Kyzen
The pressure of tomorrow hangs over everyone’s head.
Despite each of us fulfilling and adapting to our new roles these last few days, it hasn’t distracted us from the reality we’ll face in less than twenty-four hours.
We’re all nervous in our own ways.
Riven, as always, is hiding his fear behind humor. He’ll taunt Amick, asking him things like, “What do you think would happen if I use my Chaos to make it seem like the Attendants have risen from the dead in the middle of the trial?”
I hope to fuck that isn’t something he can manage, but you can never be too sure with him. For all I know, he’s already gone to the healing villas and tested it out.
Amick doesn’t feed into him. Verbally, anyway.
He can’t hide the color that creeps up his neck.
Creed, like usual, has taken the silent approach. He hasn’t spoken a single word about the trial. From the moment Derivius delivered the news at the Akovas’, until even now as he finishes up dinner, he hasn’t mentioned it.
Thayla’s trying her hardest not to let it show how much it’s bothering her, but I’ve caught a few looks she’s given Amick when he’s distracted. One moment, there’s a glaze in her eye like a sad thought ran through her mind.
Then something fierce, determined, and protective appears.
It’ll kill me to do, but I’ve already mentally prepared myself for the possibility I’ll have to use my power to stop her if the verdict isn’t in Amick’s favor.
We cannot interfere if that’s the case.
Everything that happens tomorrow will reflect on Amick. Not us.
Hypothetically speaking, if I were to decide to stab someone in the heart before we walked into the Neutral, it’d fall on Amick’s lap.
Our father would make sure of it.
I have complete confidence that Amick has an argument ready for everything he or Seduction may throw at him.
He’s been more secretive than I originally thought he’d be. He hasn’t opened up about anything since the day he and I went to Harriseen’s office to look for evidence to prove he was a grand piece of shit and deserved to die.
I’ve let it go and haven’t pushed.
We all have.
If something wasn’t right, Amick wouldn’t keep that from us…
Thayla’s and my attention turns toward the knock at the door, and I lay my hand on her thigh before she can get up from the couch.
“I’ll get it.”
I plaster on a smile as I greet Yemi, Sevryn, Doren, Iric, and Nero. The gesture turns more real as I take in their varying expressions.
“Hey, guys. Thanks for coming,” I say as I move out of their way and motion them in.
“There’s nothing I’d love to do more than eat dinner with all of you before shit hits the fan.”
I roll my eyes at Sevryn and smirk when his lips twitch.
“I, for one, Kyzen, am very appreciative of the invitation. Even if another issue is before us.”
“Thank you, Doren. We enjoy your company.”
I shut the door as Nero and Iric make their way in with silent nods, then follow them back through to the living room.
Yemi has already made her way to Thayla, and Sevryn and Doren are already up Creed’s ass.
“Now that everyone is here, come take a seat so we can talk,” Amick says.
“Don’t you want to eat first?” Thayla asks.
“No, I do not. If everyone else would like to eat while I speak, that’s fine.”
Thayla and I share a look but don’t say anything as he takes his normal seat. The table’s already set since Creed decided to serve the food ‘serve yourself’ style like we did at Yemi’s.
Once he and Doren place the dishes around the table and sit down themselves, Amick doesn’t waste a second.
“We need to make sure we are all on the same page for tomorrow. Yemi and Nero, I’m not sure what all you’ve discussed with your Valtrue, but I trust that Sevryn, Doren, and Iric, you three understand you can’t come.”
“What? The fuck I can’t. Yemi isn’t going to Valveilious before the Beginning Gods without me,” Sevryn immediately argues.
“She is, and she will be fine. It’s far too dangerous for all of you to come. That’ll expose every secret your Valtrue is still keeping.”
“I don’t give a shit. She’s—”
“Sevryn,” Nero says. “I’ve got her.”
The two of them stare at one another long enough that Yemi shifts in her seat.
“I’ll be fine. Nero will be there, all of them, and Derivius. The last thing you need is to be in the same room as the God of Obliteration.”
That’s the damn truth.
I’m already worried about Creed.
Granted, my brother can control his anger far better than most.
Years of self-restraint, I suppose.
“Whatever. If one hair on her head—”
“Yes, yes. If she’s harmed, insert your threat. We understand. Trust that we won’t allow anything to happen to her or Nero,” Amick says with a tinge of annoyance.
Sevryn lets it go with a grunt.
“Next order. Nero, are you comfortable with everything I gave you?”
“I am. I’ve gone over both laws and the descriptions of your evidence more times than I can count.”
“Good.”
“But…” Nero says and a quick flicker of uncertainty crosses his face.
“But what?” Amick asks. “Now’s the time to get it out.”
“Do you have anything else you want me to go over?”
My gaze bounces between the two of them as Amick laces his fingers in front of him. The longer he stays silent, the more confused I grow.
“No. That’s all.”
Nero tightens his lips and nods. “Very well.”
What the hell is that about?
Obviously, neither of them is going to go into detail.
“As you all know, or should know, the Goddess of Accord can detect lies with ease. There’s no way around this, other than simply telling the truth. Our truth.”
“What do you mean by that?” Thayla asks.
“As long as we know and believe something to be true, it is our truth. I will be the one doing the majority of the talking, but I have no doubt you and Yemi will be questioned as well. Yemi because of the bodies, and you because our father is going to try to get a rise out of us.”
“So, I mean, what do you want to do if we’re asked about our relationship? I thought we had already agreed even before the Power Worthiness Test that we weren’t going to let you—the Goddesses—know about our relationship?”
“I don’t want to mention our actual relationship, but it is a fact, and the truth, we are in a completed Valtrue.”
“You want to tell them that at your trial?” I ask.
“Yes. I want to take the power out of Obliteration’s hands as early as possible. If I don’t announce it, then he later says something or asks who Thayla is to us, it’s going to seem like I was trying to hide that.”
“So we are, or at least you, are going to admit to them we have a Binder, but not go into any more detail than that, right?”
He gives me a nod before focusing on Thayla. “I don’t want you upset that we’re not announcing our real relationship, but—”
She holds her hand up. “I completely understand and am on board with not telling them that. I’d rather they not know.”
“May I cut in?” Nero asks and we all turn our attention to him.
“Of course,” Amick says.
“When it comes to not only getting by the power of Accord, but trials in general, you all or anyone who’s speaking needs to only say what’s necessary. Truth to an extent. Don’t add details or additional information that they don’t ask for. You answer the question short and honest.
“Yemi, you are one hundred percent going to be asked if that’s your power surrounding those bodies.
You don’t say anything else other than yes, it is.
Same for you, Amick, or anyone who’s asked something.
If you don’t know or don’t have an answer, you say that.
Don’t work in pieces of the puzzle for them. ”
Not going to lie, I’m shocked.
I didn’t expect that sort of advice to come from him.
My brothers and I have been in front of these gods and goddesses—aside from the God of Consequence—many times in our lives. This will be the first, though, that we’re in such a formal capacity.
It’s very helpful to know a little bit about how they work in a political sphere.
A tinge of respect spreads across my chest, and I nod at Nero when he meets my gaze.
“One last matter I’d like to address is,” Amick hesitates, then clears his throat. “I ask that everyone not talk if possible. Silence will work best in this situation.”
“You’re talking about Thayla and me, aren’t you?” Riven asks, and I snort before I can stop myself.
I blow Thayla a kiss when she frowns at me.
“I do know how to watch my mouth. It’s a matter of when I want to or not. Thank you.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Amick says as he reaches over and grabs her hand. “This trial isn’t like standing toe to toe with our father in the Abandon. One wrong word here and they can lawfully punish you.”
Her eyes soften at the true concern that’s lacing his tone and his gaze.
“I understand, I swear. I’ll keep all my comments in my mind. So will Riven.”
“I didn’t agree—” He slams his mouth shut when she picks up her fork. Everyone but him at the table chuckles. “Very well. I’ll behave.”
“Good. That was all I needed to cover. We’ll meet in the morning, then meet Derivius at the Sanctum together,” Amick says as he stands from his seat. “I…truly thank all of you for supporting me through this.”
He turns and takes one step toward his room before Thayla’s chair scrapes across the floor.
“Where are you going? You haven’t eaten yet.”
Wordlessly, he spins back around and in a few strides, he pulls her face into a kiss.
“I’m not hungry, Mysenta. Enjoy dinner and company, and I’ll see you at bedtime.”
Her hands linger in the air and her eyes stay shut as he pulls away from her. My gaze stays fixed on him until he passes through his door without a backward glance.
“Well then.” Thayla sighs as she plops into her seat.
“He’ll be fine. You know how he gets when he has a lot on his mind,” Creed says.
“Yeah. That’s the problem.”
“I’m sure Amick is going through a thousand emotions right now, so I can’t compare, but I’m also nervous as shit. I was petrified the first time I met Derivius, and he’s obviously the nicest of the bunch,” Yemi says.
“Oh, he can be an asshole, bestie, don’t let him fool you,” Riven says.