6. Riven #3
“Unfortunately, we no longer have the luxury of flipping our shit and raging out at every inconvenience,” Thayla says.
He laughs much louder about that. “Your father’s return is an inconvenience, is it?”
She raises her shoulders in a careless shrug, and I fight back a snort.
I love her ‘I don’t give a fuck’ side.
My Binder is literally one of the most caring people I’ve ever met, but once she washes her hands clean of you…you’re fucked.
Good luck getting back through to her.
“The God of Boundaries’ return is an inconvenience to my mental health, yes. To the realm? I don’t know yet, but that’s what I plan on finding out.”
“Very well. I need a little more detail than this. If I contact Val, he’ll be ready to meet within minutes. Are you looking to have this discussion here and now?”
“Fuck no,” Creed says before Thayla can open her mouth. “We’re sleeping before we do anything else.”
“Oh, you’re getting grouchy, aren’t you, my boy?”
My brother’s dark eyes get darker as he scowls at Derivius. My snicker draws both their attention.
“Sleep probably is for the best. Unless…you’re all looking for some Chaos. I can sprinkle that shit in.”
“No,” everyone but Derivius barks.
The two of us share matching grins.
He’s always down.
“So tomorrow, the next day, next week? How much preparation do you need for this meeting?”
“Tomorrow is fine,” Amick answers, and Thayla glares at him. “What? Did you want to put this off any longer?”
“I suppose not, but are we ready?”
“I’m ready. Kyzen’s used to being thrown into unknown situations. If you’ve one hundred percent decided against bringing up any emotional topics, we don’t have anything else to think about.”
She exhales, rolling her shoulders and neck out.
“You’re right. Tomorrow is fine.”
“Are you wanting to invite them to your home for cookies and tea?” Derivius asks, wiggling his brows.
I can’t get behind that kind of Chaos.
“Abso-fucking-lutely not,” I grunt. “She just said they’re not allowed to pop up at our house. And I don’t want them at my house, my hot spring, or my meadows.”
Thayla and my brothers peer over at me.
“Possessive much?” my angel asks.
“Damn right I am and always will be.”
Over her, my brothers, the Veilatara, and anything or anyone else I care about? Yep.
“Okay then. I’ll decide on a neutral location and let all of you know,” Derivius says before allowing his gaze to fully settle on her. “I need you to understand something, though.”
“What’s that?”
“I can express all of this until I’m blue in the face, but I have no control over either of them or what may come out of their mouths tomorrow. I don’t want you mad at me if they bring up a topic you aren’t ready to discuss.”
Her features soften.
“I’ll know exactly where to place my blame, Derivius, and it won’t be on you.”
The tension in his posture—that I didn’t even realize he was holding—deflates with his exhale.
“Thank you,” he says, then laces his fingers behind his back. “If there’s nothing else you all want to add, I’ll talk to Val, then go hunt down Suma.”
I snap my fingers and point at him.
“Speaking of Golden bitches daddy, whose idea was it for him to spell his name backward?”
“What?” Thayla and my brothers ask at once.
Derivius laughs.
“You all didn’t catch that?” I ask and they continue to look at me like I’m speaking another language. “Meridamus is literally his real name spelled backward. How did none of you notice that?”
“How did you notice that?”
I scrunch my nose at Amick.
“I don’t appreciate that incredulous tone.”
“Forget his tone and answer the question,” Kyzen says.
“I’ve been leaving messages using the spines of books in the Athenaeum for years. I’ve gotten pretty good at playing with words. After a couple of rounds thinking about both of his names, it was easy to figure out.”
They stare at me, utterly gobsmacked. Derivius continues laughing hysterically.
I really don’t understand why they’re so shocked.
I’m literally a genius. They just choose not to believe that.
“Oh, son. You never cease to surprise me. I love it,” Big DD says as he wipes his eyes. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
He gives them all a second to pick their jaws up off the floor. I scoff and roll my eyes as I wave him bye since they’ve all apparently forgotten their manners.
“You’re all really starting to hurt my feelings,” I say, breaking them out of their stupor.
Thayla shakes herself out and cozies close to me as if that’ll fix it.
It does.
Her body molds to mine so perfectly.
“We don’t tell you enough, but you are brilliant, Riven.”
“I’m well aware, thank you.”
She snorts and lays her head on my chest, releasing a yawn that drags on as if she’s been holding it in all day.
“Let’s get you home, angel,” I say as Kyzen presses in behind her, forcing her body closer to mine. “Your wings need some rest.”
The soft, loving stroke against my soul tells me how right I am.
She’s got to spread them wide all over again tomorrow.
I’m pretty sure from here on out…we all better get ready to spread our wings and fly.