Page 239 of A Soul to Embrace

She could hear Delora quickly muttering to the others, her voice high in distress. Zylah ignored her too.

I want to leave,she thought, looking up at the branches above them.I don’t want to stay here.

She knew this wouldn’t go well after how things had turned when she first met Delora and Magnar, but she just didn’t think it would be this bad. After what she’d learned of Jabez’s past, shedidunderstand why they were so angry. She understood they were justified in that anger, but she just... couldn’t handle the way they spoke of him.

He would never hurt her, and she knew he hadn’t given her his soul to manipulate her. He...lovedher, and she loved him dearly in return.

In fact, she adored him more than anything in the world, and she was happy with him in Nyl’theria. He’d been there for her through so much, but the others were too absorbed by their hatred to listen.

They didn’t know him, didn’t know how he cared for her, what he’d given up just to ensure she was safe. It made her heart hurt that they thought he’d be cruel to her when he was entirely the opposite. He could be distant at times, lost in his own thoughts with a miserable expression, but he showered Zylah with affection the rest of the time. He gave her gifts and tried to ensure she was happy by taking her for walks around the palace or even to the beach.

He was attentive and kind, and his mean playfulness had started to bring her out of her shell. He was a good mate, whether they wanted to believe it or not.

Look at what he was doing today.

Although Merikh had demanded that Jabez assist, she knew he had ulterior motives for agreeing. When he’d told her of Merikh’s plan, he’d shared that he wanted her to meet everyone so she understood this family bond she was supposed to have. He’d even admitted that part of his reasoning was because it was something he’d lacked his entire life, and it had weighed on him.

He didn’t want it to weigh on her as well, nor did he want to be the reason for getting in the way of it. He just admitted he wanted little part in it and was happy remaining as an unwanted outsider.

“Are you okay?” Raewyn whispered, her white brows knitted with deep concern.

Her starburst eyes sightlessly bowed and creased in sympathy up at her bony face, while her pointed ears had drooped back.With her hair framing her face in the added darkness, something became apparent. Zylah knew this female, who rarely ever leaned on anyone and preferred her independence, had only asked her for help in order to aid Zylah and bring her out of the unpleasant situation.

Frozen, unsure of what to do or how to make herself feel better, her orbs turned blue. The bottoms of them quickly wavered as she let out a small whine in answer.

“I know it’s hard,” Raewyn continued quietly, while offering a sad smile. “Hopefully they’ll come around by the end of the day. After what Merikh told me of what he knows, there’s a lot Jabez has to answer for. These people have been hurt very deeply, many of them facing death at his hands, and it’s unfair of you to expect so much of them in a short period of time.”

“But I don’t want to hear it,” Zylah said with a whimper.

“And I understand that. As his sister, it’s hard to hear it as well, but what you said was right. They don’t know who he is. Let it come naturally. Let them see what he is like now, and how he treats you.”

“What if they never do?”

“Then what does it matter? Why should you care when you know the truth? He cares about you, that’s all you need to remember, and I’m sure he feels nothing in regard to how they feel.” She reached up slowly and placed a soothing hand on the side of Zylah’s face, chasing the magical essence of her orb change like usual. “I know what Merikh is like. He’s grumpy and short-tempered, but I love him all the same, no matter what anyone else says. You have to face that, too, but you also have to accept that they have every right to be angry at him.”

Zylah wanted to pull on her antlers in frustration because she knew all that, yet it did nothing to stop the tears threatening to float from her.

“Zylah?” a soft voice meekly called.

The settling fur on her back instantly puffed once more, and she turned her head to the side to look at Delora through one orb. Clutching the skirt of her white gown, the female’s brows were furrowed so tightly her forehead had pinched.

“I’m really sorry,” Delora stated and nibbled at her lips. “So are they. They didn’t mean to upset you, so please don’t leave.”

“We all have concerns,” Magnar said at her back as he placed a hand on her curvy hip. “We just want the best for you.”

Zylah considered facing away and ignoring them. It was only because Raewyn petted the side of her head soothingly that she gained the will to turn around fully.

She remained a safe distance from all of them.

“I understand he has hurt you all very deeply, and Iamsorry that he has,” Zylah stated loud enough so everyone could hear, since the others were collected a few feet behind them. “But Jabez has given up on his war. He even entered the city he sought to destroy just toprotectme.” Then she gripped her elbow and let her shoulders turn inwards. “Jabez wouldn’t bond with me until he told me everything, and even then... he didn’t want to because he was worried about how I would feel later. He thinks of himself as a monster for what he has done, but he had his reasons for doing it. I accepted all that because I love him, and because he is kind to me. I know it is difficult to hear, but we are bonded now, and even if I could undo it, I know I never would.”

“We’re not angry with you.” Reia ran her fingers through her blonde hair, before scratching at the side of her head in obvious annoyance. “We just... we don’t know if we can ever forgive him for what he’s done.”

“He doesn’t want your forgiveness,” Zylah stated with a saddened laugh, knowing that was the truth.

“You have to understand,” Raewyn interjected from her side, “Jabez has been through a lot, and much of that is our fault. I’msure understanding his past from before he even came to Earth would do little in assuaging your anger, but there is a reason as to why he was so set on destroying us, and why he would do anything to achieve it.”

“Just because someone has trauma or whatever, doesn’t excuse his behaviour,” Mayumi stated from afar. “We also don’t have to accept it.”

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