Page 139
Story: A Soul to Revive
“Okay,” Reia started, stealing everyone’s attention. “So, I’m guessing the plan is that Emerie will stay here so she can use Delora and Magnar’s bath, while we go back to our place to fetch her some clothes and new shoes.”
“While you’re all doing that, Faunus and I will go back to ours and set up the tent and give you guys time.” Mayumi placed her hands on her hips and nodded. “We’ll reconvene with you all back here in a few hours. Say... just after the sun finishes setting?”
“Sounds good to me,” Delora piped up. “I can cook us all some dinner.”
Just as one of Mayumi’s feet backed up half a step, Emerie tried to reach out to her.
“Hey,” she grumbled, finding anywhere to look that wasn’t either a set of orbs or eyes. “I just wanted to say thank you, to all of you. You don’t know me, so I really appreciate you all for being so accommodating. It’s not often you find such kindness in the world.”
“We know that better than most,” Delora stated with her already sweet gaze softening.
Reia snorted a laugh. “Ain’t that the truth!”
One side of Mayumi’s lips pulled up into a slight smile before she placed her hand on the pommel of her sword and turned. She headed off into the forest, and just before she could fade from view between a pair of trees, the feline-skulled Mavka intercepted to join her.
He’d been watching and waiting for her.
“See you in, like... an hour or something?” Reia stated.
Before any of them could respond, Orpheus had spun to take her away. His deer tail flickered in obvious joy at being able to leave, and Ingram watched as he licked her high, arching cheekbone as he walked off with her.
That left them alone with Delora and Magnar.
His orbs returned to their normal purple.
For some reason, that caused Magnar to lift his hand to cover Delora’s face, as though to hide it from Ingram’s view. His orbs darkened in their green hue, and the tiniest growl echoed through his fangs.
He flinched when Delora smacked him in the stomach with the back of her hand before she said, “I’ll give you both some time before you bathe, since it’ll be a while before we can change your clothes. I’ll bring you more food and some water in the meantime.”
“Thanks,” Emerie grumbled as they went inside, then she lifted her face to Ingram. She gently brushed her fingertips against the corded muscle of his throat. “Areyouokay? That octopus Demon sure did a number on you.”
“I am fine, Emerie,” he reassured as he tightened his arms around her. Somewhere in the murky, fast pace of his memories, he remembered chasing this female through the forest with the vile desire to tear her to shreds. How close he’d come to that... he shuddered at the thought. “You are alive, and that is all that matters.”
“Why didn’t you tell me there were humans here?” She lightly shook her head with her brows knotting. “It would have been really useful to share that with me. I could have been better prepared.”
“I did not know the other females would still be here,” he stated honestly.
He finally sat back so he could cross his legs and bring her into his lap. He curled his tail around his body so the tip lay near his feet.
“We thought they would eventually eat these humans.” He lifted his raven skull to the green door and then the long, open shelter of the house in front of him. “It has been some time since my kindred and I were on this side of the Veil.”
Emerie’s pretty lips pursed, and she squinted up at him.
“Fine. You’re forgiven, only because you did actually save me today.”
Emerie lurched in the bathtub at the knock on the door, followed by someone asking if they could enter.
“Ah, no! Give me a second,” she shouted, holding the wooden tub’s edge so she could safely shove to her feet.
Her foot slipped out from under her just as she placed it on the ground. Her squeal was accompanied by her righting herself before she almost went arse over head. The door handle moved as though the person didn’t care about her rejection in light of the alarming sound she made.
Emerie grabbed the handle with both hands to stop them. Then she was the one to push it down and poke her head through.
A set of forest-green eyes blinked at her. Reia’s pale, yet sharp features were twisted with worry, so Emerie flashed her a grin.
“You’re back,” she said with a sigh.
“Yeah,” she confirmed before shoving a blue gown through the small crack Emerie had made. She was unwilling to allow anyone even a slight chance of seeing anything other than her right shoulder. “Here.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139 (Reading here)
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235