Chapter 16 Thayla
Thayla
I felt insanely guilty for lying to all our friends yesterday afternoon.
Especially Yemi.
That guilt lessens the more Lambrit hammers on about how great Creed’s cooking is. He made sure to also tell Yemi that hers was phenomenal as well.
When I laid my hand on my heart in faux outrage and asked him what about me, he said I was his third favorite chief.
Everyone laughed, which is what caused my guilt to lessen.
Assholes picking on me.
Then I felt defensive on Rose’s behalf and fussed at him, but she giggled sweetly and told me she doesn’t cook, so she wasn’t offended at all.
“Okay, someone fess up.”
All heads turn to Sevryn—except mine—and Yemi elbows him for his shitty tone.
“Drop the attitude and enjoy the fact we’re eating and not working out.”
Ah yes, that was our little lie.
Amick told all of them, as in Yemi, Sevryn, Havar, Lambrit, and Rose, that we had a sunrise meeting to attend, so to report to our house an hour before for training.
There is no training.
“Yeah, man, ease up and enjoy the eggs.” Havar tacks on as he stabs his fork right smack in the middle of Sevryn’s plate.
“You two can be as na?ve as you want to be, but I wasn’t born yesterday. We’re only invited to these happy little meals when shit’s about to go down. Not to mention, Thayla refuses to look at me.”
My head pops up like I’ve been caught doing something naughty. I spare him a brief glance and throw in an eye roll for good measure, then resume my eating.
Also, we don’t only invite them to eat before shit goes down.
Do we?
“Yes. It seems to be a strange sort of last meal ritual you all have. I believe it’s the men’s doing on your behalf.”
“Oh, like what, them giving me time with my friends in case I don’t come back or something?”
“Precisely.”
“Not helping, V.”
It makes sense, though. There’s technically no reason for Lambrit, Rose, or Havar to be here, but Amick still included them.
“Thayla,” Lambrit warns.
I sigh as I lay my fork down and turn to Yemi with a small, unconvincing smile on my face.
“For the record, more specifically, the best friend record, I argued I should have this conversation with you alone, but I was outvoted.”
Her eyes narrow and move across my men.
“I fucking knew it. Spit it out. What kind of shit are we getting ready to walk into now?”
Amick, ever the gentleman, pats his lips with his napkin, then scoots his plate away. He laces his fingers together and clears his voice as though every eye isn’t already on him.
“You’re getting ready to walk into nothing. We’ve been asked to help find your last Valtrue member. We’ll be leaving right before sunrise and thought it be best to warn you so you’re prepared for their arrival. I’m not sure what time we’ll return today. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”
The table falls silent and still.
“He’s alive?” Yemi whispers, and I flinch.
“What?”
She clears her throat as she glances at Sevryn’s stone-cold face, then back at me. She quickly blinks away the water building behind her lashes.
“The day we returned from the Abandon, the house had changed, but only two new rooms were added. I didn’t bring it up because I thought…”
“That the fourth was dead, but obviously not. Which means he received power in Godsden but is now in the Abandon or Hellveilious. Which is it?”
Damn. That smart little asshole.
“It’s concerning that was both of your first conclusion.
It should’ve been quite easy for you to determine that if you had a mark appear, all your Valtrue was still alive.
That’s what happens when you let emotions cloud your thought processes.
His whereabouts are none of your concern for now unless we don’t come back with him. ”
“Amick,” I scold.
That was harsh, even by his standards.
“Yes?”
“A word, please.”
I toss my napkin on my plate and slide my chair back from the table. He’s still looking at me confused as I grab him by his hand and drag him to his bedroom.
“Judging by your grip on my fingers and the scowl on your face, I said something not to your liking and that’s why you excused us from the table.”
“Yeah, Amick. That was really harsh. Of course they’re both thinking more emotionally than logically. This has to do with the people who are tied to them for eternity.”
“I understand that, but anyone who knows even the basics of Valtrues knows you don’t get paired with dead people.”
“And I understand that, but given what we’ve all been through lately, please tell me you can see where they both would’ve considered the worst before any other explanation.”
He pauses his rebuttal and actually ponders what I’m saying.
“Did you act completely logical when you found out I was kidnapped?”
He bristles as though I smacked him.
“Of course not. I ran through the Athenaeum.”
“Aww,” I coo before shaking myself out of it. “I need you to put yourself in their shoes. Sevryn may not be the happiest in the realm about this, but Yemi’s excited that she’s a Binder. She’s also really nervous.
“We just dropped a massive shocker on her that we have to go help her Valtrue. If that were me, I’d be flipping out right now. I flipped out a short time ago over Riven. So let’s tone down the blunt, straightforward answers, and approach this delicately.”
He purses his lips.
“Maybe I should’ve let Kyzen talk like he volunteered to.”
“No, it’s okay that you wanted to be the one to address this. Kyzen doesn’t need to always be the bearer of bad news. Going forward, try delivering news the way you’d want to receive it.”
“Factual and direct.” He nods and I shake my head.
“Okay, deliver it the way I’d want to receive it.”
“Direct, but gentle.”
“Yes.”
“Very well. I’ll do that.”
“And maybe let’s apologize when we go back out there.”
“For leaving in the middle of the discussion?”
I curl my lips inward to stop from laughing.
“For being a little to blunt and direct a moment ago.”
“Ah. I understand.”
“Good, now give me a kiss.”
Instead of doing as I said, he makes me squirm in my spot as he observes me. A small smirk twitches on his lips, and I fidget for a whole other reason.
“Is there a reason you’re demanding a kiss?”
None of my thoughts make any sense as he drags his fingers down the side of my face. I can’t help but lean into his hand as he cups my cheek.
“I…you’re supposed to kiss and make up after an argument.”
“That wasn’t an argument. That was a very proactive conversation.”
I was prepared for a soft, warm kiss. Not for him to back me up until I’m pinned against his door while he devours my mouth.
A low moan slips through my lips as I chase after his touch. My eyes flutter open and my knees wobble at the smile on his face.
Gods, that dimple is deliciously adorable.
I want to run my tongue across it.
“Shall we? We’ve got to get to Hell pretty soon.”
“Okay.”
He opens the door for me, and my cheeks undoubtedly flame when everyone faces us.
Note to self, only initiate proactive conversations when just my men are home.
“Well, that was fast.” Riven winks at me and I give him my middle finger.
“Yes, Thayla wasted no time getting straight to business.”
I lower myself into my seat with my eyes closed and a sigh falling from my tingling lips as everyone chuckles. I don’t need to glance at Amick to know he’s confused, but we don’t have time for me to explain.
“Yemi, Sevryn, I apologize for my approach in this discussion. I’m concerned that we just returned from a dangerous adventure and now we’re embarking on one with an unknown threat.
It’s more natural and normal for me to put those worries to the side and focus on the plan for point A to B.
I didn’t consider either of your feelings in the matter. ”
“Thank you, Amick,” Yemi says, while Sevryn grunts.
“I’m going with you.”
“No,” the guys and I all say at once.
“Someone better give me a damn good reason why not.”
The five of us share a look.
The only excuse I can come up with is it may be hard for him to go back to Hellveilious. Judging by the expressions on the guys’ faces, they’re all thinking the same.
“I’m going too.”
“Fuck no, you’re not. You’re staying behind with Yemi.” Sevryn growls.
“I’m starting to think none of you think I can handle myself.”
“If Havar’s going, I’m going.”
I watch the patience wear thin with my men, so I clear my throat and pivot to Yemi.
“You nor Havar are going. Not because I think either of you isn’t capable, but because Doren specifically asked that you not.
” I give her a tight smile as I glance at Sevryn.
“I don’t see why you can’t come since his instructions were just for Yemi to stay behind, but I don’t think it’s a great idea. ”
“Why?”
“I just don’t.”
I don’t bother holding his gaze. His decision’s made, so I roll my eyes and wave my hand at him.
“When are we leaving?”
As soon as the question leaves his mouth, Creed’s sunsetter blares through the kitchen. He gets out of his chair, silences the racket, then stomps toward his room.
“In ten minutes.”
He disappears through his door, and my soul immediately reaches out to him. The tender stroke that responds has me releasing my breath.
Sevryn doesn’t say a word as he gets up from his chair, squeezes Yemi’s shoulder, then heads for the front door.
“I’m so over you running off to danger. How about for the next trip, we pick somewhere nice to go?”
“Damn right. I’m with Lam-the-man on this,” Riven says as he claps Lambrit on the shoulder.
Bless it. Another nickname.
“You find a nice vacation spot and we’ll go.”
He gives me a small smile.
That was a little game we played when he was studying the region’s maps back in Oddian. He’d name off places he’d like to see. I’d tell him to pick a spot, and I’d get us there.
“Thayla.” I turn toward Yemi’s quiet whisper of my name. “Sevryn’s wrong, right? He isn’t at any of those places, is he?”
Valories know I’m the shittiest liar in the entire realm.
My body’s already growing flushed.
I’ll blame it on the Amick-after-effect if she asks.