A Soul to Embrace (Duskwalker Brides #8)

Chapter 23

Although tiredness truly began to weigh on Jabez, he decided one last adventure through Spiral Haven was warranted.

He noted the spring in Zylah’s steps as they threw themselves back into the throng of people. His gaze drifted down to the specialised strappings on her feet, and he was pleased that she seemed to be adapting to them already. They were dark brown and highlighted her little bunny toes more than before.

It really should help cushion her feet. Unfortunately, it did little to protect her toes from being squashed under hard-soled boots, which she hissed about. She never complained, now understanding this was just a normal part of being in a crowd.

She’s very adaptable. Had she been another Mavka, she would have been overwhelmed by their visit so far. It was hard not to be proud of her, especially as he considered it a respectable quality in another.

They stuck with the flow of people heading deeper within the village. There were far fewer than before, as most were likely heading home to tuck themselves into their beds or nests.

They had about an hour before shops would start closing, and he was taking them the long way to their final destination.

A small, knowing smile curled his lips. I think she’ll be rather fond of the last place. Humour tickled his chest at her awkwardness in both Goldie’s Garments and Baret’s Leather Shoes.

Baret had always been a grump. With the help of his parents passing on evolved genes, he was a human-eating Demon who had quickly reached completion in his younger years. He liked working with leather and hated greeting customers – he just wanted people to buy his shit to continue funding his hobby, without them annoying him. Alas, he couldn’t have the best of both worlds, but he could often be found working at the back of his shop when one entered.

The conversation within his store hadn’t been one of interest to Jabez, but he made sure to note Zylah’s reaction to it. He cared little about what people thought of him as king, but it was a dark cloud that hung above his head when it came to her.

Knowing she likely hated him as the unnamed king of Demons, but was fond of him as just Jabez, brought on a wave of problems. Ones he didn’t foresee going away easily. It was a reminder that the intimacy between them within the pocket of earth beneath this village shouldn’t have happened.

There’s little I can do to change it now, he thought, as they came to a string of carts selling wares.

Since there were fewer people around, it allowed Zylah to peruse what was being offered for trade at her own leisure.

She bypassed those selling fabrics, paints, games, weapons, and even knick-knacks. She also seemed to have little interest in those offering crafting supplies, such as beading, charms, and embroidery equipment.

She stopped at a cart selling herbs for various things – some for teas, others as spices for cooking. The cart next to it appeared to be run by a companion, who had contents that would be best for incense and essential oils.

Zylah smelt everything that was new to her, and both attendants were helpful in naming items and explaining their properties. If they had calming or sleeping qualities, they were quick to add in charming notes about them.

By the end, she held two specific plants to her nose hole: bergamot and sandalwood. He raised a brow when her snout repeatedly moved in his direction, like she was shyly glancing at him, but she quickly turned away when her orbs shifted to a reddish pink.

Before he could linger on it, his gaze lifted towards the canopy of leaves when he heard the lightest shaa. It’s raining. He was rather fond of the way the rain hit the leaves above the village, and he almost closed his eyes in contentment.

It sounded gentle, like the droplets were light. The music of them was calming as they reverberated off the lush green foliage.

The canopy would only allow singular drops through here and there, and it wasn’t a reason to close up shop and run. Most of the water would follow along the twisting branches and head towards the tree trunks. The multiple levels of branches helped direct that flow, and only the luckiest of drops would reach the lowest set of leaves and trickle against the ground.

It may grow muddy beneath their feet, but it would take a long while, or a much heavier downpour.

Once she was done trying to inhale the pieces of bergamot and sandalwood into her snout, sniffing wildly as she did, they moved on.

He almost chuckled when she halted at the first jewellery store. I guess females are the same, no matter their species. Then again, he thought what may have caught her gaze was the way the silver, gold, and gems glittered in the strategically placed firelight.

He considered these pieces of low quality. If she wanted nicer accessories, there were permanent stalls within the village that had jewellery that’d been crafted by those who were more skilled.

She eventually moved on until a better jewellery store caught her attention. Human jewellery. Obviously those pieces were stolen from corpses that had been eaten, or maybe they were hunted and their parts brought back to the Veil for meat – which was a feat all on its own.

Getting fresh, sellable meat of any creature to the inner ring of the Veil was difficult. Due to the low availability and the challenge of getting it here safely, anything pertaining to meat was expensive.

The shopkeeper, a male who was scarred but mostly humanoid, tried his hardest to snag a sale from her. His tanned hands picked up different pieces to show her, letting each one sparkle against his fingertips before he reached for something else. He complimented the colour of her fake void-like fur and told her which ones would best suit her features.

Jabez leaned against the corner post of the rickety store and raised both his brows at them interacting. He’s good, I’ll give him that. Zylah had been quieter and less confident at the beginning of their exchange, and only grew flustered under the weight of being told a certain necklace would look pretty on her.

Jabez knew that was a lie, considering it instantly sunk into the thick collar of her fur around her neck and almost disappeared. But he had no intention of ruining her fun.

At least none of it seems to be cursed. He would have been displeased had any of the pieces spooked her due to being an anchor for a human Ghost. Not all Demons could see them, but he had a feeling all Mavka were able to.

They are a part of life and death. This he knew, and not only had Merikh told Jabez of his ability to see them, but Zylah had pointed one or two out this night.

Jabez’s brows narrowed. The Witch Owl has been here recently. There would be far many more had she not been.

Despite how much the Witch Owl pestered and annoyed him, stopping her from this task would have brought on more problems than it was worth. Allowing her here promoted synergy within the village, and peace for those wandering it.

Jabez did wonder what would happen to the souls attached to the anchors if they were to be swallowed by a Mavka. This thought wasn’t a new one, especially when he’d always wondered what happened to the clothing, armour, and accessories worn by humans they’d eaten. If they didn’t produce waste, then where did it all go?

Perhaps it deteriorates in their non-existent but existent stomachs. He hummed in thought, knowing vividly how the inside of one of her kind worked. It was honestly a mess, nothing truly solid except for their hearts, lungs, and muscles. He’d found no liver, no kidneys, no digestive tract – it was like it all just turned into goop.

Zylah picked up different pieces of jewellery in interest, lifting them to the lantern light nearby to better see how they gleamed. She seemed fascinated by gems the most. Her tail wiggled in delight at certain ones, especially if they were large.

Goldie did wonderfully. Zylah looked comfortable in her new outfit, and it was far more flattering than what he’d made. The moderate navy was a nice, subtle contrast to her natural fur tones, and he did like the way the skirt swayed around her thighs.

It also covered that round, kneadable backside of hers, and that’s what he considered most important. More for his sanity than really from preventing others from leering at her – his cloak had been a good shield for that.

Though, he actually found it more titillating to watch the back of her skirt bounce like it might gift him a naughty peek. Did any male not feel hope that they just might get one? It was like a game to his eyes, seeing if he could catch a rare moment.

The outfit also accentuated her sensual hourglass curves, such as her small chest, her tucked-in waist, wide hips, and those kneadable, glorious thighs of hers. I do like her thighs a lot. They helped to support her thick backside, which also looked fun to play with and was currently what his hungry eyes hoped for a peak of.

He slid his gaze up when she attempted to slip on a ring, only for it to stop right before the second knuckle. She lifted her head and hand in his direction and wiggled her forefinger.

“I don’t think any of these will fit me,” she stated with a small laugh, unbothered by such a notion.

Jabez opened his mouth to respond, but was silenced quickly.

“Well, your hands are rather large,” the shopkeeper said with a chuckle. “Perhaps a bracelet?”

The shopkeeper waved his hand towards the bracelets available, and Jabez knew anything that was feminine wouldn’t fit her. Human females tended to have dainty, breakable wrists. If anything, only the thick, braided silver chain obviously once belonging to a male would fit.

Figuring what Jabez had, she shook her head and lost interest in the stall. She waited for him to push off from his leaning post once more.

“There is so much here I don’t understand,” Zylah said quietly, coming just that little bit closer to him. “I noticed there are tools to make certain items, but I don’t know what.”

“That’s fine. If you come back here one day, you can ask and figure out if perhaps a craft is to your liking.”

“Can we really do that?” she asked, her orbs morphing to a bright yellow with all this hope in her voice.

“Sure,” he lied, averting his gaze to the side.

How quickly she tried to involve him in her future wasn’t comforting. I can’t wait much longer to tell her the truth. Perhaps that’s why he had allowed them to come here.

The things she experienced tonight would be critical for her future. Like a cloth soaking up water, Zylah drew in knowledge like it was second nature. What he’d taught her here was invaluable in developing social skills for situations outside of those she could trust – like him.

If she comes here on her own, she’d have no issue communicating to storekeepers. She wouldn’t be startled by the crowd, the people, the place. They were surely allowing Mavka to return in his absence, as they’d never truly been put off by them – although wisely wary.

Hell, with Jabez gone and no longer placing a glamour on her, she may even make a friend. He’d been aware of a few who had come to know Faunus, the feline-skulled Mavka, well – which, unfortunately for him, made him an easy target for Jabez.

He paused when a particular store had something that caught his eye, which he would have missed had he been continuing to focus on her. He turned towards the counter and spared a glance at the bird-like features of the female seller.

She watched him like a hawk as he picked up a silver piece, whereas he slipped his gaze to assess the width of Zylah’s waist. Getting this would be invaluable for her. But, fuck, was it awkward. He’d have to explain its use to her, without raising her hopes of what it meant.

He put down the long silver chain and picked up the longest one made of gold. It looked like it’d fit.

His lips thinned at what he was about to do, but it was imperative that he actually checked it. The moment he shoved detection mana into it, his gut twisted and sweat rose on the back of his neck.

The detection showed that the enchantment was strong, and he eyed the attendant. She raised a feathered brow at him before her red eyes narrowed into a glare.

“It’s rude to check a person’s enchantments,” she stated coldly, her tone revealing she was a moment away from pecking him with her pale-pink beak.

“I’m merely checking its quality before I buy it,” he answered dully.

She folded her thin arms. “Well? Is my magic suitable for you?”

I could do better. But yes, it was good enough quality.

He reached into his bag, shoved his fingers past the drawstring of a coin pouch he’d stolen, and acquired three gold coins. “As a token of apology, I’ll give you extra.”

The moment he placed them on the table, she snatched them up and gave him her shoulder. “Appreciated. No take backs.”

He nodded and shoved the chain into his bag. Zylah tilted her head when he approached.

“What was that?” she asked, looking down at his satchel.

“I’ll explain what it is and give it to you later.” He looked up to mentally map where they were in the village before veering them to the right. “For now, let’s head to our last destination.”

As much as he could tell she wanted to walk the last street block of markets, that additional expenditure of magic rotated a ball of nausea in his stomach.

I need to shed the glamours soon. Actually, to give himself breathing room, he removed the physical one containing his genitalia in order to preserve what little mana he safely had left to expend.

I should have let myself heal first. The well of his magic was currently lacking in volume. A wiser choice would have been to sit with it for a day or two before he started spending it.

It was also making him unwell. He only had a little while longer before the second signs of ookmanik sickness truly came on. The first signs were sweating and nausea. Thankfully, there were deeper signs, and he was conscious of them.

But his reason for going against his better judgement looked as though she was about to break into a skip beside him. It’s the least I can do. And he likely wouldn’t have brought them back here had they left straight away.

Even when he took her down darkened streets, she never lost her enthusiasm for where they were going. He’d already informed her he had a surprise for her, one which, without a doubt, she’d adore.

The moment he saw the sign down a tucked away, almost hidden street, a grin threatened to lift into his mouth. She hadn’t noticed it yet, and he hoped she didn’t at all.

They approached a heavy wooden door with a single step, and she tipped her skull back to look up at the big sign above.

“Black Cat’s Bookstore,” she read out with a thoughtful hum, then a gasp ripped out of her. “Wait! Does this place have books inside it?”

His eyes crinkled as a chuckle flittered past his lips. “The sign gives away the surprise.”

Visibly vibrating with excitement, she almost pushed him out of the way when she bolted to get inside. He winced when the door swung open and bashed against the outer wall from her carelessly tossing it like it weighed nothing. The bell above chimed and smacked against its metal holder, and after ducking beneath the small doorway, he reached up to settle it so it didn’t break.

Rows upon rows of books were brightly lit up by glass lanterns, all of which were bolted to the walls so they couldn’t accidentally be knocked over. Each section was separated into genres, from books pertaining to the history of humans and those written by Demons, to those of fiction of great tales, adventures, and romances. There were multiple academic sections for geography, geology, and psychology, as well as those for cooking, baking, crochet, and even paper folding.

Many more were labelled with painted plaques.

Zylah was quick to go to the first free-floating section and pull out a book to see what it was about. The plaque above stated it was an autobiography.

“Hello, welcome to my bookstore,” the male attendant greeted warmly, disregarding the book he’d been reading and hopping down from a stool behind the counter.

The black feline ears poking up from the top of his head twitched in glee as he approached. His face was entirely cat-like, to the point that he had a feline, upward-pointing nose and muzzle. His body appeared humanoid except for his digitigrade legs, but it was hard to tell due to his long suit trousers and enclosed black boots. A nice black suit jacket sat over a lighter grey shirt.

Although it may have been difficult for most to see, Jabez could tell the void-like aspect of his Demon flesh had actually changed to appear like normal black fur. It was almost similar to Zylah’s, except it lacked the glossy shine of blue like hers.

If he’d continued to eat humans properly, he could have transitioned into a more humanoid form by now. Instead, he was one of the few who stunted the change by relying mainly on animal meat once he’d developed proper intelligence and humanity, making him appear more beastly.

Still fucking short as ever, though, Jabez thought warmly, seeing he still came to his waist height.

“My name is Rook, and I’ll be happy to assist you however you need,” he continued, flashing them a fang-filled smile.

With her hands on her thighs, Zylah leaned down a little, so they were at a better head height – not realising this was rude.

“I’m Zylah.” She lifted back up so she could look across the top of the floating shelves. “You have so many books here. I don’t even know where to start.”

His red, feline eyes filled with easy tenderness, overjoyed to meet someone who obviously liked the same hobby as him.

“Well? What interests you?” Then, as if he didn’t wish to leave anyone without a greeting, Rook leaned around her to look at him. “And what about you, sir? Do you also need assistance today?”

Jabez answered him with a grunt and waved his hand. Figuring they’d be here until the bookstore closed, he sat next to the door where there was an empty spot that didn’t contain books and wrapped himself up in his cloak to contain the sickly chill starting to rush through him. He propped the hood over his head to shield his face and hide from the light.

Seeing as Jabez had no care for the conversation, the two of them began to go through what may interest her. Jabez watched her intently, ensuring if she needed his help, he’d be able to jump in.

She immediately forgot about his presence, her focus solely on Rook and the hundreds of books around her. “I wish I could read them all.”

If Jabez had been able to speak without detection, he may have joined in on their fun. Especially since Rook ran around his store like a maniac, wanting to show Zylah everything – and most of all, his favourites. His long tail curled here and there when he obtained a book, its erratic movements an indicator of his glee.

But Jabez couldn’t talk, as the feline Demon was exceptionally perceptive. Those big ears had heard his voice time and time again in this quiet bookshop from before he’d began hiding his face behind glamours, and he would immediately be suspicious of it.

I can’t properly glamour around him. Rook was aware that Jabez wore different faces, as he remembered all those who came to his store – he never forgot a person. Because of that, Rook was always able to figure out who he was by the sound of his voice, even if he couldn’t see past the magic.

So, for now, he was merely a quiet spectator.

I must admit. I’m enjoying myself, though.

Zylah was even more animated than when they first entered the village. Not once since they’d entered the store had her orbs stopped shining the brightest yellow he’d ever seen from her. They even flickered with bright pink, and he truly did wonder what it meant now that he was seeing it again.

Adoration? That seemed like it fit.

Whatever it was, he found himself letting down his guard while he peacefully watched her. She even plopped that cute tail of hers against the ground with a pile of books next to her so she could go through them. Rook joined her on the wooden floor, opening the contents of one book to show the best part while she skimmed through another.

Jabez couldn’t tell if the second pile she was making was a rejection stack or an ‘I wish to take this home’ stack. They had more than enough room in their satchels for her to buy multiple novels. So, whatever amount she settled on, he would try to procure for her. He had plenty of trade left, and Rook took almost everything with contentment.

The trade he found best was the joy of a fellow bookworm leaving his store pleased. He had a room in the back where he sometimes kept certain pieces to remind him of favoured customers.

With the door to the back room slightly ajar, Jabez noted an amethyst crystal reflecting the low light. Next to it was a tiny wooden figurine. Neither meant anything to him, but he found that sentimental quality about the feline Demon endearing.

He had a feeling with the way Rook was attending to Zylah, he’d keep a part of their trade to remember her fondly.

His eyelids drooped, the stationary position and the safety within this hidden-away store allowing the fog of exhaustion to crest over his brow. No one would come here.

Hopefully she doesn’t want to take the whole store.

After being in the store for quite some time, Zylah flicked through some kind of horror novel, finding it lacked any scary qualities. It spoke of monsters, and it was hard to be frightened of something she could easily rip apart with her claws.

She carefully placed it on her discard pile when Rook leaned over to show her the inside of a mystery novel.

“The writing for this one is unique. You don’t know who the murderer is until the end, and I can tell you now, you’ll never guess who it is!” he exclaimed with exhilaration, his feline ears darting back as he laughed.

She took his offering and skimmed through it briefly. “I don’t think this interests me,” she answered, hoping the apology in her tone sounded sincere. “I am... new to reading. I like books about adventures to strange places I’ve never heard about. I don’t understand society well, so I don’t like things with complicated interactions with others.”

Although, that may change after tonight. Witnessing what she had in this village filled in the missing pieces she’d lacked when reading anything pertaining to cities or towns.

“I have plenty of fiction books,” Rook said, his puffy cat mouth curling into a fanged smile. “Depends on the adventures you’re after. There are fabled tales of dragons, wars, the chosen one off to defeat the evil sorcerer. Or there are romances about people falling in love.”

Zylah cocked her head at that. “I’ve never read a book about love.”

Although Fayren’s books had very briefly and confusingly detailed it, she still didn’t fully understand this concept.

Rook’s eyes lit up like she’d just presented him with the finest piece of treasure.

“If this is new to you, then I may have just the books for you!” He sprung up to stand, and hastily disappeared behind a shelf like his tail was on fire.

She peered through one of the craft books she’d picked earlier, flicking the pages with her clawed thumb to get a brief understanding of what it contained. Although it interested her, much of it required tools she lacked. She put it to the side, but would remember it in case she ever obtained those tools.

She picked a book about herbs next, but her shoulders lifted sheepishly due to the reason she’d taken it.

Jabez smells like bergamot and sandalwood, she thought, flicking through the pages in hopes of finding more about those plants.

The store selling herbs had revealed this to her, and she’d liked the way they smelt so much she’d considered eating them just to taste his scent. She’d been overjoyed to learn their names, and she hadn’t been able to contain the way her heart had nearly wept at the time.

Remembering someone was missing from beside her, she looked to the left to find Jabez. She felt bad that she’d completely disregarded him from the moment she entered the bookstore.

Like they had been the entire night, she expected to find his eyes upon her and for their gazes to meet. They didn’t. She dipped lower on a bent arm to see past his hood, noting his eyelids were shut and his mouth was slightly parted.

His knees had been propped up earlier. Now, they both fell to the right as if his body had gone lax.

He fell asleep? she wondered.

She regarded him more closely, and his skin did look rather ashen. The dark smudges under his eyes had grown from when they’d first entered Spiral Haven. As they were walking through the village, she’d noticed the occasional dots of perspiration, but she’d assumed that was normal for his magic use.

Perhaps it wasn’t.

Had she missed his deteriorating wellbeing over the course of the night due to her awe? If so, she felt rather guilty about that, and her orbs shifted to bright orange as the emotion sat queasily in her gut.

Should I let him rest, or wake him so we may leave? Did he know he’d been falling asleep, or was it an accident? He was such a cautious male that she didn’t think he’d leave himself vulnerable in a place he considered unsafe.

It had taken her weeks to be able to approach him from behind, and even longer to get near him while he slept without waking him. She bet if she got in his direct vicinity while they were in this place, he’d spook and wake in an instant.

I should leave him. She was enjoying herself, and she was here to protect him while he rested. Some sleep may do him some good.

She absolutely wasn’t thinking that just so she could be surrounded by books for longer.

Zylah continued to flick through the herb book’s pages. She grumbled when it had nothing on bergamot and only had a small passage on sandalwood.

In the distance, a chime rang from somewhere deeper within the village, its high-pitched sound soft and quiet. She lifted her gaze to the front window just above Jabez’s head.

“What is that?” she asked, her head twisting and cocking as she tried to make it out.

“Have you never been in Spiral Haven when dawn comes?” Rook asked, returning with three books in his arms. He sat down next to her, although a little closer than before.

“No,” she answered, eyeing the thickly bound novels he’d brought. “This is my first time here.”

“I figured as much, all things considered as of late,” Rook answered cryptically, sounding somehow forlorn. “It’s to let everyone know that dawn has finished rising and it’s time to leave. They have about an hour to cross the meadow before they’re unable to.”

“Oh.” She looked down at the novels around her, most of which she hadn’t managed to get through yet. “Does that mean we should leave?”

His eyes softened, and a gentle smile lifted into his feline features. “No. You are welcome to stay a little longer. I don’t mind keeping my store open later for you. It just depends on if you plan to leave the village before the sunlight fills the surrounding meadow like everyone else.”

Zylah wasn’t affected by the sun, and Jabez had his cloak to protect him. Jabez can just teleport us away anyway.

“We will be fine. Thank you,” she said with tenderness pooling in her chest.

He gave a small chuckle as he looked down to obtain one of the books he brought over. He shook his head as he said, “Well, it’s not often I have a Mavka in my store.”

No. I guess that would be strange, she thought, while laughing in return. Then what he said truly sank in.

Her head reared back, and she cupped the side of her skull with her orbs flaring white in worry.

“The glamour...”

“It fell quite some time ago,” he stated quietly, with his head bowed and his ears flattening. “I considered telling you, but you were just so interested in our conversation and my books that I didn’t know when to interrupt you.”

Zylah glanced over to Jabez, thankful that his hood was shielding his features. She didn’t know what to do. Should they leave immediately upon someone seeing what she was, and potentially recognising him?

“I’m sorry if that’s an issue,” Rook continued, lifting a green bound book in her direction. “You’re not the first Mavka I’ve had in my store, and I’m hoping you will not be the last.”

Zylah brought her gaze back to him and fidgeted nervously. “You are not against Mavka?”

His eyes crinkled at that. “No. Admittedly, I was nervous at first, but he showed me your kind can be just like us.” His expression deepened into one of kindness and warmth. “I also very much liked the human he brought here. They returned one last time before our late king forbade their entry.”

Her sight flickered with blue. “He forbade Mavka from entering? Why?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” he answered.

Just more proof of how little the king of Demons thinks of us. Zylah would love to return here. She looked around at all the shelves, and the hope and adoration she felt in her surroundings left a lightness within her mind. I can pick my own stories to read.

There was so much to learn here. She imagined she could spend days, even weeks, just curled up in a corner and reading each one. To forbid her kind from entering Spiral Haven, and therefore this place, felt wrong.

And Goldie... She’d left her clothing store feeling wonderful. Even though the little Demon hadn’t been able to tell Zylah was a Mavka, she’d still made her feel beautiful. I don’t think it would have mattered if she did know. Something about the female said that she would have tried to better match Zylah’s attire had she known she bore a skull.

“Thank you,” Zylah said as she took the book and hugged it to her chest. “I appreciate your acceptance more than you can ever know.”

“Oh, I think I do. When I first met Reia, I was delighted to meet my first human. I was worried she would be repelled by my company.” Then he gave another small chuckle as he said, “Although she was obviously very wary of me, she befriended me on her own terms. She dragged her Mavka back here to greet me, and I spoke with her at length. I’ve learned much about humans from her. She’s my... friend .”

“Why was a human travelling with a Mavka?”

Zylah realised she was being greedy by staying without a glamour, knowing Jabez would be against it, but she just couldn’t find the will to end the conversation. Not only did she not want to be rude towards Rook’s kindness, but she was curious. About Rook, about these people he spoke fondly of.

“Reia is Orpheus’ bride,” he answered. “He’s a funny fellow. He was much more cautious of me than she was. I really do hope they are okay. I haven’t seen them for quite a long time, but there are whispers throughout the village that they are still alive and together.”

“What kind of skull did he have?”

“A wolf one, with Impala antelope horns.”

I have not met this one. Then again, she’d only met the raven-skulled Mavka with short pointy horns briefly enough to forget most of his features, and her father, the fox-skulled, antlered one.

At least I now know Orpheus’ name, she thought warmly.

As nervous as she was about the prospect, she eventually wanted to meet all the others. Uncles Jabez had told her they were, which meant they were family. She’d read how much those blood ties could matter, despite not truly feeling any emotional depth regarding the concept.

The more she understood about the world, the more she wanted to reach out to anyone who could possibly be welcoming. At the time, she’d disregarded her parents as strangers, but she’d love to meet them again and come to better know them.

She looked upon Jabez, who was still asleep. He is a barrier. But maybe one she could help break. Surely what he’d done could be forgiven, especially as she’d forgiven him easily for it.

I can do it. She would be stubbornly determined, and if they refused to accept him, then they would lose her. He mattered more to her than strange relatives she didn’t know.

“You’re very different to Orpheus,” Rook said, his gaze flicking down to the book in her arms. “I don’t think he can read well, and you’re much more friendly. Hopefully Reia has helped him come out of his shell.”

Zylah giggled at that, and finally opened the pages to skim over its contents. She already knew this book was one she’d like to take, since Rook had been the one to give it to her; she was obtaining all kinds of gifts from people today. She was also curious about what a romance novel was, and hopefully it would shed light on that question.

“I would like to come back,” Zylah said, finally voicing her inner thoughts. “I’ve deeply enjoyed my time here in Spiral Haven, and everyone has been so nice even though they didn’t know what I am. I’ve experienced so much I never even dreamed could exist. I’d like to do that as myself.”

“Much has happened in the last few months,” Rook said, flicking through the pages of another book to show her. “We’re mostly happy with the laws placed upon us, as many of them keep us safe. But there’s a large group of us who would like to remove the ban on Mavka and their brides. My mate has already stated she is willing to travel to the outer ring to inform them of their ability to return if it’s allowed.”

Zylah knew what a mate was, as Fayren had explained it to her. It was when two Demons, sometimes more, formed a lasting companionship because they ‘loved’ each other. Although, some did form that bond due to other reasons.

“What is a bride?” Zylah asked, tilting her head. “I’ve never heard this term before.”

His forehead and lip whiskers twitched as his brows drew together. “How can you not know about this?”

Zylah scratched at the side of her snout bashfully. “Truthfully, I haven’t spent much time with my own kind.”

“Well, I think a bride is like a mate for Demons, but a partner that a Mavka chooses. It’s what Orpheus called Reia.” He flashed her an apologetic grin. “Sorry. I don’t know much about this myself. All I know is that your kind is very protective of them.”

“I see.” A bride? She wished she had more information about this.

Once more, she brought her gaze to Jabez. She bet he knew. Could he become my bride? Oddly enough, just the thought of him becoming her partner brought on a fluffy warmth in her chest, and her orbs morphed to bright pink.

She covered an eye socket when she turned back around, and Rook’s expression widened. He shoved his face right into hers, and his wet, twitching nose almost touched her bony snout as he inspected her orbs. It reminded her of Jabez’s earlier excitement over the colour.

“You Mavka are so strange with your colour-changing orbs. I’ve always wanted to know what they mean.”

“I can’t help it,” she grumbled back, her shoulders turning inwards self-consciously.

“Don’t be nervous about something natural to your kind! Be yourself with me, I don’t mind.”

The tension that had been clinging to her muscles eased, and they once more became engrossed in the books surrounding her. Rook brought her more until there was a noticeable mess surrounding them, occasionally putting away the ones he could tell she didn’t want.

Then an idea popped into her head! With a gasp, she dug through her satchel and grabbed her favourite book – the one of three humans going on an adventure and winning many battles along the way.

“Have you read this book?” Zylah asked, holding it out to him.

Rook took it and thumbed the embossed title on the front of the leatherbound book. “No. I don’t have this one.”

She propped up the first romance book he’d given her. “I’ve already read it twice. Would you like to trade?”

“Really?” he exclaimed, his eyes brightening as he gifted her with a large, fanged smile. “It is so hard to acquire new books! I would love to trade book for book.”

His feline tail curled in obvious delight, and he immediately opened it so he could get a feel for the pages. “This is the best trade. Thank you.” Then he waved to the other books on the ground. “But you can continue to look. I will take anything, so if there are more you would like, please do consider them.”

A certain giddiness made her chest ache, and she safely tucked the book away so she could go through the many others. Already the urge to flick it open and begin reading nagged at her conscience, much like Rook, who was already lost in the words of the one she’d given him.

Her orbs flared bright yellow. I traded on my own!

Zylah continued to look, setting aside two she could already tell she would enjoy. She didn’t know how much time passed, mere minutes or hours, but her happiness never waned.

That was until a female Demon stormed into the store from a back area. She looked similar to Rook in that she was feline in nature and had black fur, but a patch of light-brown skin had formed across a humanoid appearing cheek, chin, and jaw. Like him, she also wore some kind of suit, but it was a dark green and more feminine in design.

With her furry, pointed ears back in irritation, she placed her hands on her hips with her legs parted wide. “You,” she hissed with her eyes narrowing at Rook.

“Eliora,” Rook muttered quietly, his ears flattening. “I can explain.”

The lightest scent of fear cascaded from him. Not enough to stir true hunger, but enough to make Zylah’s gut twist and her orbs flare red.

“Explain nothing!” Eliora stated, while throwing her hands up. “You’re supposed to close at dawn.”

He quickly stood and gestured towards Zylah. “But I have customers.”

“Then tell them to lea–” her words cut short when she finally looked upon Zylah. She stepped back with a gasp. “It’s a Mavka.”

“Yes, see? This is important,” he said, walking over to her.

Her lips turned inwards as she thought deeply, while Zylah rose to stand. Eliora’s hands fell from her hips when her irritation waned.

“I’m sorry,” Zylah said, putting space between them. “I didn’t mean for him to be in trouble.”

“That’s not your fault,” Eliora grumbled, before cutting Rook a mean glare. “You should know better. You always find an excuse to hole up with your books.”

“You do know me, my dear,” he answered with a chuckle.

He continued to laugh even when she yanked on his ear in annoyance. Zylah could tell Eliora was upset, but there was affection in her tugs. Standing side by side, Eliora was much taller than Rook, but their relationship was playful and friendly.

“I’m really sorry, but I must ask that you leave,” Eliora said. “It’s bedtime and I’d like my mate back.”

“That’s fine,” Zylah said, turning to wake Jabez.

He was already rising, likely awoken by the sudden commotion. Steadying himself against the wall for support, his movements were slow and lethargic.

“Shit. I can’t believe I fell asleep,” he muttered, rubbing his face before adjusting his hood so he could see properly. His drowsy gaze found Zylah when she neared. “Have you had fun to your heart’s content?” he whispered, keeping his voice low.

“Wait,” Zylah rasped, reaching for his hood.

It was too late. He’d pushed it off before she could stop him, and she inwardly cringed.

“Oh shit ,” Eliora grated out under her breath. “It’s King Jabez.”

Jabez froze, then his eyes darted up to them. “What did you just say?” he stated, before he looked at his hands in disbelief. “Shit. Did my mana run so low that the glamour gave out?”

Then his disorientated, softened gaze instantly hardened, before it slowly lifted to the pair of Demons behind her once more. There was a dangerous glint to it, one that even had Zylah’s fur puffing.

“Y-your highness,” Rook stuttered out, retreating to Eliora’s side to grab her wrist. “You’re alive? Had I known it was you, I would have better attended to you.”

King...? Your highness? A horrible realisation began to settle over her entire being like a heavy, cold blanket, and Zylah stumbled back and away from him. No. Don’t tell me he’s...

“How could you not know he was here?!” Eliora quietly hissed at Rook, who instantly shot back his ears even further.

“He was hidden, and their glamours made it hard to scent them properly.”

Jabez’s eyes flicked towards Zylah, who continued to put space between them, and the chill she saw in his glare was frosty and harsh.

“You should have woken me,” he growled out.

Before Zylah could say anything, he disappeared in an instant. She spun around when both Eliora and Rook let out a sharp gasp, and found he’d materialised behind them with both their small necks in his grasp. He didn’t appear to be strangling them, but his nails were threatening with the way they dug into their jugulars.

“Vow that you will never speak of my return, or this will be your last day.”

“Jabez!” Zylah shouted, reaching an arm forward.

His snarl was vicious as he chomped his fangs in warning in her direction. With them bared, his nose wrinkled, and his eyes slitted in utter fury, she worried getting too close would only mean harm to her new friend and his mate.

“Vow it!” he roared, tightening his grip. “The only reason I offer is because of our entangled pasts.”

“Of course! We would never betray you,” Rook stated, while Eliora, with a narrowed glare, nodded and said, “I vow it.”

Zylah couldn’t believe how easily he’d threatened their lives! A trickle of betrayal ran down her nape, and her orbs didn’t know if they wanted to flicker blue in sorrow, or red in anger.

How was she supposed to accept that the person she cared for so deeply not only lied to her, but had been the one to cruelly share how to destroy her kind? He was the one who hated Mavka, and yet he’d been by her side, had helped her, been kind to her... touched her.

Her hands shook as she clutched at her chest right above her heart that felt so tight it made it hard to breathe. Betrayal crept down her spine like an icy trickle of water, making her shiver as her orbs wavered in sorrowful pain.

“You are the only ones who know,” Jabez said in a low, deep tone. “Be mindful of that.”

Then he was gone, and her fur instantly puffed in fear and aversion when the air shifted behind her. She didn’t make it a step before a firm hand gripped her forearm.

“We need to talk.”

The room disappeared, throwing Zylah into a whirlwind of darkness she screamed into when they teleported.