17. Thayla #3
Val’s head cranes back as soon as the mural comes into view and a small chuckle leaves my lips when Yemi grabs my wrist to stop me from doing what I was planning.
She must’ve thought him standing beside me would stop me.
“So…” I say, gazing up. “You and Kira got a special painting, huh?”
“I suppose you can call it special,” Val says.
“Was that a real battle captured for all our viewing pleasure?”
He shakes his head and the sad smile dusting his lips surprises me.
“No, that was just a normal day. Kira and I practically lived in this Court.”
I study the distant look crossing his face.
“You say it like it’s a fond memory.”
“It is,” he admits quietly. “Kira wasn’t always the way he is now. I mourn that man.”
Meridamus grunts like that’s true, then scoffs like he refuses to mourn him.
I’m not sure what to say to either of them, so I don’t say anything at all. We make our way down the rest of the hall in awkward silence, but the voices reaching my ears from the center have my pace picking up.
I have zero shame in admitting I missed my men. Painstakingly so.
Going from always having at least one of them around me to not seeing any of them since breakfast was hard. I didn’t even get to see them at lunch because Val took it upon himself to pack one for us.
I loathed asking V to tell the guys that.
Lunchtime—really every meal together—is our thing. The disruption in that routine fucking sucks.
A laugh belts from my chest as Riven reaches me first and twirls me around. He cushions me nicely between him and Creed, then doesn’t give my mind a second to stop spinning as he lays a dizzying kiss to my lips.
“Oh, angel.” He sighs. “I was getting ready to come kidnap you.”
“You can’t kidnap the willing,” I say, and he groans into my neck.
“Share,” Amick demands, and my smile widens.
“Hey, Candyman.”
His kiss is opposite yet just as consuming as Riven’s. The purposeful, slow strokes of his tongue heat my belly and I fight back the moan bubbling in my throat.
“How was your day?” he asks as he gradually pulls away.
“Long.”
He nods, caressing my earlobe. With reluctance, he steps aside for Creed.
I chuckle as Creed gives my body a once-over like he might find something wrong.
Without warning, I wrap my hands around his neck and tug him down until my lips collide with his. His soul morphs from damn near strangling mine to the realm’s sweetest cuddle.
“You’ve done something, my endling.”
“Don’t ruin my surprise.”
His miserable groan tickles me. I spin from him, not giving him answers, and face the last of my men. Kyzen’s breathtaking smile literally takes my breath away.
Great gods. That look alone could fix this realm.
“Missed you, little goddess,” he says, leaning down slowly until his lips brush mine.
His small tease of an embrace pulls a displeased sound from me. The maddening flirt winks.
“The Court wasn’t the same without you this morning,” he says.
“Oh no. Everything was okay, though, right? Mara did okay?”
“I did fucking perfect. No one died.”
I poke my head through my wall of men and meet Mara’s glare. She looks just as pissy as normal. Judging by the beings behind her, I know they have more to do with her attitude than anything else.
A voice clears behind me and I almost jump out of my skin. Ice threads through the fire my men lit in my body and no part of me wants to turn around.
Riven catches the reddening on my cheeks immediately and I glare at him.
“Don’t you dare,” I whisper.
“Ugh, fine. You should see how uncomfortable they are right now, though. Priceless.”
Fuck.
“Okay, one of you take over,” I say, bouncing my pleading gaze between Amick and Kyzen.
Amick has no problem doing just that.
He calls for everyone’s attention, and the others part the wall they made in front of me. Now that I can finally see everyone is here, I offer Yemi’s Valtrue—who already have her cocooned between them—Lambrit, Rose, and Havar quick waves.
The scowls are still firmly in place on Val’s and Meridamus’s faces as they make their way around us and stand to the side.
Oh, that is so awkward.
“Vulius, Prath. You remember Thayla, Yemi, and Rose,” Amick says, and I shift my attention to the two men as they dip their heads.
Honestly, I think they’re going to be good for Mara.
If for nothing other than giving her a break from Gladian’s ass.
“This is Iric Obi and Nero Valadi, the other two members of Yemi’s Valtrue you didn’t meet the other day. Over there is Havar Andino, her cousin,” Amick continues. “That is Lambrit Armend, Rose’s significant other and Thayla’s pseudo brother.”
I smirk at the title.
“I’m not sure who has and hasn’t met the member of your group who wasn’t with you the other day, but for the sake of saving time, everyone, this is Barir, God of Treachery,” Amick says, and all attention shifts to Barir.
His eyes scan across us in a slow, calculated observation. He finishes by holding my gaze.
“Goddess of Death. It’s good to see you again,” he says, dipping his head, and I nibble my cheek to stop myself from laughing. “You seem to be in a much better mood now that your Valtrue is back safely at your side.”
That comment does pull a smile to my face.
Amick doesn’t give me the opportunity to respond.
“For our final introductions, Sumadirem, better known to us as Meridamus, Beginning God of Consequence, and Valthaneus, Beginning God of Boundaries.”
Mara’s entire Valtrue, including herself, pivot their attention to the two of them. The Court falls intensely quiet as we all watch their reactions. First comes shock, then disbelief. Followed by utter fucking confusion.
“You all weren’t going to give us a warning that they’d be here for training?” Gladian asks, narrowing his eyes.
“We weren’t aware either, but their presence was apparently needed for whatever Thayla needs to discuss,” Amick says, and I square my shoulders as that’s obviously my cue.
“V, dropping the Binding in my hand right now would be good.”
A hoot cuts through the Court and not a millisecond later, he appears on my shoulder with the powerful little globe clutched in his claws. I take it and a deep breath before focusing on everyone.
I don’t say anything as my gaze roams across them. Understanding dawns immediately across some faces. It takes a few others a couple heartbeats to put it together.
Creed and Amick step closer to me, while small chuckles fall from Riven and Kyzen. Out of everyone, it’s Havar who cracks first.
“Hell yeah!” he cheers, running circles around Yemi and her men.
Sevryn sneers and shoves him when he starts patting his chest like his pecs are drums. A laugh escapes nearly all of us when he punches the air and jumps up and down.
“This is fucking great. I can’t wait to see how the Veilatara react to me after this.”
“That’s the energy I love to see, Hay-Hay,” Riven says, giving him an air five.
Gods.
“What’s going on?” Gladian asks, silencing the excitement.
Giant fucker.
“This is one of the seven Gods Binding replicas. Val’s, to be exact,” I say, and Gladian spares him a glance before focusing back on me. “Derivius didn’t give Mara a power boost last time. I did. And I’m doing it again, right now. For everyone who wants more power.”
I suppose I should ask if they want this and not just assume.
Judging by the way Gladian’s head twitches and how he gawks between Mara and me, my men definitely didn’t tell him the whole truth during boys’ day.
That shocks me. Amick is not one to leave out a detail.
As if he knew I was thinking about him, his hand presses against my lower back and his fingers run up and down my spine.