Page 225 of A Soul to Embrace

Zylah lifted a hand and sheathed her claws to tap at the chain connected to the bands on his horns and make it sway. A subtle smile pestered his lips; he was pleased she liked them so much.

Organising them was one of the first things he’d done, and it’d drained almost all the funds the council had given him for entering the city. It was why he pushed for them to let him go mining for a mana stone today. Although it was a requisite of him being here, they were being fair and paying him for the work as well.

Every time he left the city or did anything for them, they were going to pay for his time.

Lezekos City was a trade city.

Food, housing, medicine, and basic furniture were all provided, but if they wanted nice clothing, quality adornments, or to add to their home, they needed to work for it or pick up a craft to trade with. Since they were new, it would take a long while for them to establish themselves. Doing work for the council would ensure he didn’t have to learn a craft, meaning he and Zylah were free to do whatever they wished.

In essence, he could be lazy and dote on her whenever he wanted outside of when they requested his aid.

“Jabez,” Zylah started, still playing with the gems dangling from his horn.

He tilted his head so he could face her. “Yes?”

Her teal orbs flickered with reddish pink and she nervously chittered. He frowned when her shoulders turned inwards shyly and she lowered her hand.

“Do you...” She squirmed and her orbs shifted entirely to her bashful or embarrassed hue. “Do you love me?”

His head twitched and reared back, not expecting the question; it sounded as though she’d been wanting to ask it forquite some time. He averted his gaze to outside, while his heart pounded harder in his chest, slamming deeply aching emotions into his veins.

“Yes, I love you,” he answered quietly, and without hesitation.

She pushed against his chest to sit up with a shocked gasp. “Really?”

Not liking how surprised she sounded, he pulled her back down and the water rippled around them. “Of course I do.”

I gave up...everythingfor you.What was that if it wasn’t love?

Some men, immoral and cruel like him, might be willing to burn the world for someone they adored, but he’d already been trying to do that. Such a sacrifice was utterly meaningless with a past already filled with rampaging bloodshed. Giving her the world through domination was in line with his goal to raze this city, but entering peacefully? Not in a million years did he think he’d ever do such a thing.

He gave up his goal, his idea, his revenge, and even... his sense of self. He essentially tore himself to pieces until all that remained was his obsession, infatuation, and tenderness for her. Until all that remained of him were the parts that were connected to her, and he was unwilling to let her go or see her be harmed through his actions.

It was also what kept him subservient and obedient to the councilmembers.

I hate being in this fucking city.He hated doing what they wanted of him. He hated that he’d been pushed to offer his services in a way he found abhorrent. He hated that he’d shared his lifelong secret with another being, an Elf, no less.

Every fibre, every cell, every piece of his being, didn’t want to be in the city. He despised their scents, their un-Demon-like features, their gazes, and hated the way they looked at Zylah with gross curiosity. Every time someone looked at her funny orwas somewhat fearful, he wanted to walk right up to them and punt them in the face with one of his hard horns.

But he was tolerating it all, just for her.

He would continue to do so just so he could make her giggle like he had earlier when he chased her around theirhome, or fuck her until she begged him to stop. Just so he didn’t have to see her covered in her own blood again as she whimpered in his arms from pain.

His heart had shifted, and he’d been born anew for her, although nothing would stop him from being an arrogant, self-assured prick.

Nothing would change the essence of who he was, and he was just lucky she seemed to like it,mostly.

He may not be perfect, but he would try for her. And his pride and masculinity weren’t so fragile that he would be bothered by Zylah calling him her little bride, mate, enchanting thorn, or whatever she decided to settle on. He would just use it as a way to tease her by being overly dominant in those times to get a playful rise out of her.

He thought she might even like that.

A glittering drop floated into his periphery, and he glanced down to find her orbs were bright pink and shedding ethereal tears. She was looking off to the side with her hands clasped tightly, and a quiet whine ripped from her. He noticed then that her heart was beating excessively fast and her tail was shifting side to side against his outer thigh.

That answers what the colour pink means.

“Well?” he said with a light chuckle. “Are you going to leave me in suspense, or are you going to say it back?”

“I love you, Jabez,” she whispered as she looked up at him. “I think I have for a long while.”

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