Page 120 of To Trap a Soul

Yet he couldn’t help finding her bottom lip pouting forward cute, especially as he felt infinitely better now that he’d stolen her away from that half-Demon.

He’d take her being cranky with him over the disgusting pit of emotions he’d been floating in earlier. He wasn’t used to feeling them, and he thought that may be why he found himself to be much more sensitive than usual.

I don’t like that I will have to make that male reveal his true intentions.That their companionship was fragile, and likely only reached the end of Lindiwe’s usefulness to Jabeziryth. In his heart, that male was a Demon who had cruel and violent intentions, even if he was only a mere boy in Weldir’s mind.

I do not wish to hurt her, but she will see when I speak withhim.The result of that conversation should irreparably damage their useless friendship.

Yet he felt his mist unfurling itself with her presence near and safe, and the vicious tangle of emotions quickly pulled away. She floated in his weightless shadows, completely wrapped up in him.

That was all that mattered for now.

“You continued to meet with Jabeziryth, disobeying me,” he stated with a deep tone of displeasure.

“He doesn’t like to be called that,” she grumbled. “And you likely heard him say so.”

A swirl of confusion wrapped around him.

He didn’t see why she cared, or why he should.

“But that’s not his name.”

Her arms tightened. “Doesn’t matter. Are you going to use a soul to speak with him?”

“I don’t see why I should?” he stated, a question underlining his voice as he tilted his head to the side. “I can talk to him through you.”

Her jaw dropped, then she threw her hands up, obviously more annoyed with him than just a second ago. “I will tell you what I told him. I’m not a messenger bird!” she exclaimed with a hateful spark of fire in her eyes. “Talk to him yourself. You have the ability to do so.”

“In order to speak to him properly, I would require the use of a soul. I have no desire to waste such energy on a petulant child.”

Then again, calling Jabez thatwasa little unfair, considering he was a fully fledged adult. Just something that was young on the scale of unending time Weldir had lived and would live.

“I’ll happily be there to mediate, but I don’t want to talk on your behalf.”

Weldir sighed. Was he being childish? Perhaps a little, but he had his reasons, however selfish they may be. “You once told methat the gods you know of were fickle beings. I am choosing to be fickle.”

Her brows drew impossibly closer, and her gaze much sharper. “Then speak to him in your mist, like you first did with me.”

“If we do that, then you will not be there, as there will be no point.”

“No.” She placed her hand over her chest. “I want to be part of the conversation, since it apparently impacts me.”

“Then you will speak on my behalf.” When she opened her pesky mouth to argue and refute, bold as usual, Weldir darkened his voice. “Enough,Lindiwe. I have taken your disobedience lightly over the past few days, but my patience does have anend.”

She promptly shut her lips, and then her pretty features pinched into a displeased expression. She looked to the side, away from him, as her hands bundled into tight fists.

Seeing as this was a losing battle for her, he sighed.I’d rather her not be there for her safety, but she is stubborn and she must see the error of her ways.Especially regarding Jabez, and what he knew to be the truth. She seemed to have more faith in a total stranger than acceptance that Weldir could foresee the likely outcome.

He wanted her thereonlyfor that reason. To know, with irrefutable proof. So she couldn’t argue with him about it in the future, and would do anything in her power to avoid him from then on.

“There is a portal in a large rainforest, which has given the Demons a plentiful home,” Weldir continued, refusing to entertain the notion of her changing his mind. “Once we are certain you are carrying another of our offspring, I will speak toJabezthrough you and then remove you from Austrális.”

“Whatever you want, Weldir,” she snipped. Then, with her expression relaxing into something crestfallen, she muttered quietly, “It’s always whatever you want.”

It was almost like he’d taken a toy from a creature that did not want to relinquish it.

What I want is for her cheerlessness to fade.

Although he’d taken her from Austrális – he could have had this conversation through the bond – he had good intentions. Namely, to keep her safe, within his reach, and finally enact something he’d been wanting to try for quite some time.

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