Page 84 of Shadows Ascend
"Mine!" hissed the pookah behind her, conveniently awake now with its ear twitching.
My lips thinned on the territorial creature that was nowtalking?But Emon merely grunted, occupied with laying bed rolls beside the fire. Rummaging in the pack again, he growled softlyand then chuffed with happiness, holding up a canister and white box like a trophy, a wide smile on his face.
Riella and I both stared at his triumphant grin.
"Dinner," he cooed, crossing his legs over each other and cradling the white box in his lap like a babe, he opened the contents and tossed the canteen out on the bed roll. "I can't think on an empty stomach and these pastries won't last another day. Who is hungry?"
My mouth watered. "Those are the pastries you made in Eithne?"
Emon nodded, his eyes sparkling. "Yes. Your brother packed them for me.” Then he winked, “admit it, you like my baking better than Drey's."
Scooping Riella up and savoring the way she giggled in my arms, I joined Emon on the padded bedding with her tucked neatly into my own lap, "I will do no such thing. We owe Drey our lives."
“Indeed we do. I will make sure he is honored for the sacrifices he has made once this is all over.” Emon pushed the white box of baked goods towards my daughter. "The brave princesses of shadows first."
Riella rolled her eyes. "Warriors, we are the brave shadow warriors, faedere."
Emon barked out a laugh and plucked another hidden needle from her hair. "Apologies my cub, of course you are warriors. There are no damsels here, as your mother reminded me earlier." He gave me a salacious smirk before biting off a chunk of dried meat that he had also taken from the pack.
Riella, oblivious to Emon's heated stare, dove for the white box, picking out the biggest pastry, a flakey layered bun of cinnamon spices and sweet honey glaze. Biting into it with a happy hum, she chewed it eagerly before taking another large bite immediately after.
I snickered and left the box to her greedy little hands, choosing the dried meats, not even realizing how hungry I was until the flavor hit my tongue. Finishing it quickly, Emon handed me a canteen of water, watching me quietly.
"There's something else I need to tell you,"he said softly in my mind."There was a moment where I weakened in the woods, the soulless sleep is starting to take a bigger hold but that is not thebiggest concern."
I slowly lowered the canteen and released a shaky breath."How is that not the biggest concern, shifter?"Staring at him with beseeching eyes,"How bad was it?"
Emon shrugged and grabbed another piece of meat, handing it to me but I refused, my stomach churning. His lips thinned."I will tell you more when you eat more. You asked for me to be truthful. This is me following your wishes but I will not do so if that means I watch you waste away with worry."
I growled at him before bending down and whispering in our daughter's ear, "Pick one out for me, little one. Whatever one you want me to try?"
Snatching a golden brown pastry, she held it out for me. "Faedere told me you like chocolate when I made this one for you. It's on theinside," she said secretly through her mouthful of masticated pastry.
I took the chocolate stuffed croissant from her. "I do love chocolate." Taking a bite, she watched me beaming, and I winked down at her.
"Did I bake it right, maedere?"
I kissed her, leaving a chocolatey smudge on her cheek. "You did an excellent job, Riella."
She hummed again and returned back to her own treat, bouncing in my lap to her own energetic rhythm.
Meeting Emon’s eyes again, I took another big bite pointedly."Start talking."
His eyes dilated as he watched me chew before he shook his head."I heard Deirdre again. She said she would take my soul."
"Obviously, I won't let that happen. I am the goddess of souls here,"I snapped haughtily, despite my racing heart. “You are not the only one she has reached out to in this realm,"I admitted with a soft whisper in his mind.
Gold eyes narrowed on me sharply. "What?"he barked.
"I was knocked unconscious for a short time fighting the demons. I woke up just as her voice whispered to me…saying that I would come for her."
Emon's jaw clenched and he raked a hand over his braided hair, before scrubbing over his beard. "That's twice now she has attempted to use her spirit ability to manipulate us."
Finishing the delicious chocolate bun, I chewed thoughtfully."Fear. To sow doubt. To push us into making rash decisions. To distract us from a bigger threat."
Emon grimaced."There were wraiths in the woods. Her reach has extended now into Hell. If that demon hadn't been there while the sleep took me…I am a liability now, Remnant. You must realize that."
My heart thundered and I knew he could hear it."I will not. Even as a soulless you could never be a liability to me Emon…you are my reason."
