Page 247 of A Soul to Embrace

“Yes?” Zylah answered in a low tone.

She threw her hands up defensively. “All good. Just curious and wanted to air it out. He and Merikh already told us, so I don’t see any point in saying anything about it.” Then she gave a cringing grin as she said, “You’re not mad I blew him up... right?”

“That was you?!” Zylah exclaimed.

The woman gave an empty laugh as she threaded her fingers through the side of her long, wavy hair. “Yeah. I think it happened not long after we met, actually.”

“Reia, Delora, Emerie, and the Witch Owl all went to his castle without us,” Ingram stated with an annoyed grumble. “We were not pleased.”

Emerie averted her gaze to the side coyly. “I’m surprised he survived, if I’m being honest.”

“I saved him,” Zylah admitted.

The female froze, and her eyes grew wide. “What?”

“I don’t remember much, but I remember chasing a bright light and the pain of healing him after I took him to my burrow. It’s how I met him.”

The moment the words fell from Zylah, she wondered if she should be telling them this. She shrugged. It was the truth, and what had happened.

She remembered how her limbs had nibbled away bit by bit as she regrew his, how her fur had fallen out as blisters bubbled. The only thing that had pushed her forward through the agony was she could see her efforts fixing him – Zylah was learning she was rather stubborn. She’d been hoping he’d be thankful enough to stay and ease her loneliness.

Everything else had been forgotten, but she remembered those things.

“Oh,” Emerie mumbled, her expression twisting into anguish before softening, and she lifted her face to Zylah with a strange smile. “I guess you met him because of us then.” That smile turned mischievous and playful as she said, “You’re welcome.”

A small laugh came from Zylah, and her orbs shifted to bright yellow.I like her.She liked Gideon, too, since he’d managed to get Lehnenia’s trust enough to pick her up and let her babble to him incoherently in another language.

“Hey, Zylah,” Reia called, making her gaze slip over their shoulders.

“Yes?”

“Delora and I are going to prepare some food. Want to help us?” The female offered a smile as she walked over with her hands behind her back. “Delora’s too shy to say what she actually wants, but I think she’d like some help picking out food from her garden.”

Her sight darted to Delora to find she’d covered her face in embarrassment. Her ears were pink, and her shoulders were turned in self-consciously, much how Zylah’s often did.

After the negative conversation that happened earlier, Reia and Mayumi had been trying to rectify it by being overly friendly with her. She didn’t know if they were putting on an act to appease her, or if this was just the way they were. The fact they were trying did mean much, though, and she was thankful they were going out of their way for her.

And... Zylah also found it easier to forgive Reia due to the conversation she’d had with Rook about her and Orpheus. The fact that Reia was so accepting and kind to a Demon Zylah had come to care for, and Rook adored her in return, made her think Reia was a good person.

Zylah understood why they were angry, but their past wasn’t her future. She hoped they could one day shed their pain and come to know Jabez as she did – especially as she thought they would actually get along, from what she’d seen of them in the last few hours.

Reia and Mayumi fed off each other, while both picked on their Mavka and everyone else freely. Although Zylah had been confused by it at first, shedidoccasionally have the urge to laugh when the males were annoyed. It reminded her of how Jabez liked to tease her, and she was glad she understood that.

It was also teaching Zylah she could do the same thing in return to him and it may not be taken as terribly as she thought. The males often huffed and grumbled while throwing their skulls around as if they were annoyed, but their tones afterwards held the mildest, fond chuckles as if they secretly enjoyed it.

The males also weren’t as bad as they first came across.

Orpheus was a little prickly, but it reminded her of Merikh and Jabez. He was the wariest male of them all, and seemed to be the most protective of his bride and new youngling.

If he wasn’t found at Delora’s side, Magnar was often found at Orpheus’, as if he sought his company the most.

Faunus, on the other hand, was loud and boisterous.

He laughed a lot and picked on his bride, who was quick to do so back. He even let Lehnenia hold his forearm as he lifted her off the ground. The little demonling had enjoyed that a lot, squealing as she kicked her feet and asked him to do it repeatedly.

After a while, Magnar had taken over with bright-yellow orbs and a quiet laugh. Even Orpheus let her have a go, but only after he handed Kevin to Reia – who had apparently been the one to give the youngling such a strange name.

Raewyn had been nervous at first about letting the other Mavka play with Lehnenia, but it was obvious she was just happyto know her daughter was having fun and being comfortable. Zylah also thought she may just appreciate that they were being so willing to accept her despite Lehnenia being a Demon, and they had all been very welcoming to Raewyn.

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