Chapter 12 Thayla
Thayla
“There’s no need to be so nervous, gorgeous. They’re your friends.”
I shut the icebox for the fifth time and stare at Kyzen. Even as he throws a berry up and catches it in his mouth, somehow that adorable smirk never falters.
It’s illogical, sure, but I want to blame him for the days flying by. It’s his power that can control time. Also, the mind-blowing sex we have definitely interferes with the hours. Everything ceases to exist in those moments, then we’re thrown back into reality.
Like right now.
A week has passed since the dreadful meeting with the God of Obliteration and every day since, Lambrit’s, Yemi’s, Rose’s, and Havar’s lists of questions continue to grow.
It’s made being able to communicate and plan effectively difficult, according to Amick. He announced yesterday he’d be telling them the truth so the nuisance of only giving half-truths and directions would be over.
My heart nearly fell out of my chest, and I slammed his office door shut before he literally could go out into the Athenaeum and retrieve them.
“There may be no need, but she obviously is. She’s fidgety and has been quick to anger for the last fifteen minutes.”
My glare cuts to Amick, who of course has no idea why I’m looking at him this way.
“You have no one to blame but yourself. You’re the one who demanded you have this conversation all on your own when you could’ve just let Amick do it yesterday and it’d be done.”
My vicious scowl moves to Riven.
“What the hell are you all playing at, ganging up on me like this? Yeah, I asked if I could do it on my own because I didn’t want to drop all this shit on my childhood best friend like it’s a normal conversation. It may be weirdly fucking normal for us but not him. Or the others.”
I huff and rub at my forehead as I attempt to get the unnecessary attitude under control.
“I don’t mean to be so snippy, but you all teasing and calling me out right now isn’t helping. Yes, I’m nervous.”
“Obviously,” Riven snorts, then screeches when I throw the closest thing to me at him. Which happened to be the wooden spoon I snatched out of Creed’s hand.
“I was using that.”
“Sorry.”
“Bad angel. You’re being rude to me for nothing. It’s not like Lam-man is going to cut you out of his life cause you drop some fucked-up shit on his lap.”
The room descends into a quietness that has my heart thundering in my ears. Even Riven has the nerve to sense that he just hit a little too close to home with his words and his mouth forms an O.
It takes everything in me not to haul ass to my room the longer they all stare at me and my rapidly rising chest.
Kyzen and Amick round the counter as one, cornering me against the icebox. My hands flex into fists as I try to get control, once again, of my breathing.
“Is that what’s really bothering you? Are you afraid Lambrit’s going to cut you out of his life after you tell him everything?”
Kyzen’s understanding question has me nodding once, even though I refuse to look at him.
“Is it all your truths you’re worried to tell him or ours as well?” Amick asks.
“Both. I think he’ll take mine harder, though.”
“He probably will, but it’ll be out of worry, not fear.
I understand that you’re nervous right now, but I think you’re greatly undermining Lambrit and what he can handle.
He’s an incredibly smart individual, with fierce love and devotion to you.
It also wouldn’t surprise me if he’s already begun piecing some things together for himself. ”
I release a heavy breath as the restraints around my chest lessen. “Have you been leaving him more hints?”
“Yes and no. Extra readings on the God of Obliteration here and there. The Abandon. I was attempting to get him more familiar with both topics so he wouldn’t come to you with questions you couldn’t answer.”
“Thank you, Candyman.”
I give him a grateful smile, and my eyes drift shut as he leans down and kisses my forehead. He’s been doing that more lately, as though he’s getting himself comfortable with physical touch as intimate as that.
The day he actually kisses me, I’ll probably pass out from being so worked up. Or pounce on him. Maybe both.
As soon as he retreats, Kyzen lays his lips to mine without a care in the realm that the other two are in the kitchen still. He, as well, has been showing more affection in front of all of them.
I swear part of me thinks he’s doing it to get a reaction out of Creed and Riven. Anytime either of them grunts, groans, or makes a sly comment, he smiles smugly.
“What can we help with right now?”
I blow out a harsh breath, but before I can say anything, the sunsetter Creed set goes off. The delicious aroma that’s been filling the kitchen’s air intensifies tenfold and all five of us inhale deeply.
“Fuck yes, cookies,” Riven cheers and reaches over the counter to snatch one off the tray despite the obvious steam pouring off them.
Creed smacks him with his oven mitt. “Not for you.”
“Not for me? Then who the hell are they for?”
“Little miss sassy ass over there. That’s why she kept opening and closing the damn icebox. She was fretting over what to take to their dinner date at Yemi’s.”
My entire body flinches.
He did not make us cookies.
I take a few tentative steps closer to where he’s standing and stare down at the gooey, perfectly plump cookies he has lining not one but two trays.
“You really made cookies for me to take?”
He cuts his eyes over at me. “Have you not been freaking out about what to take?”
“Well, yeah, but I didn’t say anything.”
“You mumbled ‘what to make’ at least eleven times. Even if your panic wasn’t driving me nuts, we all could look at you and tell.”
I wouldn’t have been so indecisive about whipping something up, but my thoughts were firmly on Lambrit coming over here first so we can talk, then dinner.
I curl my lips between my teeth to stop myself from smirking at Creed. He’s so confusing. I’ve wanted to break his neck over the past few days during our extra training even though Kyzen’s there too. I call him the voice of reason that keeps me from committing murder.
“Thank you.”
All I get back is a grunt.
“This is some taurnshit.”
I snort at Riven, then suck it right back up as the knock at the door echoes around the house.
“I’ll get it,” Kyzen says, smacking my ass hard enough I yelp as he walks by.
“So is that,” Riven again grumbles.
“Stop your whining, my little psycho. I’ll share my cookies with you since you shared your muffins with me.”
A sinister but drop-dead sexy smirk crosses his face. “Why don’t you just tell me you love me already?”
“You don’t have to share anything with him. Annalise specifically told him he had to share those with all of us.”
I look between Riven and Creed. “It’d seem Creed doesn’t want me to share with you.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time my brothers didn’t want to share with me.”
Luckily, Kyzen walks back through the kitchen with a gawking Lambrit right on his heels and I completely ignore Riven’s emphasis on sharing.
“I can’t believe this is the first time you’ve let me in here, Thay. This place is massive and has plenty of room for me.”
“I never said it didn’t have room for you, Lambrit.” I chuckle, then narrow my eyes when Riven hops up and they do some weird handshake.
“What’s up, Lam-man? Where’s your little love petal?”
“Hey, Riv. She went on to help Yemi cook.”
Riv? What the hell is going on right now?
“How sweet of her. Get her to teach Thayla how to be nice. She’s in a foul-ass mood tonight.”
“You’re an asshole and I don’t like whatever this is going on.” I wiggle my fingers between the two of them. “Tell everyone bye, Lambrit. I’ll show you my room, change, then we’re going to Yemi’s.”
I turn to march out of the kitchen but stop short as Kyzen wraps me in his arms and leans down to my ear.
“Have fun with your friends and don’t let your fear take away from this quality time with them. Everything’s going to be fine. I promise.”
I relax against his chest and nod. “You’re right.”
He laughs before stealing another kiss. “I know.”
A gagging noise sounds beside me, and I smirk over at Lambrit. I regretfully pull away from Kyzen’s comforting embrace and jerk my head toward my hallway.
Lambrit tells the guys he’ll see them later as he follows behind me, and he whistles low as soon as we pass into my room.
“Wow. It matches you perfectly.”
“You think? Kyzen said the same thing, but I’m not so sure.”
“This green reminds me of the forest you’d run and hide in. The fireplace you always said you wished you had on the cold nights. Bookshelves full of books to entertain you. I’m assuming behind those curtains is a view that you can get lost staring in. What don’t you think matches?”
He makes his way to my bathroom, and I wait for him to really call me out.
“Well, when you start spelling it out like that…”
“You really do have a hot spring. I thought you were being dramatic about an above-average bathtub.”
I smile as he comes back out with a huge grin on his face, then he takes it upon himself to flop down on my bed.
“Yes, of course, make yourself at home. I’m going to change.”
His chuckle follows me into my closet and I smile to myself as a sense of old times and home engulfs me. This is the first time I’ve had alone time with my best friend since arriving and it’s easy for me to admit, I’ve missed it.
“So why did Riv say you were in a foul mood?”
“Ugh, why are you calling him Riv?”
“He likes nicknames. It’s his subtle way of showing how he perceives you. You know whether he likes you or not by what he calls you. Therefore, I reciprocated that so he knows I like him.”
My eyebrows scrunch and I stop sliding my clothes around as I ponder that. I have noticed he gives less favorable nicknames to people he’s mean to, but at the same time, his ass still calls me a burden.
And angel.
I guess I get two depending on how he feels about me in the moment.