Page 33 of A Soul to Embrace

He’d extend the same invitation to her as he had to Merikh the last time he’d seen him.If she joins me in Nyl’theria, then we can rally the Demons living there.

Then, finally, he could fight his way into the Elven city of Lezekos. He could finally step out of the shadows and live the life he’d been missing.

He didn’t even wish to govern it. He didn’t truly desire to be a king. He wanted peace, and the only way to achieve that was within the protective dome the Elysians lived under. Then he’d invite all the Demons who were close to the completion of their evolution to join him, of which there were many thousands.

Over time, the lesser Demons would consume each other and evolve, and they, too, could join them. Then, when there were only a few lesser Demons left, they would eradicate them and live like real people. Their children would go to schools, their people would craft and have jobs. They could discover Nyl’theria and hunt for lost artefacts and ruined civilisations.

By the time they understood the technology of the Elysians, they could then take over those advancements. By that point, Jabez assumed he’d be rather old and ready to pass. He’d like that, to one day close his eyes in old age and die peacefully, and not fear his death might come from the jaws of a Demon.

It’s what he’d alwayslongedfor. To live out the rest of his life like a normal being and be nestled in comforts.

He hadn’t been given a day of that since the moment he’d been locked away in his youth.

Jabez licked at the inside of a tooth that had grown back after the other children’s cruel yanking. Like any other Demon, his fangs grew back when they went missing – a rather charming trait that not the humans, or even Elves, had.

Growing restless with his thoughts, he sat up. Placing his elbow upon a singular bent knee so he could cover his eyes, his ears twitched with irritation at himself and the dreams of the little girl who haunted him.

I’m tired.He’d been thinking that for years.

His movements disturbed his companion, and Zylah shifted with alertness. She quickly sat up and put space between them by shuffling away nervously.

Jabez waved his free hand when he figured she was only doing it because she’d been caught sleeping so close to him. “Don’t worry, Zylah. I don’t mind anymore.”

“Really?” she asked, her tone full of hope.

“I’m aware you’ve been sleeping beside me for the better part of a fortnight.”

She chittered, which had started to become less of a way to communicate and more of an infrequent, albeit cute, sound that reflected her emotions. It caused him to lift his hand away to peek at her, and he found her teal orbs had shifted to a reddish pink in embarrassment. She was too easy to makeuncomfortable, which often had him wanting to playfully needle her – despite never doing so.

She scratched at the ground. “I did not think you knew.”

He chuckled mildly at the ridiculousness of that.

“You know I have sharp senses. I sleep lightly so I can hear and smell people approaching me.” When she didn’t calm, he rolled his shoulders back to stretch them. “Like I said, it’s fine. If it makes you feel better, you’re welcome to sleep next to me. Your warmth is pleasant, especially as we’re deep in winter now.”

His gaze landed on the dead campfire. He lit it every night in order to take away the bite of cold his Elvish body just couldn’t handle. That was something he deeply missed about his lack of powers – he couldn’t shield himself from the cold or the sun anymore.

His nose scrunched at the loss, and the weakness he experienced without it. He’d never realised just how deeply he’d relied upon his magic until it was completely gone. He tsked at his stupidity and complacency.

Learning to be without it had been quite the adjustment, like a limb was missing. He wished to breathe and know that each breath drew in strength and mana. He missed the comfort and security of it.

He missed feeling like himself and like he wasn’t a weaker being.

His stomach grumbled, and he once more tsked.I need food.And not just the food he’d been stealing from the crops and farms of humans, but meat. He was aware of how much his need for meat bothered his companion, but he wasn’t willing to grow sickly like he had as a child.

At least she now understands, since we’ve spoken about it.

She’d thought he was just cruelly hunting for sport and didn’t understand that his internal organs didn’t work like hers. Herhunger was ever present but unending. His, however, was easily soothed and required he did so or he’d wither away.

At least her hunting lessons had been going well, and she rarely succumbed to a bloodthirsty rage.

He’d hunt without her, but she refused to allow him out of her sight. It was as though she worried he’d run away at the first opportunity he had, as if he’d changed his mind about being her companion.

He could have escaped at any time.

She’d soon discover as to why he hadn’t.

So why haven’t I asked her yet?They were able to communicate quite well now. He was sure if he explained about the Elven realm and about the Elysians, she would comprehend their conversation.

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