Chapter 716: Isolde’s fears

[Yes. Compatibility, purity, and the recipient’s strength would all need to be considered. Assisting with integration would improve their chances. It would not make every bloodline suitable for every person]

Elion nodded slowly. So even after learning the technique, he would have to carefully choose what to give them, rather than simply buying whatever looked strongest in the store.

Mira and Tessa were humans, while Isolde was a High Elf. Their circumstances were already different enough that what worked for one might not work for the others.

Mira and Isolde were mages, while Tessa was not even capable of casting enemy elemental spells.

’Can I find a suitable soul technique in the store?’

[Yes]

’Good. At least there’s that.’

For the moment, knowing where to begin was enough. He would look through the available techniques, find out what they required, and work toward learning one properly before even considering an attempt.

He certainly wasn’t going to use any of his women to find out whether he understood the instructions correctly.

’Alright. We’ll start with the soul technique, then. Once I can actually use it, we can discuss which bloodlines would suit them.’

[That would be advisable]

Elion let out a quiet breath, finally allowing the conversation to come to an end.

It wasn’t the immediate solution he had hoped for, but at least he had something to work toward beyond simply telling them to train harder.

He was about to open the store when a slight movement near the adjoining room caught his attention.

Isolde stood beside the gap that served as its entrance, her fingers curled around the edge of the blanket she had wrapped around herself.

Her light blonde hair was slightly disheveled, and the moment their eyes met, a furious blush spread across her face.

Elion blinked.

’Ah... she’s awake.’

Thinking about it, there was no way she could have stayed asleep through all that moaning, groaning, and screaming.

He had put considerable effort into keeping the sound from escaping outside, but the wall between the two rooms was another matter entirely.

"Oh, hey," he said, giving her a little wave. Somehow, that only made her blush more.

"Come on," Elion said softly, holding out his hand to her.

Isolde glanced toward the bed before looking back at him with her ears red. He didn’t tease her about it.

Instead, he waited until she walked over, and slipped her fingers into his, then led her toward the entrance, quietly moving the stone door aside with a casual flick of a finger.

The cold greeted them, and Isolde pulled her blanket closer around her shoulders. Above them, the beautiful moon still hung over the desert, casting its pale light across the uneven ground.

Elion looked toward the roof of his little structure, considering it for a moment before slipping an arm around Isolde and lifting them onto it with a gentle rise of earth.

She caught his shoulder in surprise, but he held her close before helping her sit down.

’Please don’t cave in,’ he thought, quietly reinforcing the stone beneath them.

Thankfully, nothing went wrong. He lay back first, and Isolde followed after a moment, spreading part of the blanket beneath herself.

Soon, they were both lying face up beneath the brilliant sky, their hands joined in the small space between them.

For a while, neither spoke. Elion watched the stars, occasionally glancing toward Isolde as she gathered the blanket around herself. He had been about to ask whether she was warm enough when her voice interrupted him.

"Does it feel good?"

He turned his head.

Isolde continued looking upward, though the color spreading across her cheeks made it quite clear that she knew he was watching.

Her fingers tightened around his, and she seemed to be doing her best not to hide beneath the blanket.

Elion understood what she meant, of course. He simply hadn’t expected Isolde, of all people, to be the one asking whether or not sex felt good.

A gentle smile appeared on his face.

"It feels like heaven," he said. "Are you curious?"

She nodded lightly. He waited, sensing that she had more to say, and after a long moment, she finally turned toward him.

"I was scared."

The words came out in a trembling whisper, and Elion’s smile slowly faded. He moved onto his side, giving her his full attention.

"When those men were chasing me, I thought..." She swallowed, struggling to continue. "I thought I wasn’t going to get away. And that they were going to take something precious from me."

Even though the memory made him a bit angry, Elion remained quiet, gently brushing his thumb over her fingers.

"Something I only wanted to give to you," she admitted.

Her voice broke toward the end, and she pressed her lips together as though she could somehow stop the tears already gathering in her eyes. Elion began to sit up, but she continued before he could speak.

"I know I’m not like the others. Tessa is so brave, and Mira always seems to know what to say. Even when she’s embarrassed, she can still tell you what she wants." A tear slipped down the side of her face. "And Aria never seems afraid to show you how much she loves you. I can’t even say half the things I want to without getting scared."

"Isolde."

"I keep waiting," she whispered. "I keep thinking that next time, I’ll say it properly, or I’ll stop being so embarrassed. But then you’re right in front of me, and I still can’t do it."

She wiped at her cheek with her free hand, only for more tears to follow. Elion could feel her fingers trembling within his, and hearing her speak so harshly about herself made something ache in his chest.

"I don’t want to keep hiding behind everyone else. I don’t want to sit around cowering anymore!"

The last words came out much louder than she seemed to intend. She drew a shaky breath, her mouth opening as though she was about to force herself to say something else, but Elion sat up and gently pulled her up into his arms.

For a moment, she went still against him. He held her close, one hand resting at the back of her head, then drew away just far enough to look at her face.

"Elion, I..."

He kissed her.

Her fingers caught in his shirt, and for a brief moment, she was too surprised to move. Then her eyes fluttered shut, and she sank into the kiss, leaning into him until he felt her body melt onto him.

He took his time, holding her gently while the cold wind stirred her loose hair around them. By the time he finally pulled back, tears were rolling down her cheeks again.

Elion brushed them away with his thumb, keeping his gaze on hers.

"You don’t have to be like Mira," he said softly. "Or Tessa, or Aria. I already have them."

Her lips trembled, but she listened.

"I want you, Isolde. Even when you get embarrassed, or don’t know what to say. You don’t have to turn into someone else just to show me that you care."

"But I..."

"I know." He smiled gently, brushing another tear from her cheek. "I notice when you reach for my hand. And when you want to say something but keep looking away instead. You might think you’re hiding everything, but you aren’t nearly as difficult to understand as you think."

A small, unsteady breath escaped her.

"You just need to be Isolde," he continued. "Be yourself. I’ll love you for that."

She simply stared at him. Then she threw herself into his arms, holding him so tightly that the blanket slipped from one shoulder.

Elion pulled it back into place and wrapped his arms around her, letting her bury her face against his chest. She sobbed softly, her fingers clutching his shirt, and he held her without asking her to stop, gently patting her small back.

They remained like that for a long time. Eventually, her breathing slowed, though she made no attempt to move away, and Elion was content to let her stay.

When she finally drew back, her eyes were red, but there was something more certain in the way she looked at him. She lifted a hand to his cheek, her fingertips brushing lightly against his skin.

"There’s something I haven’t told you," she said.

Elion rested his hand over hers and waited.

"I’m actually a High Elf."