Chapter 30 Thayla #3
“Don’t give me that shit. I’ve thought he’s been standoffish and weird with me because I got selected for this and he didn’t, but that whole interaction and the way you reacted was completely out of the normal for you.”
I scrunch my nose at the fact he’s literally been able to read my ass since the second we met.
“I really don’t want to talk about it. It’s awkward, that’s all.”
“What’s awkward?” Yemi asks as she joins us, and I give her a look that says not to press any more.
“Do you know why Thayla doesn’t care for Collum, and is it something I should be worried about?”
Yemi chuckles, then slams her mouth shut. “Nope, not a clue.”
“You’re both lying to me now and that’s taurnshit.”
“Just drop it, cousin, before you cost your friend his life.”
“Yemi,” I bark and she laughs as she links her arm through mine and pulls me forward toward the shoreline where Rose is standing, staring into the rising sun.
“Sorry, but I couldn’t help it. I’ve watched the way he’s been watching you these few days and it makes me uncomfortable. I’ve been tempted a few times to tell one of your many men, but his death being because of me makes me feel bad.”
“So you decided to slip a little information to Havar so he’ll blab?”
“Who are we talking about?” Rose asks.
“Collum,” Yemi and I say together.
“Oh, and him asking you out. That has been awkward, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, but I’ve done a good job ignoring it. So it’d be great if everyone would.”
“If everyone would what, little goddess?”
I hold in my shriek as Kyzen wraps his arms around my waist and lays kisses to my neck. The touch of his lips on my skin adds to the chill the salty sea wind is leaving behind and a shiver races down my spine.
The graze of his smile lingers against me, so I don’t believe he heard anything other than that last bit.
“If everyone would get along now that we’ll be out at sea.” I glance over at Yemi’s snickering and even Rose makes a little noise.
“Well, I think our carriage has been doing great. It’s the assholes stalking us. They’re not dumb enough to try anything again with it being ten against five out at sea.”
Yeah, he definitely would’ve said six if he’d heard the prior conversation.
A whistle cuts through the air, and we all turn toward it.
Creed, Amick, Gladian, and a fourth man stand together on the pier, waving for us to come on. I release a nervous breath as Kyzen tugs me that way, but my shoulders slump as Riven replaces the side Yemi was standing on.
“What’s wrong, little burden? Nervous?”
“Yeah. I’ve never been on a ship or a body of water.”
“None of us have.” He snorts, and honestly, it does make me feel a little better. “Would it help if I threw Gladdy’s Valtrue off the side?”
Yes, yes, it would.
I’m not dumb enough to say that to him.
He one hundred percent would do it.
“No throwing anyone overboard. And you don’t go swimming either. There’s no telling what’s lurking in there.”
Riven huffs like Kyzen’s spoiling all his fun and I give him a pointed look.
“I swear to the Valories if I have to jump in this water to save you, I’ll beat your ass when we get out.”
“Aww, but you would be willing to jump in and save me?”
“Without a second thought, but that won’t lessen the bruising I’d give you afterward.”
“You keep being mean to me like this, angel, and you’re going to make me fall in love with you.”
Kyzen snorts, but I blush the color of crimson.
The thought of Riven loving me is both invigorating and terrifying.
There’s not a doubt in my mind that his love is just as intense as every other emotion in him is.
The group of us, Seismet, Verlet, carriage and all, follow up a ramp that’s been carved into the side of the stone structure. I strain my eyes to get a glimpse of a ship somewhere attached to the pier, but the fog that starts about fifteen feet into the sea is too thick.
A grunt draws my attention and my gaze lands on Gladian. My first instinct is to sneer at his staring, but there’s something about his look that gives me pause. It’s as though, for some reason, he’s seeing me for the first time.
I don’t like that shit one bit and my nostrils curl.
“This is Brogden. His team of three will be heading our travels. The ship they’ll be manning has a sleeping chamber in the lower deck, but it doesn’t have enough space to accommodate all of us.
Our carriage will be coming aboard with us, while Gladian’s will be staying behind.
The three Veilatara and us will be staying on the upper deck.
First glance at the map, Brogden assumes it’s going to take two days to get to our location as long as we don’t run into trouble. We’re to stay in our assigned areas.”
“We didn’t decide that, Creed. You did. There’s no way you expect us to stay in the lower deck for two days straight.”
Creed shrugs at Gladian. “I don’t see why not. It’s no different than staying in your home for two days.”
“We don’t stay locked in our homes for two days straight.”
“There’s nowhere else for you to go but back to the Godsdawn. That’s always an option.”
“You know as well as I do, it isn’t. You can deal with us coming up on the upper deck from time to time.”
“I don’t have to deal with shit.”
“Thayla,” Gladian says, staring at me like he wants me to change Creed’s mind.
“Don’t fucking talk to her.” Riven’s voice is laced in warning, and I brush my knuckles across his.
“I honestly don’t give a shit where you go, but you and your Valtrue stay the hell away from me.”
He holds my gaze for a long moment, then nods.
I don’t like that either.
He, Mara, and Chasin have been quiet bystanders this entire time since Derivius’s decree locked their minds up, and their weird acceptance of what’s going on around us does nothing but set off my suspicions. Of what, I don’t know, but I don’t trust it.
Mellcom and Jeremiah haven’t done anything necessarily either, but they talk the loudest and draw the most attention to themselves. Where the rest of their Valtrue seems to be trying to blend in, those two seem to be trying to stand out.
Collum is just fucking here, making things more awkward.
“If all your bickering is done, then let’s load up. The creatures like to play mostly at night, so it’s best to get the easy sailing out of the way during the day.”
The gruff, burly voice from the god who’ll be guiding our way shocks me. He’s got a playful smirk tilting his lips like he was truly enjoying that. He doesn’t wait for a response, though, as two more gods stomp past us and he falls in step with them as they walk toward the fog covering the pier.
Creed nods for us to come on and we do.
My Valtrue naturally falls in a formation around me with Creed leading the way. Kyzen stays where he is, Riven steps from my side to my back, and Amick takes the spot he was just in.
My exhale is loud as we step through the thick cloud of fog and Riven’s fingers tangle into the back of my shirt. I can’t see much of anything for a solid five steps, then lights flicker to life along posts sticking out of the water.
The only sound to be heard is the motion of the water. It slaps up against a surface somewhere in front of us and the sound of something falling causes me to jump.
“They just lowered the bridge for us to walk up to get on the ship,” Creed murmurs over his shoulder.
“It’d be lovely if I could see that,” I grumble, and he grunts as he reaches back, grips my wrist, and pulls me forward.
I don’t bother pulling away when our steps slow and my mouth falls open. My gaze scans the pitch-black, sleek ship from one end to the next. I’m shit at estimating size, but it’s at least one hundred feet long.
One of the two men with Brogden tugs on a rope that’s tied to a post in the upper deck, releasing massive gold sails. There are two more columns spread across the boat that have those strapped sheets as well.
My shocked gaze follows a large wooden slab that lies from on top of the ship down to the pier. It’s wide enough that the carriage won’t have any problems getting up it.
“Shit. This is really a ship,” I mumble.
“Come on,” Creed says, lacing our fingers together rather than let me go.
I wobble a little bit when we step onto the bridge thingy, and the ship rocks from the waves. Before I can even balance myself out, I’m being slung over a shoulder.
“Creed, put me down right this second.”
“Fuck no. You fall into this water and I’m going to wear your ass out.”
My blood boils.
Not in anger.
Riven and Kyzen chuckle, and I crane my head up to glare at them. I’ve got a smart-ass remark on the tip of my tongue until I catch sight of the minuscule smirk playing on Amick’s lips.
I should throw myself into the water just to get a reaction out of all of them.
It’s only a couple more steps and I’m gently being put back on my feet. I glare at Creed but damn near melt into a puddle when he winks at me.
Sexy asshole.
“We’re setting sail in five minutes.”
My head turns up toward where Brogden is standing behind a wheel, a staircase above us.
The shiny black wood that covers every surface of this vessel is so different compared to the metal of the carriage and the natural stained wood I’ve seen in the Godsdawn, but no less beautiful.
The bright gold sail that ripples in the wind behind him is a stark contrast to the color, though.
“Come on,” Riven cheers as he takes my hand and tugs me behind him.
“Come on where, my little psycho?”
“I want a front row seat.”
He sure as shit drags me all the way to the very front of the ship. I tug his ass back, then give him a menacing glare as he attempts to sling his leg over the rail to sit on it.
“Holy shit, this is both petrifying and exciting,” Yemi says as Sevryn places her right next to me, then stands at her back.
I grin and wink at him when he notices my staring.
He rolls his eyes and leans in to whisper something to Creed.
So I do the same to Yemi.
“When are we going to talk about this little situationship you’ve got going on?”
“Stop it,” she grits out between her teeth, although she’s smiling. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Lie again. I’m not blind and I want details.”
“There are no details to give.”
“Was it good?”
She yelps out a surprised laugh, then slaps her hand to her mouth. “Thayla Godrun, I can’t believe you just asked me that.”
“Why? I want to make sure you’re being taken care of. You should’ve heard me try to have the talk with Lambrit. He shut me down.”
“For the Valories, I don’t need the talk. I’m experienced in that department, thank you,” she says, shaking her head, then a blush creeps up her cheeks. She lowers her voice more. “If you’ve forgotten, we have a roommate currently. All he’s done is kiss me.”
I hold in my squeal of excitement when she gives me a deadly glare. “And how was that?”
She sighs. “Painfully perfect.”
My smile takes over my face, but it quickly morphs into a grunt when the ship rocks forward. The air gets stuck in my lungs when Riven pats my arm excitedly and tells me to stop yapping and pay attention.
The thick fog still conceals our sight, but the rushing of water becomes louder, and the wind grows stronger as the ship picks up speed.
A tug, not one as strong as what it feels like to enter a creation of the Goddess of Illusion, but exactly what it resembled when we left the Godsdawn, rushes over my skin.
My heart thunders in my ears as the fog slowly recedes and Brogden’s voice echoes over the wind.
“Welcome to the Lost Sea.”
My soul shivers in my chest and my Valtrue crowds closer to me.
“Shit. I didn’t know it looked like this,” Riven whispers.
For days, we’ll be sailing on top of water the color of darkness.
Shit.