Thayla #2
His roar echoes around the chamber seconds after his flash of white light whisks him away. Sabelline, as poised as possible, rises from her seat, scowling at us. She spares us no wink, wave, or blown kisses today as she leaves.
A wail rings around the room and I damn near jump out of my skin from the high-pitched racket. Calista dramatically throws herself around.
“After these past two days together, how could you all want to leave me?”
My men share a confused and also highly pissed off look with one another.
Clearly, they had a very different experience than she did.
“Let’s go,” Amick demands, linking his fingers with mine and turning us around.
“No, please. Wait.”
“Don’t take another step closer to them, Creation.”
Her cries silence as the double doors slam behind us, and I suck in what feels like my first full breath since I stepped in there. My head falls back as I close my eyes, allowing Amick to tug me along.
“May I escort you all home?”
I startle as Derivius’s voice sounds right behind me, and Creed glances down at me questioningly.
I ignore him.
And Derivius.
“Yeah. That’s probably a good idea,” Kyzen says.
Damn it.
Quicker than I can object to anything, his power wraps around us. In a matter of a few short seconds, we appear on our front lawn. I avoid Derivius’s gaze with all my might.
“Boys, how do you feel?” he asks.
They each blow out harsh breaths.
“I don’t really know. Happy, nervous. A little of everything.”
Kyzen rubs the back of his neck with one hand, while he stuffs the other in his pocket. Creed grunts his agreement.
So they’re more anxious than anything.
“Confused as fuck,” Riven says. “Can’t complain too much, though. The look on Accord’s face when you put her in her place was glorious.”
Derivius tries to hide it, but I catch how his shoulders curve in on themselves the smallest amount.
They weigh more than his revenge.
My heart flutters the smallest bit, and I loathe the way that feels. It should be doing somersaults right now.
“Empowered,” Amick mumbles, and we all turn our attention toward him. “I’m not sure what all transpired that made this possible nor do I know exactly what comes next, but I know it’ll be much easier to accomplish now.”
Fuck, I hope he’s right.
“I’m very proud and happy for each of you,” Derivius says with a small, tender smile. The look settles on me and I force myself to hold it. “Thayla, may I have a word?”
“Uh…” I glance at each of the guys, but of course they can’t bail me out. They have no idea what’s going on. “I actually have something I need to take care of first. It needs to be taken care of before we talk.”
Disappointment flares in his eyes.
“Right. Of course. You’ve been quite busy the last two days. We’ll catch up soon.”
With a nod, he starshoots out, and I sigh.
“What was that about?” Riven asks, and I bow my head.
“Let’s go inside.”
Their stares sear into my spine and I shake my hands out as I pass through the threshold of our front door. My steps slow as I hear the rustling of feet pacing around in the kitchen, and I reach behind me to grab Creed’s sword.
“V, who’s in the house?”
“It’s just Yemi.”
I relax and pick up my pace as soon as the guys pile in behind me. My eyes widen as I watch her stalk back and forth, mutter to herself about killing someone.
“Did you kill someone or are we planning a murder?”
She shrieks as she twirls around. Her hand flies to her heart while she catches her breath.
“Fuck, you scared me. Thank the Valories you’re back. We got an issue.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“No, we don’t,” I argue.
“Yes, we do,” she says.
“Spit it out, bestie. Thayla’s already acting weird as fuck, so just go on and get it out there,” Riven says, and I tell Yemi to keep her mouth shut with my stare.
“Iric, well, he…”
Panic plunges through my blood and I practically run to her.
“Is he okay? He didn’t get stuck at the Goddess of Creation’s, right? No, V said you were all starshooting out. What—”
“Everything’s fine. He’s fine. Well, he isn’t going to be when I get through with him.” She lets out a long breath and runs her hand through her hair. “He snuck off while we were gathering the Attendants and stole this.”
She waves her hand through the air, and I stumble back as her barrier comes down.
Sitting there in all its glory on our dining room table is a Gods Binding.
“He stole the Goddess of Creation’s Binding?” I whisper.
“Yep,” she says, both nodding and shaking her head at the same time.
“Fantastic news, isn’t it?”
I crane my neck around toward V. “Seriously?”
“I didn’t know what to do. He just fucking handed it to me and was like here you go. Give this to Thayla, please, like it’s completely freaking normal. I swear to the gods, nothing is ever normal in our lives. Will it ever be? What the actual fuck?”
She paces back and forth repeatedly. I just…stare.
He literally said, “I know this house like the back of my hand.”
He meant that.
Fuck. This is great and horrible all at the same time.
“On a positive note, hopefully, he did say that she rarely ever uses it, so we may have some time until she notices.”
“I don’t even know what to think right now,” I say, glancing between her and the Binding. “I mean, this most certainly helps in the collecting Bindings department, but the last thing we need after their hearing is for the Beginning Gods to come storming our house.”
“Oh my gods, the hearing. How did it go? Obviously great if you’re all here.”
I rub my temples as Riven goes on telling her what happened with details that definitely didn’t happen. I didn’t punch his mother.
Wanted to? Yes.
“V, will you please take the Binding and hide it with the others?”
“Of course. Are you going to take care of what you need to take care of?”
“Getting there.”
“What do you need to take care of?” Creed asks and I snarl at V.
He hoots and flies to the table, clutches the Binding in his claws and disappears without a glance my way.
“Yemi, let me walk you out,” I say, cutting off whatever Riven is still rambling about.
She doesn’t argue with me as I link our arms together and drag her through my room, then out my back door. My head falls against it and I slouch.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“I got an issue.”
“Uh-oh. What?”
“So I attempted to bring down that pesky emotional barrier you warned me about and yeah, it didn’t go as planned.”
Her mouth gapes open.
“What do you mean didn’t go as planned? Like it wouldn’t come down or?”
“Oh no, it’ll come down. It’s about to bring down a whole realm of shit along with it, though. I damn near crumbled into a heap, then slammed it back in place once I was assaulted with my emotions.”
She crosses her arms and her glare turns furious as she hits me with her undivided attention.
“What did I literally tell you, Thayla? I warned you this would happen.”
“Yes, I know that. Now I need you to tell me how to minimize the emotions so I don’t break apart like a fragile little fucking vase.”
My teeth grind together as she shakes her head.
“That’s not how it works. It’s going to come down, and everything you were blocking is going to come forward.
There’s no softening the blow. That’s the cost of wielding that power that way, Thayla.
You just have to…get knocked down, then get back up.
I got a feeling in your case, you’ll be getting picked back up. ”
My lids fall shut and I shift my head back and forth.
“I can’t fall apart, Yemi. This moment can’t be about me. I wanted a joyous, over-the-top, lovey-dovey reunion. I wanted to come home and celebrate their victory. Not have them…hold me together while I finally break. That’s so selfish.”
Her fingers squeeze mine.
“How can you possibly call yourself selfish right now? You’ve done everything in your power over the last two days to make sure you saved them and broke them free from that agreement.
If I know them, which I like to believe I do, the last thing they’re going to think is that you’re selfish when they learn the truth. ”
“You’re right.” I release a deep breath. “How did everything go with the Attendants?”
“No, ma’am. You’re not deflecting. Everything is taken care of. You go in there, tell your men the truth, then enjoy them to your heart’s desire. We’ll get together later and talk about everything.”
“I’m pretty sure it’s in the Attendant’s handbook that you’re supposed to save me when I need you.”
She gives me a knowing smirk.
“I am. I’m saving you from self-sabotage because you’re fearful of feeling feelings. That counts.”
I huff but nod.
“I’ll see you soon,” she says.
She gives me one more tender squeeze, then walks toward her house. I give myself a few more seconds to gather myself.
You got this.
It’s not even going to be that bad since they’re home now.
You might cry. You might not.
It’s going to be fine.
With a nod to myself, I walk back through my door.
All that confidence I just built up goes flying out the window. My men are lined up, arms crossed, with scowls firmly in place.
I rock from side to side.
“Take it down. Right the fuck now,” Creed growls.
Shit.
“An emotional barrier? Really, little goddess?”
Amick doesn’t say anything. He stares at my heart as if he can tear it down with his mind. Riven’s smirking. Not the cute, teasing kind.
“So…I take it you all just eavesdropped on that whole conversation?”
“Yep.” All four of them grunt.
Great.