Chapter 10 Thayla #3
“I had the same issue but with strawberries. I hunted every field in Oddian looking for a fruit that was tube-shaped like straw or hay. Lambrit was able to find a book in the library that gave better descriptions, and I was pissy when I found out a strawberry is a round, plump red fruit that has black seeds on its skin, juicy, and sweet. Just like our—”
“Black-seeded red berry,” we say at the same time.
“Exactly. Why couldn’t the mortals just keep the name straightforward like us? They did for some things and others not.” I chuckle.
“They probably wanted to pave their own way. Not to mention, they don’t have power to make anything easier. The way they grow, cook, make, do anything is probably vastly different than us or any other realm.”
“That’s true. It’s fascinating, though, how we’ve learned just as much from them as they did us. To be honest, we probably made their lives harder.”
“There’s no doubt we did. Gods are complicated, selfish creatures.”
I open my mouth to tell him he isn’t selfish, but a chuckle followed by the clearing of a throat sound from our left.
“You okay?”
I return Kyzen’s smile as he takes in my position. “Perfectly fine. Creed slung me over his shoulder to make me train, so I figured a ride back to the house was only fair.”
He throws his head back, laughing before shaking it at Creed. “I told you I’d be along in a little while. Did you really have to throw her over your shoulder?”
“Her attitude kicked in as soon as I told her what we were doing.”
I roll my eyes and shrug as Kyzen purses his lips at me playfully and falls in step beside us. “I trained without any attitude. He didn’t mention you’d be joining us.”
“I’ll be tagging along to keep the peace and help with whatever Creed needs me to help with.”
“Afraid of training alone with me?” I ask.
“No, but eventually, we’ll need to work on you fighting more than one opponent at a time.”
“So the two of you against me at the same time is the plan?”
“Stepping up to taking two at the same time, little burden? Freaky. I’m down.”
Kyzen flips Riven over his back and he hits the ground with a painful grunt. My nose scrunches as I stare down at him, coughing to catch his breath.
“Damn it, Riven. You know better than to sneak up on me like that. Why the hell did you jump on me?” Kyzen asks as he grabs Riven by the hand and stands him up.
Riven rubs his hands up and down his lower back to his ass as he groans. I try to stifle my laugh but fail.
“Not funny. That shit hurt.” He glares at me, then turns back to Kyzen. “She’s on Creed’s back, so I figured I’d jump on yours as we strolled through the woods like a bunch of creeps.”
Creed starts walking again the second he realizes both of them are fine. I chuckle the entire time I glance over my shoulder, watching Riven ask to ride on Kyzen’s back.
He wins as Kyzen gives in exasperatedly.
“Isn’t this nice? Being carried around like the perfect beings we are?” He closes his eyes and rests his chin on Kyzen’s shoulder like I’m doing to Creed.
He’s as happy and carefree as he can be while Kyzen’s frown is fighting for dominance over his own smirk, and Creed just made a sound similar to a snort.
I can’t help the unrestrained laughter that continues to fall from me. I swear when Riven’s around, maturity leaves my body, but I also mentally prepare for absolute chaos to break free.
I never know which way it’s going to go.
“It is, yes. Were you coming to join my training as well?”
“Oh no. Amick is pacing around the kitchen, freaking out over dinner not being prepared, so I left to stress him out a little more and find you guys.”
Creed whips his head to stare at a very guilty-looking Kyzen. “I told you to tell him about our added training and we’d be late in the afternoons until we left.”
“Shit, I know. I completely forgot.”
“Great. That’s going to be a lecture,” Creed huffs.
“Blame it on me. He’ll be more understanding, and I don’t mind his stern voice.” My face flames as soon as the words come out of my mouth.
None of them call me out. Instead, they all murmur that’s a good idea.
I tilt my face to stare at the side of Creed’s.
“Want to make strawberry cheesecake crepes for after dinner? It’s technically a breakfast food, but it’s so sweet, it should definitely be a dessert,” I ask him.
“Strawberry? That sounds vile. What is that?”
“A mortal recipe,” I tell Riven, then jump right into explaining the thin, delicate cake-like base that’s loaded with a rich, sweet, creamy filling and topped with our version of strawberries.
“You know how to make that?” He follows up, wiping imaginary drool from his lips.
“Yes, thank you very much. I know how to cook a lot of things.”
“Mortal things?”
“Is that a problem?”
“Not if it tastes as delicious as it sounds. I won’t be very forgiving if you poison me, though.”
“You’d be making my life easier if you did, gorgeous.” I smirk at Kyzen’s sass and the way Riven’s eyes narrow at the back of his head.
“Is that okay with you? I’m not trying to take over your kitchen.”
“We can make whatever you want, whenever you want it.”
Creed’s low words don’t sound like he’s giving me permission to use the kitchen, but more so….an invitation to join him in there more.