Chapter 5 Thayla
Thayla
Okay, Chaos, calm it down.
No need to get all worked up over your Valtrue members’ carelessness.
It’s sweet that he saves small souls, and he said he’ll go about it differently.
We can only be worked up over one Valtrue member at a time.
“Talking to yourself now, Thayla?” V asks.
“Well, technically, my power, but yes.”
“Is it helping?”
“Yes. They’re all sitting inside me, behaving. For now.”
“Good. Then keep talking to them. You’re doing great.”
“Don’t think your sweet compliment excuses your eavesdropping.”
His hoot has everyone turning their heads toward him, but I clear my throat, gaining their attention again.
“Can we put a route on pause for a second? Where do you all think he is? Your father’s house? A dungeon? What? Where are we going?” I ask.
My ears ring from the silence that rushes into the house.
“What? What am I missing?”
“They took him to Seductions.”
Denial rages through me with Kyzen’s strained omission, and my head shakes back and forth.
“No. Nope. No, they didn’t.”
I nearly scream at Creed to stop stroking my soul, but I swallow it down. Plus, it isn’t only him. All three of them are doing it as if they’re afraid I’m about to unleash my erratic emotions again.
“Unfortunately, yes. The Goddess of Seduction most certainly took him there. The only other place he’d be is in our father’s house, but that’s highly unlikely.”
Kyzen grunts at Amick. “Not unless he took him there because he knows we’ll be showing up at Seductions.”
“That’s your hope clouding what you already know and just admitted. We all know better. K gives her whatever she wants, and she’s always wanted Riven in Seductions close to her. He’s there.”
A fierce tremble passes through me, and my soul surges out toward them. The fury inside me is so strong, I almost can’t hold it back from stretching toward Riven’s faint strand.
Deep breath.
“Okay, so we’re going to that bitch’s dwelling. Got it. Amick, have you considered the route you already planned but in reverse?”
He meets Creed’s, Kyzen’s, and Sevryn’s eyes before finally settling on me. “I’ve thought about it, yes, but decided against it.”
“Why?”
My gaze tracks his finger as he outlines the path he came up with twenty years ago across the map. It takes us around the outskirts of the Abandon.
“It’s by far the safest option. I planned it that way for our benefit, but it’ll take longer than I’d like.”
“How much longer?”
“Hours longer.”
“Yes, Amick, but I’ve already explained to you, no matter which route we take, we want to get into Seductions at the wee hours.
That’s when everyone’s at their most disoriented.
So we’ll have to wait in hiding somewhere until that moment, anyway.
It makes no sense for you to throw out a solid plan because you think you can save time.
No route is going to get us there by tonight. ”
“Whoa, what the hell do you mean no route will get us there tonight?”
Kyzen sighs as he drops his glare from Amick and frowns at me.
“These routes will take at least a day on foot, little goddess. Amick’s original route for our own escape will take over a day, but we could stop to rest tonight, walk all day tomorrow into the night, then regroup before we infiltrate.”
“Gods.” I stumble away from the table and lace my fingers on top of my head.
My lids slam shut as I focus on breathing.
“I had it in my head we’d be leaving in the hour and be there in like no time. What the fuck?”
The question is rhetorical, but it still sends them into silence. I place my hands on my knees and attempt to calm my racing heart.
Over a day…
A lot can happen in a day.
It’s glaringly clear to me now that I really wasn’t grasping the whole we can’t use our power and keep the element of surprise on our side thing.
No power means no speeding up time, no snatching souls out of the bad guys we might pass, no losing my shit, and no starshooting.
I also had no fucking clue the Abandon is as big as it is.
“If I may put my perspective in.”
A relieved sigh passes through my lips with Lambrit’s offer. His tone is confident, which means he sees reason that I obviously can’t.
“This route gives you the most coverage and the least likelihood of running into trouble. Virtually none if the information Creed has gathered is still relevant. On top of that, it’s clear that you’ll be fighting once you arrive at Seductions.
I don’t see any way around that other than sending in individuals they wouldn’t recognize.
“As someone who isn’t going but looking at it from the outside, yes, this way may take longer, but it provides you with more than just safety.
You can rest, recoup some energy spent on the trek, and it gives you time to deviate or re-plan if need be.
I know that isn’t what you want to hear, but I believe it’s the most successful route.
“Them waiting all day today and tomorrow with no retaliation will confuse them. You don’t tell anyone you’ve left, not even us, in case someone in the Godsdawn runs their mouth or comes around asking us questions. Rose, Havar, and I are going to leave now and let you all make your final decisions.”
Shit…I didn’t even think about that.
I wouldn’t put it past the High Chancellor’s ass to blab or pitch a fit that he didn’t orchestrate our plan for us.
My shoulders slouch as Lambrit pulls me in for a hug. I scoff the realm’s smallest scoff into his chest when he firmly whispers, “You better come back unharmed or else.”
No one else says much of anything other than goodbyes as Havar and Rose also make their rounds of hugs between Yemi and me. Sevryn refuses to return Havar’s affection until Yemi elbows him with a vicious scowl on her face.
She’s become quite sassy since he’s arrived.
I wonder what it’ll be like when she meets the rest of her Valtrue.
She’s going to be fine coming along.
Sevryn seems a little obsessive, so he’ll protect her, no doubt.
If not, I’ll get Creed to kick his ass.
Nothing will happen.
“I assume everyone is fine with going with this plan?” Amick asks.
The strain in his tone and in his soul adds to the pain in my heart. The sensation intensifies when everyone grunts their agreement. If I couldn’t literally feel him, he’d have me as fooled as he does them.
He’s petrified that his plan is going to fail them “again.”
Which is his opinion. Not mine. I don’t think he failed them the first time he made this route. Even though they didn’t get to trek this long-ass path, he did nothing wrong.
“Very well,” he finally says after a tense second of silence.
“Everyone understands this won’t be a leisurely journey.
No showers, comfortable pajamas, beds, and five-course feasts.
Thayla, if you will, take Yemi to your room and let her borrow some armor.
Sevryn, you may borrow a pair of mine. Creed and Kyzen gather the emergency supplies.
I’ll put it all in the illusion cube, so our hands are free, and we aren’t weighed down.
I want to be leaving in the next fifteen minutes. ”
He holds his hand out to me, and I lay mine in his with no thought. Him shaking his head confuses me.
“I’ll put the backpack and those waist bags in the cube as well.”
“Oh, uh…I’d rather carry them. If that’s okay?”
His mouth opens with his response ready, but he holds it back as he brings my knuckles to his lips.
“Of course.”
He heads to his room, ordering Sevryn to follow along. Kyzen and Creed are already maneuvering around, so when Yemi links her arm through mine and nods toward my hallway, I don’t say anything.
She waits until I’m in my closet, trying to decide which armor to give her before she speaks.
“Do you want to talk about this before we leave?”
“Talk about what?”
“How you’re upset with me for coming.”
I release a loud exhale as I grab the pair I know is closest to the one I have on already.
Oh…eww. There’s still Oblirian blood on me.
My shoes go flying across the closet, banging against the back wall as I kick them off and then slip Riven’s waist bags and backpack off. I yank on my belt, attempting to get it to come undone, but the damn buckle is stuck. By the third snatch, I’m ready to cut the pants off completely.
“You piece of taurnshit.”
“Me?” Yemi shrieks as she stands in the doorway.
“What? No, this damn belt. The little piece that goes in the hole is stuck.”
“The prong.”
“What?” I ask.
“Never mind. Do you need some help?”
I exhale sharply, flex my fingers, and will my rapidly rising irritation to simmer back down.
“No, I got it. Put this on.”
She grimaces at the armor, making a small chuckle slip through my lips. My throat burns from the sound like it was made of glass as it came up and out of my mouth.
Nothing should make me laugh right now.
I finally get the dumbass belt undone, which allows me to take my pants off. I throw them to the other end of the closet and snatch my top over my head as fast as I can.
Thank fuck these armors aren’t made in more than two pieces and everything is sewn into place. I’d lose my ever-loving mind if I had to take that off piece by piece.
“Are you going to the Abandon half naked?”
I refuse to let my snort escape me.
“There’s Oblirian blood on it. Just letting the closet do its thing.”
“Smart. Nothing says I’m ready to get one of my men back more than fresh, clean armor.”
“Gods damn it, Yemi, stop trying to make me laugh.”
She raises a brow at me as I cover my mouth with my hand.
“It’s okay to find humor amidst the horror. If you don’t, you might freak out. I’m finally not freaking out, so I’m trying to keep you calm as well.”
My shoulders slump and I drag my feet across the floor as soon as the armor magically hangs back up. I get everything on far faster than I got it all off, then I help Yemi tighten her belt and the straps on the back that are there for swords.