Page 234 of A Soul to Embrace

Delora gave her a shaky false smile, as if she wanted to soften her next words despite how narrowed her brows were and how liquid had filled her eyes. “Because if you’re in the Elven realm, it means we can’t visit you.”

“Why not?” Zylah asked. “The Elven city allows people to enter it, and they know of Mavka.”

“Because we don’t know how to get there. It’s also in a realm we don’t know, but we’re certain is filled with Demons.”

“I guess that’s true,” she grumbled, looking away as she scratched at her neck again. “Maybe Jabez can draw you a map from his portal or show you the way.”

She didn’t know why she was offering that, especially without his permission. Maybe it was because, in Zylah’s heart, she knew he would do that for her if she asked. Not once had he ever rejected her requests, not that she had many, and he always tried to fulfil them as best he could.

“I... should go to Raewyn,” Zylah commented, walking off without giving Delora a chance to say otherwise. “She doesn’t know Earth well.” But she knew enough, as she’d been here for quite some time with Merikh.

The half lie tasted sour, but Zylah just didn’t know what else to say or do. She could have offered for her and Jabez to visit in the future, but she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted that. Jabez maynot be allowed to leave Lezekos City on a personal excursion like this again for quite some time.

She was also following Jabez’s advice to lean on Raewyn, who may help her from feeling so out of place. She could follow her lead.

“Hello, Zylah,” Magnar greeted, his deep, grainy voice warm and friendly when she reached them. “It has been a while since we saw you. I know Delora is very happy you have returned.”

He tilted his fox skull in his bride’s direction, and his orbs flared bright yellow. He lifted his arm to reach out to her as she came to his side so he could bring her into a side cuddle, and her face looked worn and paler than it had a moment ago.

Guilt immediately slipped down Zylah’s spine, and her sight flickered with orange. Raewyn’s full lips pursed and her brows knotted when she must have seen her orbs change colour – since the only thing she could see were the tendrils of magic.

“I was just showing Magnar my cane,” Raewyn stated brightly, trying to distract from the current conversation for Zylah’s sake. “Lehnenia’s been chirping away as well. I think she’s excited to meet more people who look like Merikh.”

The little Demon gave a bright smile at the only word she understood. Then in Nyl’kira she said, “PapaMerikh!PapaMerikh!”

She pointed up at Magnar’s skull as she chatted away incoherently, and Zylah was able to catch a few words that she’d already learned of the language: skull, fangs, and orbs.

Raewyn answered her with a laugh, and the conversation in Nyl’kira was immediately lost on her, Magnar, and Delora. The human held Magnar’s hand tightly, while her lips were a thin line as she turned her forlorn gaze away from Zylah’s skull.

“She’s very cute,” Delora stated after relaxing her expression. “I noticed her ears are like yours, but I’m surprised to see hornson an Elf. We have fairytales about Elves, but I guess they’re wrong.”

“That’s because she’s not an Elf,” Zylah interjected matter-of-factly. “Lehnenia is a Demon.”

“A Demon?” Delora asked, her features stiffening slightly.

“Yes, this youngling is a Demon,” Magnar stated, tipping his snout towards Delora. “I’m sorry. I should have told you I scented that.”

She gave a shaky, broken smile. “Okay. That’s fine with us. I’m guessing it’s different where you’re from.”

“Yeah, the Elven realm and our city are very different to Earth,” Raewyn stated warmly, as if prepared for such a conversation. “So long as the Demon has reached full completion, they’re welcomed into the city and are given a new title. My species are called Elysians, not Elves, although I know that’s what humans call us. Any Demon who enters our city becomes a Delysian.”

“So, you adopted her?” Delora asked.

“It’s more like she adopted us.” Raewyn gave a laugh and looked down at her. “Lehnenia was very smitten with Merikh when she first saw him. Since he doesn’t want children of his own, at least not yet, I thought this was a good opportunity for us. Our relationship is still new, but bringing in a child that would accept him was a concern of mine. The fact that Lehnenia adored him straight away meant I knew we were making the right choice, even if the timing was wrong.”

At the easy conversation, which Raewyn engaged in so confidently that it wrung out all the awkwardness, Delora also laughed. “Yeah. I bet that would have been difficult. I would’ve had the same concerns with a human child, although we’ll probably have more of our own in the future.”

“More?” Zylah asked with her head cocking.

Delora finally offered her a real and very tender smile. “Yeah. You’ll have your own brothers or sisters in the future.”

“Just not right now,” Magnar grumbled with his naturally green orbs darkening in possessiveness. “I would like to keep my bride to myself for a little while longer.”

Before anyone could say anything more, the rapid approach of heavy, galloping stomps and deep, snorting huffs stole all their attention.

To Zylah’s left, a large creature with a wolf skull and Impala antelope horns emerged, his orbs blue and focused on them. He ran on all fours, his fluffy body partially humanoid while his legs looked wolven with big paws for feet. A pale human with long blonde hair held on tightly to his back while she was seated over his waist.

Like Delora, she wore a white dress, although her feet were covered in brown boots, and she had a sword scabbard strapped to her waist.

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