Chapter 26 Thayla #2
Heat presses into my back and I lean into Kyzen as Amick takes my other side. Riven scoots closer to me as well and Creed’s forearm stretches between us as he leers over Kyzen to look out the window.
I’ve got a reckless desire to link my fingers with his, just to soak up that unwavering confidence flowing off him, but I don’t.
I exhale slowly as the trees start zooming across the window. A shiver races down my spine as we pass through the invisible barrier I didn’t know coming in would trap me here.
Its power slithers off my skin like a coating I didn’t even know was there.
I prepare myself for the plummet. The seconds count down in my mind, but as the green merges to blue, we don’t fall.
We soar.
White fluff steals our sight, and an excited noise slips through Riven’s lips, dragging my attention to him.
The energy surrounding him is barely being contained. He looks about ready to jump out of the carriage as though he’ll float on those clouds.
I go to tease him but then stop myself.
My eyes peer over at Amick, who’s staring in utter fascination. Then behind me at Kyzen and Creed.
Kyzen has his signature smile on his lips, but his eyes are so tender, so…appreciative.
Creed’s not smiling, but his face is set in a calm astonishment that I’ve never seen.
Oh my gods. How am I just now considering the fact this is the first time they’ve ever left Godsden?
I stay silent, relaxing my body more into the couch and Kyzen as I prepare to watch every emotion cross their faces.
And it doesn’t disappoint.
As soon as we burst through the clouds and the true sight of the mountain we live on comes into view, the four of them react.
They gawk really.
The same pure awe and wonder cross their eyes that crossed mine as they gaze at the waterfall they knew was there but had never been able to see.
They point out familiar trees, the streams, and the untouched habitats.
It’s actually more breathtaking watching them experience this than me seeing the sight once again.
I can pay attention to it on our way back up.
The carriage dips, pulling a squeal from Yemi and Rose.
Kyzen’s and Creed’s arms wrap around my waist, while Riven’s and Amick’s fingers lace with mine.
The air in my body escapes me as the feeling of them touching me overwhelms my senses. It gets even harder to breathe when they all lean a little closer, getting their first true look at the Gods Gully.
The deadly waves crash into the side of the mountain with unrestrained power. The white caps ripping across the dark water beneath them look so much more intimidating now that I know or at least have an idea about how truly powerful the creatures living down there could be.
“Fuck, it’d be wild to swim in that.”
I squeeze Riven’s fingers. Hopefully, hard enough to get that idea out of his head. “I don’t think we’d survive a dip in that water.”
He doesn’t respond as the carriage tilts back up and this time, the wheels touching down over the cliff are not nearly as noticeable as the first time around.
“Any of you plan on snitching on me if I don’t move the Veilatara’s straps back each time we stop? I’d hate for it to be known I didn’t fulfill my role on our trip.”
We all glare over at Havar, who holds his hands up and smirks.
“Just making sure.”
Everyone gradually spreads back around the carriage and I flop on the couch, releasing my breath as we pick up speed.
“Two hours, right, Seismet? Just like coming here.”
“It’ll be a little faster than that. We have our great, formidable Prime leading our way.”
I really want to snort at his jab at his brother, but my disappointment won’t let me.
“Jealousy is such an ugly look on a Veilatara as handsome as yourself, brother. Would you like us to slow down, Thayla?”
A grin does break out at Verlet’s sass. “Have you already told Amick the timeline it’d take us?”
“Yes.”
I groan. “Then no, he’ll be upset if I throw him off, but…”
“Go on.”
“Will you stop at the edge of Oddian? Let me get out and stretch my legs and whatnot.”
“You mean so you can collect yourself.”
I make my mental huff as loud as possible. They laugh at me.
“Yes, we will, Thayla. I’ll tell Amick we’re thirsty.”
“Thank you, Verlet. See how easy it is to be agreeable, Seismet?”
“He wants to spoil you because you make his companions happy. I don’t have to do that. You’ll love me no matter what.”
I roll my eyes and send them my thanks, but before I can say or think anything else, I get yanked off the couch.
“Come on, I’m tired of waiting,” Riven declares as he snatches me through the living room, grabbing Creed as well as we pass him by.
I can’t contain my chuckle as Creed grunts to let him go, and Kyzen laughs as he and Amick fall in line behind us.
A short distance through the kitchen, we come up on a small hallway, and Riven lets me go so he can plaster his back to the single door. The four of us sit here and stare at him and the mischievous smirk that keeps spreading across his face.
“Trumpet noises, please.”
We all continue to stare, and he groans, then makes the noise himself.
“I give you our orgy—I mean bedroom.”
He swings the door wide, and curiosity gets the best of me. I shove right past him to get a look first but freeze as soon as I’m a few feet in.
First of all, I’ve never seen a bed so big in my life. It’s absolutely enormous and won’t have a problem fitting all of us with wiggle room.
Second, it looks insanely similar to my bedroom.
With only a few minor tweaks.
The walls are the dark green that I absolutely love, but there are no windows. Not on the walls anyway.
My chin tilts up, searching for the source of all the natural light, and my jaw drops.
The ceiling is all glass.
We’ll be staring at the clouds or stars anytime we lie down.
With a wave of Riven’s hand, the tint to the glass suddenly darkens. Not completely, but enough it’s not blindingly bright anymore.
The others pile in as well, with much less enthusiasm than I had, but their eyes map it out all the same. Their gazes linger longer on the bed than I allowed mine to, but judging by their shifting, at least Kyzen’s shifting, his mind is wandering right where mine did.
I take a few unsure steps in, taking note of the two closed doors that Amick’s heading toward.
Crackling pierces my ears and I spin around, finding a fireplace that looks just like the one in our living room. My gaze continues to climb to the mantel and an ungodly snort tumbles out of me.
I slap both my hands over my mouth, then race over there.
The slip of a sound rolls right into a belly-gripping laugh as my fingers trace over the chiseled stone head statue of Riven himself.
Each one I move to, my laughing gets harder.
He had one made for each of us.
“I assume by all that cackling, you like it?”
I whirl around, wiping the tickled tears from my eyes.
“I do. You did amazing, Riven. How in the realm is this possible?”
He doesn’t answer me. A giggle slips through his lips at the sound of Amick barking his name.
“Well, I hope you all enjoy semi-small showers because that’s what we have. His hot spring takes up the majority of the bathroom. I assume the closet has shrunk as well?”
Amick doesn’t give him a chance to answer as he marches to the other closed door.
“You did not?” I laugh as I race across the room.
He sure as shit did.
The shower is still a good size. It even has a bench in it, but it’s smaller than the one in Amick’s room. The hot spring, on the other hand, is huge. It’s big enough for all of us to fit in there together.
“I can’t believe you changed up the design after we went over it countlessly. And you. You told me it all checked out. I believed you and that’s why I agreed not to come see for myself.”
I come back out of the bathroom and shake my head as Amick fusses at both Riven and Creed. Kyzen’s already sprawled out on the bed, laughing at his brothers.
“Candyman, I’m quite pleased with everything. I think it’s both beautiful and very functional.”
“You didn’t see the closet.”
“What do we need a big closet for? You use that space for your clothes and books. The rest of us can live out of our bags and we’ll be okay with that. Right?”
Riven, Creed, and Kyzen all agree and the tension in Amick’s shoulders deflates.
“Very well. There’s enough room for your things and mine. I’ll get them organized for us.”
I cringe.
Valories help it if he’s as bad as Lambrit. I sure as shit just stuffed my things into my bag.
I don’t give him a warning. Hopefully, once he sees for himself, he’ll give me a stern talking-to about the importance of folding clothes properly.
I make my way over to the bed and plop down beside Kyzen but fall statue-still when Creed climbs in on my other side. My gaze stalks his every shift as he shimmies in place, getting himself comfortable.
“I’ll take this spot,” he announces.
“Not every night, you won’t,” Kyzen argues.
“And why not?”
“Because that’s right next to the middle, which is Thayla’s spot. You don’t get to be beside her every night.”
“Who said I’d be sleeping in the middle every night?”
They both stare at me, then Creed gets himself situated once more.
“Whatever. Amick can come up with some sort of rotation then.”
I’m honestly too stunned to argue with him.
Not willing to make this awkward or make it obvious my heart’s about to pound out of my chest, I lay myself down without a word. A little sigh passes my lips as I watch the clouds roll by. They more so speed by, but not so much that it’s dizzying.
I don’t really know the time that passes as we lie here, listening to Riven hum around the room, but I know the minutes until our arrival are growing shorter. I swear the closer we get to Oddian, the larger the pit in my stomach grows.
I crawl across Kyzen’s lap, laughing as he tries to hold me hostage. I don’t make it two steps away from the bed before Riven hops in front of me with a daring smirk on his lips.
“Want to have a pillow fight?”
I don’t get a chance to answer before a pillow stops an inch from my face.
“Thayla,” Kyzen shouts and I shriek as I spin back around.
“Fucking cheater.” Riven laughs.
I catch the pillow Creed throws at me and continue to swirl with my momentum.
Feathers explode as our pillows collide. I spit and sputter as one flies in my mouth, and I damn near choke on it from my uncontrollable laughter.
“We are going to stop on the outskirts of Oddian for a drink before proceeding. Two minutes.”
Verlet’s voice in my mind silences me instantly and Amick appears from the closet with a look of concern edged on his brow.
I clear my throat, finally plucking the rouge feather from my mouth and dropping in to the pile on the ground. My fingers tangle in the empty pillowcase before I turn and toss it on the bed.
“I’d like some fresh air.”
None of them say anything, but they move as one.
I didn’t specify I meant alone, but honestly, I don’t know if that’s really what I want.
I know I just want to look down the path that will lead to the heart of Oddian before we actually travel it.
Everyone’s standing in the middle of the living room as we emerge and Lambrit’s firm nod nearly has me cracking.
There’s a sad but fixed glint in his eye.
We talked about the possibility of seeing Laney while we were here, but ultimately, we agreed it wasn’t a good idea.
One, it would confuse her, but also, we don’t want to lead any gods that may be watching right to someone we care about.
We have no doubt they could figure out all they wanted about Lambrit, or myself, but we shouldn’t make that easier.
Wordlessly, everyone follows me out the carriage door and I swallow harshly as the scent of angel orchids invades my senses.
It’s overwhelmingly familiar and I take a deep breath.
“Home sweet home, right, sweet T?”
Impossible.