Chapter 14 Amick
Amick
A shift’s been made in the dynamic of our group.
I’m not referring to my Valtrue’s divide. That’s clear because of Kyzen’s and my relationship with Thayla. Riven and Creed lurk in the background with want and desire that they’re too scared to admit, which causes our obvious separation.
It’s the whole of our newly formed alliance between the five of us and Lambrit, Yemi, Rose, and Havar that’s changed.
Until this point, it was noticeable that the middle point that both groups turned to for connection was Thayla.
She’s still a neutral ground for us all. The difference now, though, is we have less hesitation, less tension crossing her comfort to embrace the others.
We discussed beforehand what we were okay with her telling them about us and it’s clear that however she presented the information to them last night made them view us in a new light.
A better light.
Apparently, this morning in training, prior to their start, Havar clapped Creed on the shoulder and thanked him for the cookies last night. My brother was both shocked and turned off by the touch but accepted the gesture without cutting his hand off.
I take that as a step in a good direction.
Rose spoke louder, laughed freely at Kyzen’s jokes, and walked hand in hand with Lambrit here to the Athenaeum. It’d seem the talk last night pushed them into their own relationship that they’re comfortable showing us.
The two of them make a good pair in my opinion.
Lambrit has always been more open with us, but he’s joking and teasing more than usual today.
I don’t know if I like that.
I do like the happiness on Thayla’s face, though, every time she looks at him and his new romantic partner.
Yemi surprised me the most.
She came to our home for breakfast this morning.
Creed, Kyzen, and I were already at the table and her appearance with Thayla shocked us still.
We continued to stare until she cleared her throat and—word for word—said, “You guys are making this really awkward.”
If I hadn’t been looking at them, I would’ve sworn those words came out of Thayla’s mouth. Her open sarcasm was a surprise to my brothers and me. It’s slipped through a few times around us, but that comment was purposeful.
An ice breaker, if you will.
The most unexplainable bit was, after Kyzen got her and Thayla situated at the table with food, she smirked, cut her eyes over at Thayla, and warned her Riven was about to scare her.
Even with the warning, Thayla still jumped when he appeared in his seat. His arms were crossed and eyes narrowed on Yemi.
Despite his pestering, she refused to tell him how she knew he was there.
I was highly impressed.
Riven was young when he learned to morph his surroundings using his chaos. Unlike illusions that can become reality with enough power and some interference from other gods, his ability doesn’t allow that.
Whatever false appearances he makes disappear the moment he commands it or withdraws his power.
When he uses his ability in that way, it does the opposite of what other gods’ use of power does. It not only morphs his surroundings, but it also shrouds his power from people.
Perfect example of the unpredictability chaos can cause.
We, as in Kyzen, Creed, and I, can usually sense him rather than see him. To my utter disappointment, even that has become more challenging with this recent release of power.
Yemi’s secret ability must provide her with the capability to see through something that isn’t real or a greater awareness of others’ power. Either option is phenomenal.
It’s something that needs to be kept a secret.
Except from me. I need to know.
“Do you have a moment to look over this, Amick?” Lambrit asks, finally bringing the rolled parchment he has clutched in his hand over to my desk.
I’ve been curious about it since he met us at the house to walk here, but with everyone’s mundane chitchat and laughter, he hasn’t brought it up until now.
“Of course.”
As I move everything out of his way on my desk, Thayla scoots in close to me and I inhale discreetly.
Lately, anytime she gets this close, my entire body becomes completely aware of her. Pins and needles shoot through my blood and my fingers twitch with the desire to pull her into me.
It’s a strange sensation that I’m growing used to. Fond of.
The mental turmoil I experience when someone attempts to or actually does touch me has always caused repulsion. I don’t know anything about them. Especially their hygiene routines.
Did they wash their hands after using the restroom? Did they lick their fingers after they finished eating? Are their intentions to harm or comfort me?
Those few mental questions have a violent shiver attempting to pass through me.
Now, if I replace they with Thayla, none of it matters for some odd reason. More than likely, it has to do with the fact I live with her and know she’s hygienic, so that eliminates that concern.
As for her intentions toward me…
I know she’d never hurt me.
“Oh, wow. Is this a map of the entire Valorian Veil?” Her elated tone has my gaze moving from her to the parchment Lambrit rolled out.
“It is. I’ve marked the areas where godly activity has been heavily rumored or reported.”
“I don’t understand. Godsden is so isolated from the other regions. How is it possible to even collect this information?”
“Spyvies. Meddling creatures. As well as gods that’ve been tasked with keeping an eye on the regions,” I tell her as I trace the most heavily reported areas.
Her head jerks up. “There are gods here whose roles are to check on the regions?”
“There are. It was a role that was assigned years ago when the possibility of rebellion was a true fear.”
“You mean when the Beginning Gods took all the power from the people?”
“Thay—”
“Exactly then,” I agree, cutting Lambrit off, and gasps ring out from him, Yemi, and Rose as though it truly shocks them to hear that news.
V informed me that he told Thayla the truth and I figured she had relayed the message to them. I guess that slipped her mind or she didn’t find it an important topic to discuss along with everything else.
“What Thayla is claiming is true, but I’m not wasting time getting into it now. We’ll cover that history lesson another time. As for the role of checking on the regions, it became permanent over time, for many reasons.
“Many gods, especially those who the masses didn’t pray to, would go, show themselves, and flash around their power to gain followers. Some enjoyed the company and attention ungodly beings give gods. Others, despite all better judgment, formed romantic relations with ungodly beings.”
“Why did you say it like that?” Thayla snorts.
“I don’t mean to say it in an off-putting way. It’s greatly irresponsible for gods to fornicate with the beings of the regions. The result of a pregnancy would be dire. The ungodly parent would have no way to get an infant to the Gods Veil. They’d release an unknown power among powerless people.”
“Fuck, I didn’t even think about that. Has that happened?”
Creed grunts. “Yes, but not in our lifetime or at least not our time in the Godsdawn.”
She holds his gaze for a long moment before looking back down at the map.
“The reporting isn’t surprising. Abernie is the wealthiest of the regions, and the numbers decrease as we move down to Oddian.
In all my years of living there, I never saw a god aside from Chancellor Gulliver or Havar when he picked us up. ”
“Are you blind? Look at all those hits. All clustered together too. That’s not suspicious or anything,” Riven says, dragging his finger below where hers is pointing.
“Thank you so much for pointing that out to me. I completely missed it.” Her face is blank, unreadable as she glares at Riven.
“Always happy to help you. Any way I can.” He winks, earning himself a look from Kyzen and myself.
I allow him to tease her because I know she can handle her own with him, but he’ll have to express some real emotions toward her before I actually get on board with him helping her as he insinuated.
Unless she initiates it, then that’s a different conversation.
“Anyways,” Thayla groans, pulling a laugh from Kyzen and other unneeded noises from the others. “Those clusters are on the barrier. Who’s to say that’s godly activity and not each time someone passed through it? It’s powerful all on its own.”
That garners my full attention.
“What do you mean? Is it not the same as the barrier to the Abandon?”
“Not at all. A power, really in my opinion, magic of some kind, pulses off it. It neither deters you nor draws you in. It’s just…there. Vibrating.”
“You’ve seen it with your own eyes?” Creed asks.
“Seen it.” Lambrit chuckles. “I couldn’t tell you the number of times I had to trek all the way out there to look for her.”
“Good to know she’s always been nosy. So what’s it like on the other side? Who did you Oddians have protecting it?”
Thayla’s scrunched nose that was aimed at Lambrit slides over to Riven. “I have no idea what it’s like over there and no one guards it.”
“It’s unprotected for whoever to come and go as they please?” Kyzen asks.
She and Lambrit exchange confused glances before she looks at all of us. “Have you all just assumed it’s like the barrier at the Abandon? We can pass in and out as we please and whoever is over there is being kept in?”
We all murmur yes, and my eyebrows draw down as hers widen.
“I’m not sure why or what god reported that, but that’s the furthest thing from the truth.
If that barrier accepts you and allows you through, there’s no coming back out.
At least, we’ve never seen anyone come back out.
If it doesn’t want you to enter, it’ll send your ass flying backward.
I never crossed because of both those reasons.
Fear of being accepted and rejected kept me right there on the edge. ”
“Well, and your—”
“Lambrit,” she scolds, cutting off whatever other piece of information he was about to spill.