Chapter 19 Thayla #2
Well, damn…does he accidentally almost give people orgasms too when he heals them? Aww, I miss Jay.
“You’re aware that when I figure out a way to integrate all of you back into the Godsdawn, you may run into the High Chancellor?
I’m a Rising Chancellor. Not necessarily by choice or want, but that’s how it is.
I plan to forge a routine that keeps you all out of his sights and your Valtrue a secret, but that will only last so long. ”
“He’s the lesser of the two evils in my opinion.”
Amick’s legs tense beneath me. I can’t wrap my mind around which goddess in Valveilious could be worse than Harriseen, but then again, I don’t really know at all who lives there or what goes on there.
The silence that blares through the carriage makes my chest tighten. My leg is bouncing against Amick’s, opposite to the pattern Sevryn’s foot’s tapping.
Despite Doren’s nonstop attempts to bridge the gaps between his Valtrue members, it isn’t working. I haven’t helped. If anything, I probably just made Nero hate my ass.
Honestly, oh well. The fact that he already had it in his mind that he’d be packing her up and taking her away without even talking to her about it pisses me off.
They’re going to make Yemi feel so uncomfortable when they meet her.
Soon enough, the wheels bounce against solid ground and Amick tightens his hold on me. Sevryn doesn’t wait for us to roll to a full stop before he shoves the door wide and hops out.
The sound of a metal being unsheathed echoes through the small space and faster than I can blink, Creed, Riven, and Kyzen are out the door behind him.
“Easy, boy, I mean you no harm.”
I’ve never heard that smooth ancient voice before and Amick doesn’t try to stop me as I jump from his lap.
Creed has his hand on one of Sevryn’s shoulders, while Kyzen holds the other. Riven, as happy and smiley as he can be, holds his hand out for me to take. He lobs his arm around me with a laugh as soon as I’m tucked into his side.
“Mean me no harm? You caused me harm every time I sent a request to you to release me.”
“Your redemption was out of my hands. I needed explicit consent from your father or the God of Death. It’s obvious it was granted in the long run.”
“Yeah, the long run, you fucking piece of shit. Years too long.”
The god standing before us doesn’t respond. He continues to run his eyes across us with his fingers laced together.
“What do you need, Phoelius? You obviously sensed I was here.”
Phoelius?
“Who is this?” I whisper to Riven.
“The good ol’ God of Redemption.”
Oh shit. One of the three Creed put in charge of this place.
“I did. You relinquished your hold on several souls. I’m here to send off those worthy enough to return to normal life, as I should. I wanted to see how you were holding up first.”
“I’m fine.”
“I see that. Better than fine, actually.” The God of Redemption’s gaze cuts to me, and I hold his stare. A small, curious smile curls his lips. “I see who is responsible for that.”
“Me?”
No shit, he’s talking about you, Thayla.
“Eyes off her.” Creed growls.
“I’m merely observing.”
And observe he does.
His gaze crawls across me. Not in a malicious or sexual way. It seems…deeper than a surface-level inspection. Riven flexes his fingers against my shoulder and Amick steps closer, smushing me between them.
“You know, long before we used the terminology, Binder, there was a saying in our realm that many have forgotten. ‘A god is only granted his worthiness by the goddess who stands before him.’ I truly look forward to finally seeing what you’re worth, God of Death.”
With a tilt of his head, Phoelius turns and strides through the exact door we need to go through.
“Well, I for one remember the stories about that saying. That’s why I have all intentions of giving Yemi any and everything she needs in life.”
I peer over my shoulder and smirk at Doren’s tilted chin and massive smile. That man doesn’t even know her last name but is ready to give her the realm.
I approve of him.
As long as he doesn’t agree to move her.
“Get me the fuck out of here,” Sevryn demands, snatching out of Creed’s grip and stomping toward the door.
I also approve of him even though he’s a dick.
Yemi needs his brand of assholery to find the rest of her voice.
Phoelius is nowhere to be seen, and I don’t hold the gazes of the beings waiting to go through their doors as we file inside. My throat closes with the thought that each who passes a threshold, a piece of them attaches to Creed.
No part of me thinks they connect in a way that my soul is to his, but they no doubt do something to him.
I hate that thought.
The same god who got our carriage together for us is waiting at the end of the hall that leads back through the Division. He’s silent as he bows to Creed, then opens the door.
Hushed mumbles follow us as we walk through the shiny structure, but none of us pay anyone much attention. Even after we exit the double doors, I focus on following Creed’s back and the beat of Riven’s finger tapping against my shoulder.
Confusion colors my face as we approach the stone wall, and Creed wordlessly lays his palm to it.
“What now?” I ask and Kyzen turns around, holding his hand out to me.
“Don’t be a Binder hog. I’ve got her this time.” Riven snarks, pulling me back to him when I take a step forward.
Kyzen rolls his eyes and gives me a small smile.
“Creed’s giving his permission for us to pass back through. We’ll step through the wall, but instead of it feeling like a drop, it’ll feel like we’re being pushed up.”
Ah, I see.
This is the part that would’ve stopped Doren and Nero if they attempted to do this on their own.
Well, I honestly don’t think they would’ve made it past the Division coming in, but that’s beside the point.
“Okay.”
He leans forward and gives me quick kiss. His chuckle tears our lips apart as Riven makes gagging noises.
I hold my breath as he goes first, then Riven and I step up next.
“See you up there,” I mumble as I run my hand down Creed’s chest.
“I’m right behind you.”
I nod and before I’m fully ready, Riven snatches me along.
The sensation of being pulled upward is a very uncomfortable feeling. My skin tugs tight and my lungs feel heavy, but it’s all over in the blink of an eye.
My legs wobble as soon as I touch solid ground, but Kyzen’s quick to wrap his hand around my arm and pull me forward.
I spin, watching with wide eyes as Amick, Sevryn, Doren, Nero, and Iric all land on the edge of that daunting-ass black hole.
My heart rate spikes when I notice Creed isn’t with them, but before I can voice my concern, he rises through the darkness.
Damn, that should not be so sexy…but it is.
His eyes whip to mine when my soul flutters. By accident, of course.
I still can’t make them come on command like I want to, but I’m most certainly getting the hang of sending naughty sensations to them.
Not that right now is the time to do it, but his grim face needed some softening up.
Nerves take hold as he grips my hand and turns me toward the last stone wall. I honestly forgot all about having to pass through the God of Boundaries’ barrier once again.
I’m proud to say that my power listened to me pretty well through this adventure. It’s been tingling here and there—well, it got really pumped up when I freaked out about Creed—but other than that, it stayed settled inside me.
Now, though, as we step up to the wall, a shiver crawls down my spine that doesn’t quite feel like nerves. More like…awareness.
My shoulders relax as the warmth of the barrier engulfs me. Tension seeps from my body, and a sigh slips from my lips as we pass through to the other side.
When Riven attempts to tug me along, I pull my hand back and face the shimmering barrier.
Tingles race to my fingertips as I run them through the power.
Such a strange sensation.
“What’s wrong, angel?” he whispers in my ear as he crowds behind me.
“Do you know where this power resides?”
He hums as his finger traces from the nape of my neck down my spine.
“I’ve got a pretty good idea.”
“Well, when you did what you did in the cave, why didn’t you touch there?”
“I did if you recall.”
I could never forget what it felt like when he splayed his hand across my back and shot his power through me. I was talking about why he didn’t put a spot there for me to focus on.
“You know where each truly resides?”
He chuckles into my neck.
“I do.”
“When are you going to tell me?”
“What are you going to do for me first?”
I don’t miss the innuendo in his tone, and my elbow lands right in his ribs. He wheezes while I blow him a kiss and walk away.
All our attention falls to Iric as a shuddering breath falls from his chest. The others instantly stop talking and stare at him.
He keeps his eyes closed and slows his breathing.
“If you all wouldn’t mind giving me a moment, please. My powers were slowly but surely settling from our Pairing. They’ve decided to settle completely now.”
Oh shit, I didn’t even think about that.
“You’ve all made it out safely.”
I startle out of my staring and blink repeatedly.
“Scary timing there, V. But yes, we did. How did you know?”
“The haze Hellveilious leaves over our connection cleared, so I knew you were out. How is Yemi’s Valtrue?”
“Alive. It’ll take them time to get used to one another. Will you do me a favor, please, and go warn her we’ve got them and we’ll be back soon?”
“I’m already at her humble abode, watching her pace around like a mad goddess.”
A snort escapes me, and everyone casts a glance my way. That probably seemed incredibly insensitive on my part, but I’ll explain later that it’s V’s fault.
“I’m surprised Rose hasn’t calmed her down by now.”
“Oh, she kicked all of them out minutes after you left. She stated she needed to clean up and get her thoughts straight. Her home is already clean and her thoughts are the furthest thing from straight.”
“She didn’t mind you staying?”
“Well, truth be told, I showed up after they had left and she started babbling to me the moment I perched on her counter. I’ve been a wonderful listening ear and great help.”
I force my chuckle to stay in my throat. Especially when Iric begins to blink his eyes and flex his fingers.
“I greatly appreciate you supporting her through her freak-out. Unfortunately, it’s probably about to get worse. We’ll be there soon.”
“How does her Valtrue plan on getting here?”
“Umm…starshooting.”
“Well, of course, but they’ve never been here before.”
Ah, shit. I didn’t think about that.
“Obviously starshooting will be how we leave, but where will these three go since they’ve never been to Yemi’s?”
“I figured we’d meet you all in the Assembly and travel from there,” Nero says, but Amick’s already shaking his head.
“No. Too many eyes.”
“I’ll come and get all of you.”
“I don’t think that’s—”
“Amick’s already approved. I’ll see you in a moment.”
His hoot flutters through my mind and I turn my glare to Amick.
“Really?”
“It’s the most practical and safest option.”
“Maybe I wasn’t ready for them to meet him.”
“Meet who?” Doren asks.
I don’t get a second to answer him as a gasp rings out behind us.
“Hellveilious? Again? Are you freaking kidding me?”
By the time I whirl around, Yemi’s already colliding with Sevryn’s chest and V glides from her shoulder to mine.
“What the heck, V? You brought her with you?”
“Obviously. She said she didn’t want to stay behind.”
“Are you okay? No sudden death battles, right?”
Her questions are just as frantic as the worried gaze she has roaming all over Sevryn’s body. He’s wearing a smug-ass smirk on his face. Any other time, he’d definitely tell her to cut it out.
“And you.” She spins, pointing her finger at me.
My face fakes innocence as I mimic the gesture and point at my own chest.
“You most certainly should’ve told me the location was Hellveilious. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I swear. I didn’t even have to punch anyone.”
“She almost did.”
Her eyes widen as she whips her attention to Riven and his chuckle, then she glares back at me.
“Who?”
“Let’s not dwell on that. The past is the past. Well, unless it’s still going to be a problem.”
Her forehead wrinkles and I shoot her a wink.
“Yemi.”
Her name is a breathed prayer as Doren appears between us. Her face falls pale as he takes her hand, then drops to a knee.
My hand covers my mouth in shock as her body falls statue still.
“My name is Doren. It’s an honor to finally lay my eyes on you. I vow from this moment on, for all eternity, my responsibility to you will come before all others.”
He lays his forehead to her trembling hand. She can’t tear her eyes off him, but she also doesn’t seem to be processing what’s happening right now.
“I like the God of Discovery. He remembers the ways of old.”
“What does that mean? He’s about to scare her off.”
“Nonsense.”
“Well, what does ways of old mean?”
He hoots rather than answers me. I peer over at Amick, ready to ask him for an explanation, but his concentration is fully on what’s happening before us. Kyzen’s undivided attention takes me by surprise.
There’s a small, curious smile on his face that I can’t really decipher.
“Whoa Hoo! Now kiss her!”
“Riven,” I scold and he shrugs with the biggest fucking devious grin.
“I’ll only do such a thing when she says I can.”
Uh-oh.
Doren bows to Yemi as he stands back straight, and Sevryn grips her by her bicep as she sways. Her panicked gaze searches mine, but there’s nothing I can do as Nero steps up to her next.
“Yemi, I’m Nero Valadi. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
He isn’t nearly as dramatic as Doren, but he does lay a kiss to her knuckles and that has smoke coming from Sevryn’s ears, I swear.
Iric, unlike either of the others, doesn’t touch her. They hold each other’s gazes for an intense few moments.
“Iric Obi,” he says, smooth as butter, with a tilt of his head.
Her chest is moving so fast I’m surprised I can’t see the outline of her heart.
“Yemi says she didn’t think this through and she’s about to pass out.”
My gaze jerks to hers, and her petrified stare sears through me.
“Ask her if she wants to get out of here. We’ll go and you can handle the guys.”
She nods the tiniest fraction, and I jump right to her side.
“Tell her to go to my bedroom and tell the guys what’s going on, please.”
V flies from my shoulder to Creed’s, and I know from the narrowing of all my men’s eyes, my message has been received.
“Ready?” I ask.
“I…I’m so sorry. I just need a minute.”
Her apology is a whisper on the wind as her starshoot takes her away.
All shocked expressions turn to me.
I follow right behind her.