Page 45 of To Trap a Soul

“This creature is not a Demon.”

Her bottom lip trembled as she said, “Then what is it?”

His mouth tightened before dispersing, and he looked down once more. “I am... uncertain.”

“You never know anything!” Lindi, with her free hand, fisted the messy, sweat-soaked strands of her hair. “You are the most useless god I’ve ever heard of! You’re not all-knowing or all-powerful. How can you notknowwhat your own child will become?!”

“Calm, female.” He said this, but there was a sternness to his deep tone, a disgruntled demand in it. “You’re only upset after your ordeal.”

She ignored his ire when hers outweighed it.

“Upset?!” she bit out. “I just spent hours giving birth to your child, essentially alone, and it bit me three fucking times. You can’t even tell me what they are. Of course I’m upset!”

Lindi was exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to finish the process – because her stupid body still felt the pressure of an afterbirth – and then curl into a ball and sleep for an eternity. She’d been hoping to maybe cuddle them and take care of themas she rested. Even though her pregnancy had been thankfully short, she’d still grown attached to them.

Maybe her child could have been something she could adore in her loneliness. Now she was just frightened and concerned about whatever evil she may have brought into the world!

“Return back to your Phantom form and I will heal you,” Weldir stated. “It’s not their fault.”

“Not their fault?!” she yelled. She opened her mouth to say theychoseto attack her, but he spoke over the top of her.

“They are a baby,” he stated coldly, and it shocked her silent.

Because he was right...

Yes, it was only a baby, and likely didn’t understand anything about the world.

He waved his free arm to the side, and the entire thing evaporated into mist when he finished – and never returned, as if what had been keeping him physical was wearing out. Less and less of him was visible, and the white glow in his chest was growing smaller by the minute.

“I can see that, like me, they are half-formed. I have no idea as to why they attacked you, but they are asleep now and I sense no hostility from them. They may have been frightened from leaving the safety of your womb. Do not judge them so harshly when you, nor I, know the answer.”

Lindi blew air into her cheeks until they puffed, and it forced her bottom lip forward into a pout. Okay, so maybe he had a point, and that did make her heart squeeze in pity for them.

They may have been disorientated.Giving birth to them had been traumatising for her, but they’d also just gone through an ordeal.

Feeling rather guilty about her reaction, she turned incorporeal as an apology. To show that she was sorry and that she kind of – not really – trusted him.

She gave him a wincing plea. Nothing reached out to her, but her wounds instantly began to fill with black, glittering sand. It tickled, rather than being abrasive, and her wounds, even the one between her thighs, faded.

Even the blood on her skin and clothing disappeared.

“You have said some hurtful things, Lindiwe.” The lack of emotion in his tone made it hard to tell if he was actually upset or not.

“Forgive me for not being impressed, nor impressive, right now.” She eyed the creature on his arm with deep-seated wariness. “Y-you promise they aren’t a Demon?”

“Yes, as I am not one myself – although my creation is entirely due to them.”

Lindi’s head tilted at that. “What do you mean?”

If his arm hadn’t been missing, would he have waved it dismissively? His shoulder joint twitching gave her that impression.

“Never mind. It is unimportant.” The creature didn’t stir at all, even when it was brought before Weldir’s face to be inspected further. “I have no idea what they will turn into, but I’m slightly disappointed they are not properly formed, nor entirely Elven. I was hoping your mortality would make them whole.”

Her nose scrunched. “Are you seriously blaming me?”

“Blaming you?” The child moved to the side in the air so he could look at her. “When did I ever insinuate such a thing? I’m merely stating the truth of my thoughts.”

Okay, that was fair. Lindi was just on an emotional whirlwind due to hormones and her terrifying night! She wanted to feel awful about that, but she just couldn’t muster up the will to give a shit right then. She was actually relatively calm, all things considered.

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