12. Thayla #3
Frustration rolls off everyone so violently, I swear I sense it slithering across my skin.
Derivius and Meridamus continue to bicker.
Amick is peppering Creed with questions he doesn’t have answers for.
Riven and Sevryn are making plans and riling each other up about how they’re going to kill their fathers.
I can’t even focus on what Kyzen, Nero, Iric, Doren, Lambrit, Yemi, or Rose are talking about.
The noise bellowing through the living room eventually gets drowned out. Vihaan’s words echo through my head despite never hearing them myself.
The realm will not survive divided gods. It won’t.
I’m not sure how we find unity with Obliteration or Seduction, though.
I don’t think we can.
We just have to figure out how to function without them.
There’s so much to figure out.
My gaze drifts over everyone and my attention lingers on Amick and Creed. He’s growing so frustrated. Especially now that Amick’s repeating Gladian’s story and attempting to find any thread or answer between that and the interaction with Vihaan.
Gladian and Mara should be here.
The realization slams into me so suddenly it steals my breath. Not because I forgive him. Gods no. I’m not there yet. I’m still not sure if I’m even capable of forgiving what he did to me.
But unfortunately, something I can’t deny is…he’s proven to be a tolerable ally. Mara has beyond proven herself.
More problems are piling up, and they aren’t going to be fixed in one action. One battle. Nothing is going to move us forward if we keep putting each new issue ahead of the issues we already have.
We also aren’t going to get anywhere if we keep our allies at arm’s length and pretend partial trust somehow counts as trust at all.
“Enough, everyone!” I shout and run my fingers along my temples.
Kyzen’s soothing strokes down my spine pull a deep breath from my chest. I nod to myself, then focus on Creed and Amick.
“Vihaan’s situation is horrendous and I’m so sorry you had to experience what you did today,” I say, then shake my head when he opens his mouth. “But figuring out his soul isn’t our number one priority. It’ll fall into its own place when it’s time.”
He tilts his head at me in a mixture of shock and disbelief.
I move my gaze over to Derivius.
“When can Doren track Obliteration’s Binding?”
“I was going to tell all of you later today, but then I got the call to come here. Day after tomorrow.”
“Why not tomorrow?” I ask.
“You do not want that truth, little troublling.”
“I do or I wouldn’t have asked.”
He gives me a tired, sad smile.
“Creation will be visiting the Abandon to acquire additional Attendants since hers vanished and there aren’t very many in Valveilious to spare.”
Maybe I didn’t need to hear that. My fists clench so tight I’m surprised I don’t break the skin on my palms.
“Very well,” I grit out. “Doren, the day after tomorrow okay with you?”
“Yes.”
“Good. So tomorrow, guys, you all will be going to fetch Gladian, tell him the truth of everything going on, and help him find his remaining Valtrue members. Yemi, Rose, and I will be having a girls’ day with Mara while we tell her the truth. Then the day after tomorrow—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back the fuck up,” Sevryn growls.
“You heard me, Sevryn. It’s time for everyone to be on the same page. Regardless of whether we’re going to the Abandon or Valveilious to recover this Binding—that we have to have—we need backup. We won’t risk their lives again without them knowing the truth.”
His nostrils flare and he throws his hands up, but he doesn’t argue beyond that.
“I know shit continues to pop up, but from here on out, it’s just going to have to go on the list. First things first have to be handled. Locate Kira’s Binding and retrieve it. From there, we move on to Rella’s. Then…we figure out the next fucking step.”
I could sneer at the way everyone looks at me in shock.
I believe I’ve proven my ability to plan some shit.
“That’s very smart, Thayla,” Val says. “Plus, it would be very wise for you and Yemi to practice blocking the powers of everyone who will be joining you. Tomorrow, we will move on to sight.”
“Sight?” I ask, not bothering to hide the disbelief in my tone. “We need to focus on power and perception. The whole reason behind this training.”
“Yes, but understanding a domain, gaining control over a domain, and an ability isn’t something you master in a day. It takes time, practice, and a little patience.”
“Yeah, all things that are in very short supply for us.”
His face softens.
“You can’t expect to accomplish in days what took me lifetimes.”
“I can because we don’t have another choice.” My voice cracks more than I meant for it to. “I—the realm doesn’t have a lifetime to learn because of the choices you—the seven of you—made.”
My words linger between us. My tone didn’t come out as harsh as it could have, but that doesn’t lessen the fact that they’re painfully true.
And impossible to take back.
“Practice what?” Amick asks as my chest heaves.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath before facing him.
“We have a way to move through the Abandon undetected with our powers.”
He blinks repeatedly as I give him a brief recap of our training today. By the look on his face, I’ll be repeating this later in more detail.
At least this is one worry knocked off the list.
If and when we actually fucking train for it.