’t attached to her; instead, they floated a hand’s width of a gap away.

Busty, willowy in height, but curvy, she stared down at them with such gentle features she appeared to be carved by feminine angels. Feminine, because Gideon was aware no man could carve someone so strikingly beautiful.

Her cheeks were high, rounded, and her jawline strong. An ample, button nose sat above full, cupid lips. Her brows weren’t deeply arched, but they contoured her eyes delicately. Even with a stern expression, she came across as benign.

Looking upon her, he knew her to be the Gilded Maiden, and the deity they had been seeking.

Gideon expected her to be loud, booming, and commanding. He expected her to raise her hands into the air and speak like some kind of powerful being, throwing lightning as a show of strength and demanding they kneel. He expected her to be arrogant, stating that they should be thankful for her merciful nature as the world rumbled with an earthquake.

He expected to see disdain in her gaze, especially since she had her shoulders back and chin tilted with a regal air. Even her walk had been a saunter.

Instead, she darted forward and cupped the top and bottom of Aleron’s skull before he could even process what had happened. Touching him, as though he wasn’t a Ghost and intangible, she brought her own face dangerously close to his fangs.

“What a pretty boy!” she purred, rubbing her lips and nose against the tip of his snout. Her voice was moderate in tone, not too high, not too low, and held utter delight. “Look at your skull. What kind of animal is it from?”

Aleron’s wings drooped, even though the rest of him stiffened. Gideon didn’t blame him for his reaction, as he himself had no idea what the fuck was going on.

He did notice her lips didn’t match up with her words when she spoke. She wasn’t speaking the same language as them, yet some kind of magic allowed them to communicate – likely hers.

“And you!”

She turned to Gideon, and panic settled in. Oh god, what did this imposing lady want? He didn’t get the chance to back up before she placed her large hand on top of his head to still him. It engulfed Gideon completely and was utterly warm.

“Look how small and cute you are.” She yanked his ear, as if she wanted to highlight that it wasn’t pointed like an Elf’s. “I’ve never had a human in my realm before, not even a dead one.”

Gideon yelped in surprise when Aleron yanked him to his chest and hugged him protectively.

“Do not touch,” Aleron rumbled, his tone threatening.

She laughed in response, her eyes crinkling with humour.

“Aww, do you want more attention?” She reached down and cupped his skull again, even as Aleron attempted to evade her. “What a good boy you are, coming all the way here with all the challenges before you. I hope my speakers were kind to you, even if you couldn’t understand them. When they told me who you were coming on behalf of, and your connection to him, Iinformed them they should treat you with the utmost kindness. I want the absolute best for one of my grandchildren.”

Grandchild?His bottom lip fell until his jaw threatened to unhinge and fall off.Oh. She’s Weldir’s mother, therefore...His eye twitched, wondering when he’d started accepting the strange as his new normal.

Does that mean Duskwalkers are technically... gods?

“Gideon,” Aleron whispered, clinging tighter. He stood as still as a statue, his entire being so tense he even began to quake. “Help me.”

She visibly flinched and released her hold on him, her features becoming crestfallen.

The laughter that burst out of Gideon was quiet but couldn’t be contained.She fucking scared him.She’d been so overjoyed that it’d scared the frightening Duskwalker.

She was a new person. He doubted Aleron had been openly welcomed like this upon first meeting a stranger.

“She’s just happy to meet you,” Gideon stated around chuckles. “She’s showing affection.”

Her lips flattened in disapproval as her eyes darkened. “I did not realise my actions would require a translator.”

That sobered Gideon from his humour. He sighed and slumped into Aleron’s strong arms.

“Sorry,” Gideon said, meeting her gold, pupilless eyes head-on. “Where we’re from, Duskwalkers aren’t treated so welcomingly.”

Her golden eyelashes tipped, and her lips hardened further. “Why not? Look at him, he’s beautiful.”

How could Gideon answer that? It was only recently that he’d begun to see Aleron as magnificent; he was handsome in a way that was totally unique.

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