Page 236 of A Soul to Embrace

“Raewyn is an Elysian Elf, and Lehnenia is her adoptive daughter. She’s a Demon.”

“Okaaay,” she sang out low with a grimace. Her lips twisted as her brows narrowed. “I’m a little lost. Can you explain why they would be here?”

“I’m Merikh’s bride,” Raewyn said with a welcoming and unbothered smile.

“Ohhh!” Reia stated with her expression turning bright. “That makes total sense now.”

“It’s okay,” Raewyn answered with a laugh. “I understand we’re different to you humans, and our sudden appearance is strange.”

“I’m kind of used to strange now, to be honest.” Then, repeating exactly what she’d done before by raising her hand to the side of her mouth, she leaned towards Delora. “Who the fuck is Merikh, though?”

“He’s the bear-skulled Mavka,” Orpheus bit with rough darkness in his tone. He put his arm around Reia’s back protectively and looked around. “I don’t scent him. Where is he?”

“He’s gone to get the others,” Delora answered. “I think he wants to meet everyone, and it’s why they’re here today.”

“I see,” Orpheus said with a hum, cupping the end of his snout. “All Mavka and their brides in one place?”

Reia let out a groan as she gestured to herself. “And I’m in my nightgown? Seriously?” Her cheeks darkened with a small amount of pinkness. “I’ll have to go change before anyone else turns up.”

As if on cue, more people approached, but from the opposite side Reia and Orpheus had arrived. Zylah twisted to the right.

A feline skull with a golden crack in it came into view, his horns sandy and ram-like as they curled back over his skull before circling forward. Whereas Orpheus had fish fins going down his forearms, calves, and back, this Mavka had small spikes down the same places.

Like Reia had done, on his back rode a woman with long black hair and a fawny complexion. Unlike the two humans already there, she wore a pair of brown leather pants and a long tunic. A whip, dagger, and a sword were strapped to her waist, and she wore a pair of brown boots.

Her hair was loose, messy, and windblown when she jumped down from her Mavka. His orbs were yellow, but Zylah didn’t think he was joyous or curious right then.

“Took you long enough,” Reia commented loudly. “We all would have been dead.”

“I was naked!” the woman yelled, stomping boorishly towards them. “It’s stupid o’clock in the fucking morning. I had to get dressed.” Her hard gaze immediately landed on Raewyn, Lehnenia, and Zylah before narrowing with suspicion. She placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. “Friend or foe?”

“Friend,” Delora stated, and the newcomer’s shoulders loosened.

She removed her hand from the hilt of her sword. “How friendly?”

“Raewyn, here” Delora started, and the Elf waved to show who she was speaking about, “is Merikh’s bride.”

She opened her mouth to continue, but a scoff came from the feline Mavka as he morphed into his more humanoid form. Naked, although very fluffy, he approached them.

“Merikh has a fucking bride? Since when?” he asked, annoyed, as if the very thought was ridiculous.

“I would say it’s been around an Earth year,” Raewyn answered in a sickly sweet tone.

“You must have your hands full then,” he stated, coming to Orpheus’ side while placing his hand on the hip of his female and dragging her with him. “That ill-tempered Mavka has a mean streak. No offense, but I’m surprised anyone would give him their soul.”

“Admittedly, he has his moments.” Raewyn’s face followed where he went by the sound of his voice moving. “But he’s actually rather sweet when you give him the chance.”

“I’ve had my insides ripped from me and my head decapitated one too many times to truly believe that.” Then, as if noticing her falling expression, he grunted and ran his hand over one of his horns. “Sorry. All of my interactions with him have been rather unpleasant, even when I’ve just tried to talk to him. It’s hard to shake that after so many years.”

“It’s okay,” she said with a cringing smile, then looked down at the youngling holding her hand. “This is Lehnenia, our daughter.”

“Smells like a Demon,” he commented, and Zylah noted his voice lacked any judgement. “She reminds me of those in the Demon Village. She’s reached full completion?” Reia and Mayumi gave a silent gasp at what he said, and he reared his head back in surprise. He looked at them all. “Come on, you all must know about that. Orpheus, you’ve been to the village a few times.”

“Since her parents achieved completion before she was born, Lehnenia is a fully developed Demon child, which is why she partially looks like an Elf,” Raewyn explained.

“I’m not surprised by the way she looks,” he said defensively as he folded his arms across his bulky chest. “Just that Merikh would take one in.”

“Very true. Well, if we’re introducing ourselves, I’m Faunus, and this is my bride, Mayumi.”