Page 82 of A Soul to Steal

He tucked his head in just when he thought they were about to land.

Aleron faceplanted into something soft, cool, and... not on fire? Actually, the sizzling heat had vanished, leaving only refreshing air swirling around them.

Lifting his head, he noted they were lying upon the invisible platform they had been standing on moments before. With Gideon below him, protected and safe, he darted his skull around, uncertain as to what was happening.

There stood the Gilded Maiden, smiling down at them.

With a deeper, ferocious snarl, Aleron released Gideon from his arms and stood above him on all fours. Wings flared into wide arches to appear more frightening, he parted his jaws to bare his fangs. He shifted into his more monstrous, four-legged form, ensuring he would be stronger and swifter.

As much as Aleron wanted to leap for the Gilded Maiden, he utterly refused to leave Gideon. If she made him fall a second time, he needed to be close. To be near so he could save him faster and then fly them away from her.

When she stepped to the side, her long, metallic hair twinkled in the sun as it swayed. Her smile never fell. Even though hesnarled so fiercely that drool seeped from his fangs, and his skull vibrated as he subtly shook it, her eyes crinkled warmly.

Then she dared to inch closer.

He gave her a menacing bark in warning, and his body puffed even further. He had no doubt his feathers from the base of his skull all the way to his tail looked like a fin of aggression.

“Temper, temper,” she sang with mirth.

“Stay back,”Aleron snapped harshly, knocking his foot against Gideon to check he still remained beneath him.

“For a being that stated he easily falls into a bloodlust, you appear to be rather calm.” As she circled them, Aleron followed her, crossing his hands and feet precisely to avoid stepping on the precious creature he protected. “You care so much for that human, you won’t even leave his side to attack.”

“I wish to leave.”He wanted away from her and this odd world.

She tsked at him and pouted. “Before I even give you a gift?”

Mimicking similar words Gideon had spoken earlier, he stated,“If your reward involves bringing harm to this human again, the answer is no.”

Her eyes widened and her lips parted in shock. Then she laughed. “No. My game has ended. I no longer intend any more playful tricks. You and this human are safe.”

When that didn’t ease him, instead only deepening his mistrust, he yelped in surprise as he was taken off his feet. A translucent bubble formed around him. It turned him upside down, and he fought to place himself the right way up to orientate himself. Clawing at the bubble did nothing, and when he tried too hard, she spun it to make him dizzy.

His anger deflated as his head swam.

In his peripheral, he noticed she extended her hand out to Gideon. “See?” She stated, looking towards Aleron as he righted himself again.

Gideon rose to his feet on his own. Then, he did that thing he always did, where he brushed off his pants despite them being clean.

“Did he pass your stupid test?” Gideon spat out, eyeing Aleron. “I should have figured you’d do something like that.”

The bubble containing him flipped, as did he. Instead of sliding around it and being on his back once more, it popped. He landed on all fours and shook his body to right his feathers so they sat properly.

“Yes,” she stated warmly. “He did perfectly, and exceeded my expectations.”

Just as Aleron went to stand in front of Gideon protectively, one arm in front of his legs, he noted the way his human’s shoulders eased.

One side of Gideon’s lips quirked with a smile, while his eyes seemed to bow with some kind of sadness. “Does that mean you’ll bring him back to life?”

“No,” she answered, grinning widely at them. “I’m a deity of magic, not life or death. I have no abilities such as this.”

His expression fell, and he stomped a foot forward. Aleron moved with him, placing himself back in front of his legs.

“What the hell?!” Gideon exclaimed, his hands fisting in outrage. “Then why did you do all that?”

“Because I wanted to see if the heart of a Mavka was selfish. I wanted to know how the offspring of my child really are. Reward him if he does well by saving another, even if it means losing out on what he wants.” Her features stiffened, and her golden lashes dipped. “Or punish him by taking away what he cares for if he does evil. The lava below us really would have extinguished you human, and he would have been rewarded with nothing in return for letting you touch it.”

“You are rather cruel,” Gideon remarked coldly, “and immature.”

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