Page 117 of To Trap a Soul

Either she would be waiting for him, or he was already there.

They always made some snarky retort about the other being late, or that they had shown up at all, before easing into a conversation. Or silence, which they shared pleasantly.

On this day, Jabeziryth climbed the steep, jagged rocks to her, his clawed toes easily finding purchase as he ascended the most difficult path. For a moment, Weldir wondered what it felt like to have mossy rocks beneath the soles of his feet, if they were as wet as they appeared or dry, if they were slimy, or even cushiony.

Perhaps I should add such texture to my realm.Weldir was always adding to Tenebris and changing it in the minutest of ways to improve its realistic qualities.

Rather than taking his usual spot, Weldir glowered when Jabeziryth took a seat closer to her than normal. He was slightly in front of her and down a level, but if he reached out, he could potentially brush her left ankle. Maybe even her right heel, since her feet were crossed.

Weldir was uncertain if they knew he’d witnessed all their interactions, ever watchful of his mate. He’d remained silent after his initial attempts to warn her and she’d refused to respond to him in Jabeziryth’s presence, skilfully hiding her reactions to his demands that she stay away.

“I swear you get shorter every day,” the little half-Elf teased, leaning back to look at her with a shake of his head. “You probably couldn’t even climb these rocks if you actually tried.”

“I’m a pretty normal height for ahumanwoman, thank you very much.” Then she scrunched her nose up at him and sneered. “Do those horns of yours go deep into your brain to make you this thick of thought? You’re theodd one out here, sir comes-from-a-different-world. We were here first!”

“Watch out or I’ll show you how thick they are by ramming them into your forehead.”

“And I’ll show you how quickly I can wield a dagger. I’m just as sharp of tongue as I am of sword.”

Jabeziryth burst out with laughter. “That I’d have to see for myself, littlePhantom.” Then he stabbed his empty fist forward multiple times as though he had a blade. “I could just see you trying. You’re pretty prickly, you know.”

“Prickly?! I think I’m as sweet as a puppy!”

“A puppy is a small dog, correct?” He offered her a dull and serious expression. “I eat those for my first meal.”

Her mouth gaped. Then a ripple of discontent pulsed across Weldir’s misty being when she let out a mild, although genuine, laugh.

“No, you don’t,” she answered with a chuckle.

She smiles and laughs so freely with others, but never with me.

Even that Anzúli male, Evart, had gained her fondness in easy conversation. She’d always been awkward around Evart, and avoided him as much as possible, but when they did finally speak, it was always with the enjoyment of each other’s company.

It showed Weldir felt something tender for this human female, even if it was small due to a lack of nurturing on both their parts. He had developed a possessiveness when it came to her, since she was his mate, and especially as her beauty was beguiling enough to draw the gaze ofmanymen.

She was entirely oblivious to it.

She made companions where she saw fit, not realising a male’s gaze would remain on her with keen interest whenever she was not looking.

It wasn’t her fault, but it had stirred some peculiar unfamiliarity within him. Although he doubted she’d do anything to betray him, it also didn’t mean that he didn’t have a right to be vexed by it when he thought the person had ill intentions, no matter what they may be.

It had never truly bothered him that she spoke with other males until now. Then again, he’d never attempted to intervene before. Nor had it been with someone he detested.

I told her to stay away from Jabeziryth and she defies me.

Why? He’d told her of the halfling’s past, what he’d done, why he was on Earth. Weldir had told her he was the very reason Demons were now throughout her realm, causing mayhem and death. Jabeziryth’s desire for revenge was not unknown to him, although he had yet to truly understand what that entailed.

Likely a war, one that pitted Demons and the Elysians against each other.

I could remove her,Weldir thought once again.I can call her to my realm by force.

He doubted that would go well, and he didn’t wish to be on the sour end of her ire. She already seemed displeased with him, and he had yet to be given the opportunity to correct his mistakes. To gain her favour once more.

She always required time between tending to their offspring, which he’d been granting her.

When a conversation opened up about how she’d been to other parts of the world, something that drew Jabeziryth’s keen interest, annoyance flittered through him.She speaks freely, as though talking with a long-lost friend.They joked in ways that Weldir had never experienced with her, although on a few occasions he hadtried,to no avail, to gain her humour.

Is that what she considered Jabeziryth? A friend? While Weldir was trapped in his realm, unable to garner even a modicum of her attention or affection? She’d barely known the male for less than a few days and already their companionship lacked the strife Weldir and Lindiwe’s did.

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