Chapter 23 Thayla #2
“The only positive thing I’ve got going on with this power is it now listens to me again when I need the lights to come on.
It hasn’t completely rebelled in a while, so thankfully, I can see while showering every day.
It’s only a matter of time, though, before it fucks off again.
I haven’t been able to make it through or comprehend even one of the books Amick’s gathered for me.
I’m not absorbing anything I attempt to read because my thoughts are clouded.
“We’re leaving in less than twenty-four hours, and Amick and I haven’t been able to work on figuring this out because whatever is in that book he’s reading is obviously incredibly important.
I can’t even starshoot, so everyone is stuck walking with me everywhere because none of you will let me do shit alone anymore.
I’m mentally fucking tired and what I’m bitching about doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the things that run through my mind all the time. ”
Like him, his brothers, the relationship forming between us.
Yemi and I haven’t had any alone time with one another to vent because she’s had to stay behind with Sevryn every day after training. Lambrit’s attention is split between spending time with Rose and working with Amick. I don’t want to be more of a distraction for anyone.
My little vent to Riven did what I figured it would. He’s silent the entire walk to our house. His quiet companionship doesn’t do anything but make my blood boil hotter.
I pivot from him and head toward Yemi’s door, but he snatches me back to his side by my hand.
“What are you doing?” I ask as he laces our fingers.
“We’re going on an adventure.”
I attempt to pull away, but he tugs me along through the tree line behind the houses.
My neck cranes back as a hoot rings out and I search the canopy-covered sky for V. My relief over him being here to save me from whatever Riven’s cooked up lasts about a second.
“Are you two ready?”
“Ready?” I ask as he lands on my shoulder and Riven answers, “Yes.”
Neither of them answers me as V’s light surrounds us. The white is so bright, blinding, it’s all I can see for the maybe three seconds it lasts.
I blink repeatedly to adjust to the sudden shift in colors that greets me as his power fades.
Turning in my spot, all I find are thick, towering trees that obscure so much of the sun’s light, if I didn’t know what time of the day it is, I’d be convinced it was almost sunset.
“Straight that way,” V says, pointing his wing to the right.
Riven places his hand on my back, pushing me in that direction. “Thanks bunches.”
“You’re in so much shit with me, V.”
He fucking laughs. “See you later, my Vedae.”
He’s gone once again in the blink of an eye, and I swat Riven’s hand off me.
“Where the hell—Shit!”
My foot catches on a tree root and my scream echoes through the forest. Riven snatches me back by my shirt and laughs as I lay my hand to my heart and catch my breath. I thought for sure I was about to eat bark.
“Clumsy little thing. Watch your step.”
“This isn’t funny. Where the hell have you brought me and how did you talk V into agreeing?”
“I didn’t have to talk him into anything. I asked for a favor, and he said of course.”
I glare at him, and he huffs.
“Just come on and I’ll explain.”
He hikes through the thick brush with ease, and I peer around. V literally dropped us in the middle of a forest that isn’t at all familiar to me. I won’t be finding my way out of this.
I hop over a few fallen branches and put a death grip on Riven’s arm as soon as I catch up with him. I’m not giving the sneaky little shit the opportunity to leave me in this wild, untouched forest alone.
For a split second, I contemplate turning my ass right back around and running when he stops at the mouth of a cave. It’s so dark, my eyes can’t see past maybe three feet in.
He attempts to walk forward, but my feet stay firmly planted where they are. “I’m not going in there.”
“Oh, come on. It’s not like you’re afraid of the dark.” I fail to hide my crumbling face. He doesn’t make a comment. He slings his backpack off his back, unzips it, and pulls out a torch lamp.
“Did you take that from Amick?”
“I have taken multiple from him, but not this particular one. It’s mine and stays in my handy-dandy backpack.” He passes it over to me but places his hand on top of mine when I go to flick it on. “Just wait a minute before you cut it on, okay? Trust me.”
I peer between his outstretched hand and his face. It’s void of teasing, and I don’t sense a prank on the horizon. As a matter of fact, I don’t sense his chaos at all anymore.
Even if he does have something up his sleeve, I’ll snap this light on faster than he can giggle.
My hand slides into his and my fingers squeeze the absolute shit out of him as we cross the threshold of the cave. The ragged breaths falling from my chest echo around us.
“Everything’s okay,” he murmurs, and his harmony wraps around me.
“Please tell me what we’re doing.”
“I want it to be a surprise.”
“It’s all still going to surprise me, Riven, but if you don’t want me to absolutely freak the fuck out, you’ve got to talk to me.”
His fingers twitch against mine and he tugs me closer.
“Fine. Amick asked me a few days ago to put my Plentiful Designation to good use and locate something for him. I haven’t been able to until I was lying in bed last night and thought about a little solo adventure I took when we first arrived here.
I got lost in these fucking woods for three days but refused to starshoot back to the Godsdawn.
Verlet finally found me sitting outside this very cave.
I asked him if he remembered this location and if he did to share it with V so I could get here. ”
“Gods, three days? What were you even doing out here?”
“Running away, little burden. Running far the fuck away.”
My chest clenches and I wish I could see his face right now. No matter how much my eyes have adjusted to the darkness, all I make out is his silhouette. Between his tone and the fact his unfavored power is obviously in control, I bet right now I’d get a good glimpse of what he’s feeling.
I go to speak, but all that leaves my mouth is a gasp as he blindly leads us around what I assume is a corner.
Dazzling sparkles light up the cave ground and walls as far as my eyes can now see.
Massive crystals protrude from different angles in all shapes and colors. Small ones are scattered about like stars lighting up the pitch-black night sky.
My fingers uncoil from Riven’s, and I reach across him to run my hand down the rough, jagged wall. The vibrations from the energy in these crystals travel through me and I release a shuddering breath.
“Riven, this is a crystal cave.”
“That it is. Smart muffin.”
“How? I thought they all had been discovered and mined over time?”
“Most but not all. There’re still a few places in Godsden that’ve been untouched for the most part.”
“For the most part…Amick asked you to find a crystal.”
“Right again. I’m only going to take what we need, if we find it, and this place is going to remain our little secret.”
I nod, even though I don’t know if he can see me. “What kind of crystal are we looking for?”
“Oh, she’s a beaut. You’ll sense its energy as soon as we get close enough.
It’s a crystal packed with divine power.
At its fully grown size, it’ll sprout spires in all directions, but smaller, it’ll be little clusters.
The tips will appear translucent, but the body is stunning shades of purple. We need—”
“We’re looking for Angel Aura Amethyst?”
“Well, don’t you continue to surprise me. How did you figure it out that fast?”
“The purple. It’s the most gorgeous shade I’ve ever seen.”
“You’ve seen one?”
“Not in real life. Only pictures in books. My parents…” I trail off.
“They what?”
I swallow and shake my head, pleading with myself not to get upset just from speaking about them.
“They taught me about it. My dad is a random facts guy. He just knows things and always had an answer to my questions. The first time he talked about the Amethyst, we were walking through the woods that connect Edistoia and Darlander. Mom spotted some angel orchids and went over to smell them.
“I knew the word ‘angel’ once upon a time meant ‘a blessing or message from the Valories.’ Like if the Valories spoke to a being, that being would say they received an angel. Then when the gods went to the nonmagical realm, they basically had the mortals calling them blessings. With all of that in mind, I didn’t understand where the name angel orchid came from when it was just a flower.
I asked and my dad told me they were named after the Angel Aura Amethyst because of their matching colors. ”
“In the little flowers’ defense, they may not receive messages from the Valories, but they were blessed with some pretty powerful properties. Pop those bad girls in with some other ingredients and you’ll get yourself a nice poison or love potion.”
“Love potion?”
“Never mind, we’ve got work to do. Amick would like one for each of us, but if we can’t find a good cluster or decent amount, we’ll only take two. One for him and one for you.”
“Me?”
“That’s what he said. The only true way we’re going to be able to find this Binding is by wandering the streets of the regions and sensing its energy. It’ll be the strongest power we felt, like the Veils. He wants, or at least hopes, that these assist in that.”
I follow along as he carefully makes his way through the crystal maze scattered across the floor. It’s difficult not to step on any, but we manage as best as we can.
His humming grows contagious, and my throat vibrates with the sounds I’m producing. Our melodies don’t match, but they harmonize in a comforting way.
I don’t realize I’ve ventured a good bit away from him until I no longer hear his voice.
My heart rate spikes as I whip around, searching every corner and straining my ears for any sound.