Chapter 20 Thayla
Thayla
Welp. That explains a lot.
I mean, not exactly, but to an extent.
I’m not much of a crier myself, and I don’t typically handle other people crying around me very well, but Yemi’s tears have me both concerned and ready to beat the fuck out of the God of Boundaries.
Wherever the hell he could possibly be.
This little game the Beginning Gods keep playing with our lives is starting to piss me off. I was furious about it when it was the guys and me they were meddling with, but add in Yemi and I’m murderous.
The Valorian Veil better be thankful Lambrit hasn’t been tampered with.
The guys, including Sevryn, are staring us down like that’s going to get us talking any faster. It’s not. Until Yemi calms down and gives me the okay, her secret will stay safe with me.
“How long will it take us to get home?”
“Like two seconds,” Riven says seriously, but one glance at my deadpan face has him groaning. “You still can’t starshoot. What the fuck are you even teaching her?”
Amick ignores him.
“Hours by foot,” Creed says, running his hands down his face, and I can’t pull my attention away from his lips.
That kiss was…soul-shattering.
Another topic we’ve got to talk about.
“V, we’re out. Any way you can get Seismet and Verlet to come get us somehow? You’ll probably have to get Havar first.”
“No need. I’m on my way.”
“You’re wh—”
I don’t even have time to finish my question before a bright flash of light beams in front of us and V hoots as he lands on my shoulder.
“I’ll escort you home. Yemi, congratulations on your new pairing I sense. If you’d like, I’ll take you and him as well.”
“Yes, please. Thank you, V.” She trembles, either unable to speak mentally right now or didn’t consider it.
Sevryn, on the other hand, staggers away as his face pales. “V…this is V. What the fuck is going on?”
Damn, poor thing.
I didn’t really think about what kind of reality check it’d be just taking him out of Hellveilious.
He didn’t put up a fight, not that I thought he would, but I didn’t consider anything else.
I have no clue how long he’s been there, and the thought of giving him any warnings about what’s going on in our lives didn’t seem relevant.
I never in my wildest imagination would have thought the weird familiarity going on between him and Yemi was related to her being his Binder.
That’s too confusing to even dwell on right now.
“A lot. You’ll have to wait to be caught up. This complicates everything now and we should get home.”
I scowl at Amick’s words when Yemi’s face clouds with guilt.
“What?”
“That was rude,” I say, nodding at Yemi.
“Oh. I apologize, Yemi. You aren’t complicated. Adding an unwanted and untrustworthy addition to our dynamic is.”
Fuck me. That was an attempt but not a very good one.
“Will you need multiple trips to take us or one?”
“How insulting. Just one.”
I huff. “How was I supposed to know you’re capable of doing things that only Beginning Gods are able to do?”
“That’s a good point, but from here on out, assume I can do everything they do, and if I can’t, like coming into Hellveilious, I’ll inform you.”
I blow out a breath. Everything he says and does still shocks me.
“Sounds good.”
The air that left my lungs gets sucked right back down when I look over the guys’ heads for a brief moment. I hadn’t paid any attention to our surroundings, but now it’s all I notice.
Close to ten or so feet from us, a shimmering veil distorts what I bet is a breathtaking view. It’s still stunning, although it’s partially obscured.
Not only are we surrounded by towering trees that line a path we’d walk down to leave this place, but it seems that the way into Hellveilious is through an archway carved into mountains.
The gray peaks stretch high into the sky, and I assume go farther back than my eyes can see. The sun sits behind them and between its position and the barrier, Hellveilious looks to be on fire.
It’s poetic even if it isn’t truly burning.
The stories that left this realm and traveled the others had to come from somewhere. I have no doubt it’s from this scenery.
A ball of emotion lodges itself in my throat. Many things bombard me at once as I admire this gorgeous but dangerous view.
Where was the sun in the sky when we were carried here unconscious?
Was it purposeful to build this horrific place in such a beautiful spot?
I survived one of the deadliest places known across multiple realms.
I kissed the God of Death in literally a pit of death.
We can’t fail at finding the Binding.
Not only because I fear getting taken to the Abandon, but also, I never want to be separated from them again.
A life without them, in some capacity, whether it be friendship, romantically, whatever, seems…I don’t want to say pointless but—empty.
That’s the word.
“Let’s get you home, little goddess.”
Kyzen’s face comes into focus and I blink my eyes repeatedly. A little dust falls from either my lashes or hair, and that reminder that I’m covered in blood and dirt has me ready to sprint home.
“Yes, please.”
He gives me a small smile that doesn’t touch his eyes and my heart clenches.
“What do we do, V?”
“Have Yemi and her companion lay their hands on me. I’ll take care of the rest.”
I relay his message as he climbs down my shoulder and sits in my palms. Yemi doesn’t hesitate laying her hand gently on him, but Sevryn stares in awe before taking my other side.
I have half a mind to threaten him, but the utter confusion and I swear, pain, written across his face makes me bite my tongue.
The man has been through it. Whatever it is, I don’t have any reason right now to add to it.
My Valtrue stands in a straight line, tense from head to toe, and I muster up what I can of a smile.
“See you at home?” It was supposed to be a statement, but the uncertainty, plus the raspiness in my voice, makes that unclear.
“Fucking better. Don’t make us hunt you down again.”
“I won’t, my little psycho.”
His devious smile is the last thing I see as V morphs into nothing but a ball of light. It grows larger by the second and soon enough it, he—I don’t know—expands until Yemi, Sevryn, and I are completely covered.
A warm sensation spreads through every inch of me, cocooning me in safety, but it comes and goes just as fast as the sigh it pulled from my chest. My eyes readjust and I slump as our house is the first thing I see.
Yemi’s gasp has me whipping my head over to her, though, and my jaw drops.
Fuck. Her house has changed. Again.
The color is the same, but it’s definitely bigger. There’s a new window on the opposite end of the house and it’s lacking a flower box like the original one out front.
“You all don’t possibly live here,” Sevryn says.
“Uh, no. This is the guys’ and my house,” I say, pointing. “That’s…”
“That’s my, well, our house.”
“Our house?” he asks.
I spin around, sensing them before they even make a sound. Kyzen, Amick, and Riven stare at me, and my body heats with worry.
“Where is—”
Creed appears first and a millisecond later, Jay pops up beside him. Her face blanches as she takes in the sight of Yemi, Sevryn, and me.
“What you see here, Jay, needs to be kept secret. Is that clear?” Creed’s dark tone has her shoulders bunching and I scowl at him.
“Of course,” she says, stepping closer to me and giving V the quickest of glances. Her throat bobs as she lays a hand on my arm.
“Are you okay?”
“I will be.”
She gives me a tight smile. “The bruises are the same as any other. A day, maybe more, to fade.”
The desire to place my hand on my neck is strong, but I refuse. I just give her a single nod.
Adrenaline had been sparing me the true realization of the soreness, and now I’d like to hang onto the blissful ignorance by soaking in her wonderful power.
Everyone stays silent as she finishes me up—unorgasmic—moves to Yemi, then nervously to Sevryn. He attempted to refuse, but the quiet, soft, “Let her,” from Yemi had him giving in.
The three of us release a collective breath when she starshoots away, and I go to ask what now, but Amick beats me to saying anything.
“To answer your question a moment ago, Valtrues live together in the Godsdawn. Yemi, do you feel comfortable getting him situated on your own or would you like one of us present?”
She gives him a small smile. “I’ll be fine on my own. Thank you, Amick.”
“Very well. Take some time to do that, then we will all get together to talk—”
“Tomorrow. Take the rest of the afternoon to do whatever you want and need. If you want to come over today, you’re more than welcome, but you definitely don’t have to,” Kyzen cuts in, glaring at Amick before smiling at her.
“I could use the rest of the day if that’s okay.”
Kyzen and I open our mouths to reassure her, but Amick bows his head a bit, then speaks.
“Of course. I didn’t mean to be pushy, but Sevryn’s situation is one we can’t put off.
He’s the only being in the Godsdawn with untouched power from the Abandon.
Your pairing, the obvious change to your house, meaning his essence has been added, neither of those things should be possible.
His presence needs to be kept between us, so no leaving.
We can’t send him into our Binding because they very well could strip all his power and alert his father. He’s a risk to what we have going on.”
“Don’t act like I’m here fucking up your perfect life. I didn’t ask you to bring me to the Godsdawn.”
“Perfect life,” Riven barks a humorless laugh. “You’re going to wish we left your sorry ass in Hell when you find out what’s going on around here.”
He boops me on my nose as he walks past us, mumbling, “Eww, she’s dirty,” and I roll my eyes.
But yeah, I’m dirty and ready for a shower.
“Enough,” I bark when Sevryn and Amick both start talking at the same time.
“V, I don’t have the capacity to think straight right now. Is she safe with him? Can I trust him not to hurt her?”
“Yes, she is safe with him. You all can trust him.”