Page 256 of A Soul to Embrace

Most of their orbs flared between their natural colour or dark yellow in curiosity as they inspected their kin.

I’m surprised by how calm they all seem to be.Very rarely did their orbs flare dark green in possessiveness, or red in anger.

Jabez’s gaze then landed on the humans and Zylah, who had all taken a seat on some kind of blanket that had been laid out in the dappled light.

Lehnenia was seated in Raewyn’s lap in bright sunshine, with Zylah next to her, likely for comfort. Of course Delora had taken a seat next to her, with Reia at her side. Faunus’ female had chosen to lie on her side with her elbow bent and hand under her cheek to support her head, while Emerie leaned her side against Gideon, who had his legs out and kept letting out boisterous laughs. Linh sat alone with her feet tucked to the left, but a warm smile constantly shone from her as she listened intently to everyone’s story after just sharing her own.

Multiple Mavka younglings either slept on laps or crawled around the group.

He could gauge which younglings belonged to who.

Linh kept hers close on her lap, whereas a very small one clung to the chest of Reia’s blue dress. One sat in Mayumi’s lap, while the other two belonging to her wrestled with each other on the blanket in the middle of the brides or crawled all over everyone.

He often noticed a set of eyes or orbs looking over at him, as if they wanted to check he remained where he was. Each time, the human either looked wary, or the Mavka flared red orbs at him.

Zylah did the same thing, although for an entirely different reason. Despite her being immersed in listening to them and responding when she could, her rabbit skull would often lift and search for him throughout the day. She was always checking on him, always wanting to see that he was still there and perfectly fine.

He felt for her whenever her orbs shifted blue in his direction, and he occasionally offered her a little hidden wave with his fingers to let her know he saw her too.

After a while, Gideon rose to go be with the other males and join in on their conversation. Delora also left, going inside briefly and returning with two plates of assorted fruit, vegetables, and bite-sized pastries.

Lehnenia refused to eat any of it, but she was being surprisingly obedient as she quietly ate what Raewyn pulled from her bag for her. Delora walked around the seated group to offer food, and Jabez brought his gaze back to all the Mavka.

Nowtheywere all speaking about how they met their brides.

As if sensing she was needed by some kind of tell, Linh stood to go to Nathair’s side so she could assist him. She also rubbed his back when he let out a shudder that puffed all his scales like he was growing agitated. He often held the side of his skull as if in pain, and his orbs would flare stark white.

Jabez overheard why.

“Nathair is suffering from voices,” Linh explained with a beseeching cringe for them to understand. “He’s getting used to being around others, but lots of conversation tends to make the voices within his mind louder.” She turned to him and looked up as she asked, “Do you need to take a break? We can go somewhere and I can hum for you for a little while.”

He signed something while subtly shaking his head.

Since Jabez had been listening in, movement from the side caught his attention. His expression dulled as he saw who was, surprisingly, approaching him.

“I don’t know if you only eat meat, but are you hungry?” Delora asked as she held out her offering of what remained of the fruit and vegetables.

He eyed it cautiously before lifting his gaze to her face. When he didn’t respond for a long while, her expression turnedsolemn, and she began to draw the plate away. He realised he’d upset her, but he was rather suspicious as towhyshe was even offering to begin with.

She hated him, so he thought she’d rather see him starve.

“I eat like a human,” he stated, gingerly lifting his hand out when his stomach cramped in hunger. All his earlier mana use told him food would do him some good. “Fruit, vegetables, meat.”

She placed the plate in his palm to allow him to keep what remained. He brought a leg up to fold it across the stump he sat upon and set the dish down in his lap to free his hands. Since he figured she wanted to see him eat her offering, he picked up a slice of red apple and popped it into his mouth as she watched.

He expected her to walk away, but she remained as she fisted the skirt of her brown dress. Her eyes bowed as her lips twisted, obviously wanting to say something despite her hesitancy.

He quietly let her gain the courage.

“I wanted to thank you for today,” she eventually stated. “Although we have justified reasons for being angry with you, we alldoappreciate what you’ve done to bring us all together.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank him,” Jabez said as he nodded towards Merikh. “If it wasn’t for Merikh, none of you would’ve needed to see me again. I guess that means you can also all blame him as well.”

“But we know without your magic, this would’ve been a lot harder,” she said, fisting her dress tighter. She was trying her hardest to remain calm and composed, despite whatever emotions were causing her heart to race so loudly that it sounded like a drum in his ears. “And you brought Zylah here.”

“She needs to learn who you are.” He looked up to find a number of people were staring once more, and he brought his gaze back to hers to avoid them. “I have no intention of getting inthe way. When I can, I will bring her back here, so you may form a bond with her.”

Admittedly, he thought it might be easier if they were alone with her parents and Zylah could lean on him. He could help direct the conversation. Right now, he was forced to be separated from her, and it meant she wasn’t her most confident, cute self.

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