Chapter 22 Amick
Amick
My life is more out of order than it has ever been, and it’s driving me crazy.
This is an area where my Domain should never struggle, yet I feel that’s all I do.
Never in my thirty-five years of existence have I had so many unanswered questions and theories piling up in my mind. Normally, a lack of knowledge wouldn’t bother me or disrupt my everyday life.
This does.
I’ve been obsessing since I returned to the house yesterday, waiting for V so I could ask him two simple questions.
Is there an order in which things need to happen?
And am I on the right track?
His calm, reassuring hoot was all I needed to hear.
I haven’t shared with Thayla or my Valtrue what assumption I’ve made yet, but I plan to.
Eventually.
For now, I’m gathering the fragmented pieces of this vast puzzle and fitting them together in my own mind. I know it enrages them and makes me a hypocrite when I, in turn, badger them for answers, but it’s my system. I can’t deviate completely from my ways just yet.
One day, I will. As soon as I have concrete proof to offer instead of misleading hope.
I refuse to tell them I’ve found our way to true freedom when it could be snatched away before I can deliver it.
I won’t let them down prematurely.
My gaze scans the parchment I’ve read countless times. I’ve analyzed every word, and the answer sits on the tip of my mind, but I can’t quite grasp it yet.
I despise admitting—even to myself—that I’m not as well-versed in the laws of the higher gods as I am in the becoming. That isn’t to say I’m ignorant of the subject. I’m far from that, but their laws are as unstable as they are.
They change policies that benefit them with a snap of their fingers.
With that level of unpredictability, it’s best to let Kyzen keep up with the nonsense while I turn my attention elsewhere.
That, unfortunately, is proving to be a problem.
One I intend to fix with my pleasure reads.
For now, though, I know a god who can, and will, help me.
I rise from my desk with the parchment in hand and make my way into the Athenaeum. My cheek muscles twitch as a smirk threatens to break free.
That’s what Thayla’s laugh does to me.
It’s intoxicating.
As quietly as I can, I approach her from behind, where she’s seated at the familiar table. Lambrit spares me a small, knowing smile from his podium when I place a finger on my lips.
My Binder and Yemi remain blissfully unaware of my presence, and Rose is doing a miserable job hiding her amusement as she keeps glancing up at me.
“I see you got lost again.”
Mid-sentence, Thayla squeals and whirls around in her chair as she places her hand on her heart.
“I swear we were heading back right now.”
“That appears to be exactly what you were doing.”
“Okay, yes, you caught us chitchatting but look. We got the book you told us to first.”
She holds the bound leather up as proof and I hum appreciatively. This text was one that was on my original list that she and Yemi never got to finish acquiring.
I throttle that dark reminder from my mind.
“Have you begun reading on the elusive God of Consequence yet?”
“Oh, ugh. This is who this is about?”
She flips the book back and forth as though that’s supposed to be spelled out somewhere. Granted, she should’ve picked that up from the title.
“It’s called Cause and Effect, Thay. Who did you think it was about?”
Lambrit, of course, knew that with only a glance.
“To be honest, I didn’t think it was about anyone. I just went and got the book like he told me to.”
Her lack of questioning my request does unspeakable things to me.
“I’m bringing it back to your office right now.”
I lay my hand to her shoulder to stop her from rising from her chair.
“I have an errand to run and was coming to find you to inform you of that.”
“Where are you going? Do you want me to come with you?”
“I won’t be gone but a few minutes. Enjoy your company for now.”
I lean down and lay a kiss to her forehead, relishing the way her eyes drift shut as she savors my lips on her skin.
That, as well, sends sensations blazing through me.
As soon as I exit the Athenaeum doors, my power wraps around me and releases me outside of Yemi’s home.
She stated on the walk this morning that the men need time together to get to know one another without her around. I believe they were getting on her nerves, and she wanted space from them but didn’t want to say that.
Regardless, she unknowingly let me know that all her Valtrue would be here for the day rather than elsewhere across the realm.
On my second knock, I come face-to-face with a very ill-looking Sevryn.
“Is Yemi okay?”
“She’s fine. In the Athenaeum, dawdling around with Thayla.”
“Dawdling? So Thayla didn’t need her for something really important this morning?”
I observe his crossed arms and glaring features.
I’m not sure if he’s confused on what dawdling means since he asked it in a way that requests clarification. Or, if judging by and examining his second question, his annoyance stems from the possibility that Yemi may have told a tale to get out of staying home with them.
“Of course she did. They’re only dawdling at the moment because I had to step out.”
“Oh yeah? What was so important?”
“That’s none of your concern. Is Nero home? I need to speak with him.”
His sneer is very unkind, but before he can question me any more, a hand lands on his shoulder and his crossed features snap to the man beside him.
“Well, good morning, Amick. What’s brought you to our humble abode?”
“Doren.” I tilt my head in return to him. “I need to speak with Nero. Is he here?”
“He is. Come on in.”
Sevryn grunts some colorful choice words as he stomps away. Doren ushers me through their threshold enthusiastically, without a care in the realm over his Valtrue member’s small tantrum.
The tension lingering in the air is heavy enough to make my nose itch as we enter their living room. The space fits Yemi’s personality well. Aside from the grumpy men sitting about.
Well, I’m not sure if Iric is moody like Sevryn is, but he sits in silence, staring out the back window.
“He must’ve gone to his room for a moment. Can I get you anything or is there anything I can help with?” Doren asks.
“No. Well, yes, but my Binder has forbidden me from questioning you for right now. So until she gives me permission to do so, then no, there’s nothing you can help me with.”
“Why has she forbidden you from talking to me?”
“Not talking. Questioning. She asked that I not bombard you until you, Yemi, and the rest of your Valtrue have had time to get situated.”
I wasn’t too pleased when she made me promise that last night, but alas, I’ll always keep my word to her.
“You’ll never get to ask those questions then,” Sevryn grumbles.
“Unfortunate.”
He rolls his eyes at me for whatever reason, and I pat my parchment against my palm as my impatience grows.
“Well, I, for one, believe we’re off to a splendid start.”
The unfazed calm on Iric’s face is completely opposite to the disagreement on Sevryn’s as they both turn to glance at Doren.
I’m not sure who to believe at this point.
I’ll have to ask Yemi myself and hope they’re moving in a direction that will get me my answers sooner rather than later.
“Third door on the left, Amick. Nero’s probably in there pouting that he couldn’t go to his precious Valveilious today, so there’s no telling when he may come out.”
I follow the direction of Sevryn’s pointed finger and make my way across their living space.
It’s quite off-putting knocking on a stranger’s bedroom door, but if what Sevryn said is accurate, I don’t want to be waiting around all day for the Mediator to emerge.
“Yeah…oh. Amick. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Of course you weren’t. May I have a moment of your time?”
“Sure.”
He motions his hand inward, but I don’t budge. I won’t be entering his bedroom. I don’t even enter my own brother’s bedrooms.
Thayla’s and my own are the only private spaces I’m comfortable with entering.
“I’ll stand here. Will you look at this agreement for me? I need it methodically analyzed for any loopholes and ways out.”
I attempt to pass him my parchment, but he stares at it, then back up at me.
“Why would you need me to do that? What kind of agreement is it that you or Kyzen couldn’t figure it out?”
“Kyzen hasn’t read it. This is the agreement made on my brothers’ and my behalf when we came to the Godsdawn.
It was crafted by the Beginning Gods, and I’d like to find a way out of it for us.
I fear we’re too emotionally involved to see an answer for ourselves.
Given your skill set, I determined you’d be the best outside source to ask for help.
I’d like to keep this between us for now. ”
“What’s in it for me?”
“Nero,” Doren barks. “When our friends ask for help, we don’t ask for something in return.”
“Friends? We don’t even know them.”
“Correction, you three don’t know them. I’ve been friends with them my whole life,” Sevryn declares as he stomps over to us.
I sigh as a petty and pointless argument ensues among the three men. I’m regretting this decision already.
“This behavior is absurd, Nero. Yesterday, they willingly and freely helped us. No questions asked and no declaration of a debt to be repaid.”
“Yeah, Doren, and now he’s here asking for a favor. That doesn’t seem like repaying a debt to you?”
“I can assure you, I don’t view this as a debt being repaid. If that were the case, I’d require and ask something of your entire Valtrue. My willingness to help yesterday comes from a place of wanting to please my Binder and ask the God of Discovery a list of questions.
“This is a much simpler situation. I have a problem that your particular skill set can help me with. Therefore, I asked. If you’re not up to this task, that’s fine. This ridiculous squabble, though, is redundant and a waste of my time.”
Nero’s tightened gaze scans his Valtrue members, then me.
“Fine. I’ll read it over.”
“Great. What’s your expected timeline for completion?”