16. Amick
Amick
There’s something relaxed about my Binder this morning.
The tension that’s lived in her posture since the God of Boundaries reappeared has eased. Every glance she gives my brothers or me is softer. Even the smile she offers Creed and Kyzen when they hand her coffee and breakfast is gentler.
Last night clearly served a purpose. She was fulfilled emotionally and physically, but I don’t think we can take all the credit. The conversations she had with the other goddesses helped Mara, but the real benefit is simpler.
For several hours, she was just a woman spending time with her friends. Judging by what I see and the way her soul brushes mine, that was exactly what she needed.
I’d love to see her wake like this every day.
“Are you waiting for me to ask about yesterday before you begin?” she asks, peering over her mug.
“No. I’m just enjoying watching you.”
Her face blooms pink. She gives me one of those gentle smiles and sets her drink down.
“Well, I’m ready whenever you are.”
“Okay then.”
I don’t drag it out.
No point spending all breakfast rehashing yesterday.
I start with Gladian’s house and how we filled him in on everything, except Creed didn’t hold up his end of the deal. He kept the Vihaan situation to himself.
“Creed.” She sighs.
“What? There was no point telling him yet.”
“Yeah, okay,” she scoffs. “Well, I told Mara because that’s what we agreed on. So when your secrecy smacks you in the face, you have no one to blame but yourself.”
He grunts into his mug. “I’ll handle Gladian when I need to.”
She rolls her eyes and nods for me to continue.
Next, the Vulius debacle. She finds it hilarious that Riven stood protectively in front of his door. I found it a waste of time.
Unease flickers across her features when I move on to Prath. She shifts in her seat, but she doesn’t let it overwhelm her. She listens to every word as I explain the day.
“Creed and Gladian are going to Hellveilious to verify if Barir is really their Valtrue member. If he is, Gladian will offer him the choice to return or stay in his role. If he leaves, Creed will ask Phoelius and Zareb to watch the mid-level until he finds a replacement.”
“Do you think he’ll want to stay in Hell if he’s part of their Valtrue?” she asks Creed.
“Who knows. I didn’t realize how rocky their history was. Barir was the one who fucked up keeping that secret, not Gladian. Unless he really just wants to avoid an awkward reunion, I don’t know why he wouldn’t take the get-out-of-Hell offer.”
She hums, nodding.
“What issues does this cause for you?”
Creed shakes his head. “Depends on if Phoelius says no. He’s already watching his level and keeping an eye on the lower level and Delun. If he doesn’t want to take on another, I’ll ask Faron to help. I’ll probably do that anyway. I have no fucking idea who I’d trust to bring in.”
“I have no doubt Barir will join his Valtrue and Phoelius will say yes. If not, we’ll work it out,” I say.
Creed doesn’t look convinced.
“So, back to your little friend,” Thayla says, giving Riven a saucy smirk. “Do I call him Vulius or Vullie? Or is that nickname reserved for you?”
“Either, but he likes Vullie.”
I’ll be calling him Vulius. That’s his name.
“I wish I could say I’m surprised that asshole Gulliver sided with Harriseen over his own son, but I’m not. He’s a grade-A dickhead.”
Her disdain for the gods rises fast. Riven and Kyzen chuckle. Creed smirks. I stay quiet, but I agree.
“Gulliver will have to pull his head out of his ass eventually and accept his son, or his face can meet my fist,” Riven says, shaking his curled hand like we don’t know what a fist is.
They laugh while I focus on breakfast and think about today.
Depending on where Doren finds this Binding, we have a lot to consider. The ways both the Abandon and Valveilious could go wrong fire through my mind faster than I can stop them.
“So…” Thayla says after a blissful moment of quiet.
“So what, gorgeous?” Kyzen asks.
She huffs and toys with her fork. “Does Mara’s Valtrue make any of you nervous? Not because of their power but because of who they are? Isn’t it strange they were already part of our lives somehow, and the moment Val shows up, their truth comes to light? Like…I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”
I study her brow, Creed’s scowl, Kyzen’s tapping finger. Riven keeps shoveling food.
“You’re worried the Pairings are still being manipulated,” I say.
She gives me a guilty smile. “A little, yeah.”
“I don’t think that’s completely the case,” I say. Her gaze sharpens with skepticism and hope tangled together.
“How so?”
“I think the Valories may have manipulated our paths to cross with these people beforehand. Maybe to build trust or alliances. But I don’t think they paired them in a Valtrue for that reason. I don’t know how the Gods Binding chooses pairings, but the Valories definitely know.”
“Huh,” Kyzen says. “So the Valories are aligning our friendships.”
I shrug. “Something like that.”
“Damn, that’s annoying,” Riven grumbles through a mouthful of food. “Here I was believing I was a great judge of character.”
Thayla chuckles. “I think we’re still good judges of character. None of you are suddenly best friends with Gladian, Barir, or Prath. I hate feeling like the creator decided anything for us, but I have to admit, they put strong allies in our path. And we need that.”
“Never thought I’d hear shit like that come out of your mouth, little burden.”
She grunts at Riven, but Kyzen cuts in.
“Speaking of our friends and allies…”
A millisecond later, Creed’s sunsetter chimes and I push my chair back.
“Time to find another Binding,” I say, rounding the table and offering Thayla my hand.
She takes it, smiling beautifully as she stands. V steals her attention as he glides to her shoulder.
“Thayla…” he trails off. She halts and tilts her head.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your—Val would like your permission to be there while Doren tracks.”
“Why? I can tell him how it went at training this afternoon.”
“I believe he simply wants to observe and is restless since Meridamus is going to the Neutral with Derivius.”
She huffs and glances at each of us. We all give her the same supportive look.
“Fine,” she grumbles. “It’s not like he doesn’t know where the hot spring is anyway.”
“I’ll let him know you said yes,” V says, far too enthusiastic. His tone earns him a small glare. “The others are on the back lawn, waiting for you.”
He gives us a hoot and vanishes through a starshoot. Thayla rolls her eyes.
“He was so subtle,” she scoffs.
“Meddling little thing, isn’t he?” Riven asks, chuckling as he laces his other hand through hers.
She grunts in agreement as we head down her hall and out through her room. Just as V warned, Yemi and her Valtrue are already waiting. The rest of our ever-growing group knows we’re doing this today, but there’s no point in all of them being here.
“Are we ready?” Doren asks, smiling wide.
“Are you ready?” I ask instead.
Obviously, we’re ready. We’re not the ones doing anything taxing.
“I am. I slept great, had a good breakfast, and spent quality time with my Valtrue. My power is ready.”
“Great, then let’s go,” I say, motioning everyone forward.
Thayla smirks, rises onto her toes, and plants a kiss on my cheek.
“See you there, Candyman.”
My power wraps around me and I follow her through the starshoot. The familiar warmth of the hot spring greets me instantly.
All ten of us arrive within seconds, and as though he’d been waiting, the God of Boundaries materializes near the tree line without a sound.
Fascinating ability. One I hope Thayla picks up quickly.
The greetings are brief and awkward for her. She responds to Valthaneus’s hello with a tight smile and a dip of her head. No one seems sure what to say next, so I cut the discomfort short.
“Doren, we believe the Binding is at our father’s residence if he isn’t carrying it. Would seeing his home help you pinpoint the exact location if it’s in the Abandon?”
His eyes widen. “Yes, of course, but ho—”
“V, would you assist with that?”
He hoots softly and glides to my shoulder.
“I can get the images from one of the others. This may be uncomfortable for you.”
“I’ll be fine. We need this done so when Derivius gives the word, we’re ready.”
“Very well. Bring his residence to the forefront of your mind.”
I do, despite the tightening in my chest. When his power touches my mind, mine tries to reject it, but I hold steady.
Not that I could shove him out, but if I asked him to stop, he would.
I’m not ashamed to admit the first image that appears is that room. The small walls. The darkness. The mattress. My torch lamp. I let it linger only a second before forcing the outline of the house forward, then every detail I remember.
I’m not sure what others feel when V does this, but for me, it’s like he’s combing through the images. A slow drag that makes my skin pull tight. He flips through memories like pages.
He releases a soft hoot and withdraws. I let out a long breath.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Yes. I didn’t expect to sense your presence the whole time. It was uncomfortable, but not painful.”
“Good.”
He glides to Doren, and their embrace is much shorter.
Doren simply rolls his shoulders out as V returns to Thayla.
“Now that I know the location, I’ll be able to tell if—”
“Time.”
Derivius’s voice cuts through my mind, and my attention snaps to Thayla. A bright flash appears in her palms, leaving a single Binding sitting there.
Doren instantly understands the disruption. He lowers himself to the ground, breathing deeply. Yemi bends down, cups his cheeks, kisses him, then backs away. Her affection leaves a grin on his lips.
“I’m not sure how long this will take. Could be ten minutes, could be an hour. I ask that none of you break my concentration unless absolutely necessary.”
“Understood,” Thayla says, passing him the Binding. “Are you sure one is enough?”
He nods. “One will be fine.”
She exhales and settles between Kyzen and Riven.