5. Thayla #3
“Well,” Amick says, clearing his throat.
“I believe that’s enough sharing at this time.
You two need to return to your home, catalog any changes you notice, and have a conversation with Chasin.
If he has any questions, I’ll answer them for him.
It’d also be wise for the three of you to go speak with Ellian again.
Mara, you and Chasin should offer your blood back to the Volreen.
It will give you both new Deliverances that could lead you two to your Valtrue members, and possibly Chasin has a member or members out there and they just aren’t complete yet. ”
Mara hangs her head but nods nonetheless. Gladian’s face softens for a split second as he glances at her.
Those features are gone when he peers back at Amick.
“Is there anything else you’d like to share with us or warn us about?”
“Not at the moment. Possibly soon here in the future, but we all need to have a conversation about that first.”
It takes Gladian a great deal of restraint not to press for more, but when Mara lays her hand on his bicep, he gives up his fight.
“Very well. We’ll see you all…soon, I suppose.”
He cast Sevryn a long look. One I’m not sure if Sevryn returns because I don’t peek over at him. I hold Mara’s gaze and give her a small, tight smile, attempting to ease the worries on her face.
Wordlessly, the two of them starshoot out, and the seven of us sit here in silence. I circle my temples, attempting to alleviate the pressure building in my head, but it isn’t working. My fingers soon freeze when a humorless snort slices through the quiet.
“How long have you all known?” Sevryn asks. “And don’t act shocked. It was clear as the fucking sky when he said it that it wasn’t a surprise for all of you.”
“Since Oddian,” Creed grunts.
“And no fucking one thought to tell me before now?”
There’s the familiar anger.
“Of course, we all thought about it and wanted to say something to you,” I say. “The only reason we didn’t is because we didn’t know all of that and when I cornered Gladian about it, he asked to be the one to tell you. I told him he better make it sooner rather than later.”
He opens his mouth to respond, but Amick holds his hand up.
“I’d like to point out that the five of us just learned that when, how, and who delivers news affects every outcome. So, before you go off on a tangent, I’d like for you to think about how you may have reacted differently hearing it from us compared to him.”
“Amick.” I sigh. “We can’t use that as an excuse every time we keep a secret or don’t share information with each other.”
“I agree, but I believe it varies case by case. We didn’t keep this truth from him maliciously, nor did we know the effects that come from being the bearers of bad news, but I’m glad it worked out the way it did. This was a situation where the truth isn’t just information. It’s destabilizing.”
Sevryn scoffs. “Destabilizing? I’m fine, you asshole.”
“If you say so.” Amick arches a brow, unbothered by the edge in his voice.
“I’m just pointing out the fact that if we had told you earlier, without context, without Gladian, without the full chain of events, you wouldn’t have just been angry.
You would’ve been forced to choose a side inside a fractured truth. Your father’s story or Gladian’s.”
Sevryn’s nose scrunches like both options displease him.
“There’s a difference between withholding truth to control someone and delaying truth until it can be processed without immediate damage.
” Amick’s expression softens just a touch as he carries on.
“We’re not claiming the delay didn’t hurt you.
Or that you don’t have the right to be angry about it.
We’re saying the timing mattered because the consequences of hearing it at the wrong time would have permanently changed your ability to think rationally about it. ”
“He means you would’ve gone feral,” Riven mutters under his breath.
Amick doesn’t look at him but shrugs a shoulder. “That’s…not incorrect.”
That earns a sharp glare from Sevryn, but it’s weaker now.
“We understand you’re upset with us. We’d be upset too,” I say, and he lets out a long, exaggerated huff.
Fuck, I can’t lie and say I’m not a little upset still with V, Seismet, and Verlet, but again…I understand.
Unfortunately.
“I can’t stay mad at you all. That’ll make me look like a dickhead. Look at how long Doren didn’t tell you the truth and you forgave him immediately.”
I snort, then cover it with a cough.
“I wouldn’t say immediately. I’m still pissy, just understandingly pissy.”
He scoffs and rolls his eyes at me.
“This doesn’t change anything. I’m not suddenly going to be calling him fucking Uncle Gladian or some shit. Nor are we going to become buddy-buddy.”
“Of course not,” I say. “Blood doesn’t make someone family. You don’t have to just accept him in because of this. The truth doesn’t give someone the right to a spot in your life.”
“Projecting much?” he asks. I give him my middle finger along with a fierce sneer that he laughs at.
Asshole.
“Aww, I can’t call him Gladdy Daddy anymore,” Riven whines. “I’ll have to figure out something that rhymes with uncle.”
None of us feed into his shit as he starts spouting off stupid-ass names.
Amick eventually sighs and laces his fingers in front of him.
“I’m glad we have that settled. We can’t afford any rifts in our dynamics right now. Hopefully, well, I honestly don’t care that much, but for the sake of yours and Yemi’s budding friendship with Mara, I hope she isn’t mad when she finds out I withheld the truth from her.”
I pivot my entire body toward him.
“What are you talking about?”
His forehead wrinkles at my tone.
“Are you mad at me?” he asks.
“I’m not sure yet. I don’t know the truth you withheld from Mara.”
Everyone snickers as Amick straightens his shoulders.
“She’s an Attendant and her Domain isn’t Strength.”
All quiet laughter instantly silences.
“What?” Yemi and I ask at the same time.
“She isn’t a Defender, nor can she have the Domain of Strength.
She can’t be if she’s in a true Valtrue with Gladian.
If everything we’ve learned is true, also take into account the structure of ours and Yemi’s Valtrues, none of the members will have the same Designations or Domains.
Gladian’s is indisputable. Therefore, hers have been altered. ”
My mouth gapes open.
“She has to be. She doesn’t fit into any other Designation and I’ve literally felt her Strength first-hand.”
“Except for an Attendant. She’s adapted to her role as a Defender. She’ll adapt to the rest of her Valtrue once their true identities are revealed. As for her power.” He shrugs, falling quiet in concentration. “It isn’t Strength, but must be something that can present itself as such.”
Again, my lips part and I hold my hands up. My lids blink repeatedly while I try to digest this information.
“Do you know-know this, or are you just profiling and predicting right now?” Kyzen asks.
“Well, I suppose I don’t have concrete proof yet, but I’d be willing to bet this is exactly what the Volreen is going to reveal.”
“Oh my gods,” Riven cheers, bending over, gripping his stomach as his laugh tears through the empty space. “You sent them to the Volreen rather than telling her what you thought. Fuck, I want to be there to see the look on their faces.”
“I can imagine it’s going to be full of shock,” Amick says.
Valories…
Riven pats Amick on the back like this is the best news he’s ever heard and the greatest surprise he’s ever been given.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and shake my head.
“Anyone want to share any more fucking surprises this morning?” I ask. “Yemi, any secret family members or hidden abilities I need to know about?”
“Nope. I thought my Domain was special, but it’d seem I’m the dull one out of us. Thank fuck.”
She’s the furthest thing from dull, but yes, thank fuck she doesn’t have any truths to drop into our shit show.
“I’m so fucking done with surprises for the day,” Creed grunts.
“Gods, I’m not. I hope Big DD has more in store for us tonight.”
Riven claps and dances around us. The intensity of his full-to-the-brim Chaos skirts across my skin.
Oh, fuck me.