Kyzen #2
“Well, he’s never been an asshole to me, and I’ve heard nothing but pretty horrible things about the others.”
“We’re all aware of how awful the God of Obliteration is. All the Goddesses are their own brand of crazy, and we honestly don’t know much of anything about the God of Consequence. We’re all meeting him for the first time with you tomorrow,” I say.
“Damn…” she hums while bobbing her head. “That actually makes me feel a little better.”
“Good. Can we change the subject? Something happier perhaps,” Thayla huffs, stabbing food onto her plate.
I send a stroke down her soul, and she jerks her attention toward me.
Honest to the Valories, I love that.
Despite me doing it to ease the panic creeping across my chest from her, I can’t explain the feeling that comes over me when she recognizes my soul.
Even though hers goes in four directions, she always knows who’s doing what.
That’s unbelievably captivating to me.
It feels…deeper.
I don’t even remember how my soul felt without hers attached to it.
“Oh, I have something,” Riven says, banging his hand on the table before snapping and pointing his finger at Thayla. “Remember that thing of mine you put in your mouth?”
Multiple groans sound around the table and Thayla’s face turns beet red as she sneers at him.
“I swear to the gods, Riven,” she grits out through clenched teeth.
“What?” he asks. “Oh…you freaks. I wasn’t talking about my penis. That unidentified fruit you ate.”
She sighs, closing her eyes as she splays her fingers across the table. “Why didn’t you just say that?”
“I couldn’t think of the word at first. I was too excited about the news.”
“Just spit it out.” I chuckle.
“So, with my new annoying responsibilities of keeping tabs on Plentiful duties, I went and checked on those trees we woke up and ran into the god who takes care of them. Turns out, I didn’t create a whole different fruit.
Well, I did but didn’t. Apparently, some time ago, a Peechen orchid was planted there, and it died off.
Or so they thought. When I woke up the currently planted trees, I also woke the roots of the old one up as well. ”
Her eyes widen. “Holy shit. Then they merged together when your powers worked against you and basically created a cross between the two.”
“Don’t appreciate you adding that tidbit, but yes. Cool shit, am I right?”
A laugh bursts from her, and it drags one out of everyone at the table.
Riven jumps into the story of their adventure out to that farm while everyone else finally starts fixing plates. Between bites, Thayla corrects his overexaggeration with the truth of the events.
Hours pass in laughter like we haven’t experienced in a long time.
Undrugged, by the way.
My gaze drifts to Amick’s door every now and again. I’m torn between knowing that he needs some alone time, and that’s normal, while also hating that he’s missing out.
It’d please him to witness everyone in Yemi’s Valtrue actually getting along with each other and with us. He’s been stressing over their divide with Nero. He sees something in the Mediator that the rest of us can’t yet. Well, not completely anyway.
Tonight is showing me a different side of him.
He’s more talkative, laughing with everyone, and he and Sevryn aren’t at each other’s throats every few minutes.
So they’re getting there.
“Creed, please allow me to help you clean up. I hate feeling like we’re running off and leaving you a mess,” Doren says as Creed clears the plates when everyone stands.
“I’ve got it. I clean while I cook, so all I have to take care of are these plates and cups. Appreciate the offer, though.”
“Take no offence, dear Discovery,” Riven says as he pats Doren on the back. “He can’t stand people in his kitchen. So, even if you did help, he’d just go behind you and do it again.”
“I only go behind you.”
We all chuckle at the offended glare on Riven’s face and even Creed gives him a little smirk.
“I’ll walk you all out,” Thayla says as she links her arm through Yemi’s and escorts them all to the front door.
“Did you fix Amick a plate?” I ask as Creed starts washing dishes.
“Yeah, it’s over there. You really think he’s going to eat tonight?”
“No, but I’m still going to offer it.”
“Offer what?” Thayla asks as she comes back into the kitchen.
“Amick some dinner.”
“Oh…” Her eyes drift from me to his door. “He put a knot in his soul.”
Creed and I give her a soft but tight smile, while Riven slings his arm over her shoulder.
“Well, I didn’t, little burden, so shove all the feelings at me that you want.”
“Not funny,” she says, elbowing him. “I’m worried about him, about tomorrow. Everything, really. I don’t like that he’s locked my soul out and himself in his room.”
I tug her from Riven’s side and into my chest. My arms wrap around her as she lays her head against my heart.
“I know saying everything’s going to be okay is a promise we can’t keep, so I won’t say that, but whatever happens, we’re going to take care of it together. Amick’s going to be fine one way or another. That, I will promise and make sure of. Okay?”
Her chest expands, then deflates. “Okay.”
“Go to your room and relax. Take a bath or shower, then climb into bed. I’m going to go check on him and see if he wants to eat.”
“Okay. Tell him I love him and still expect him in my bed before my eyes close.”
I chuckle and glance down at her teasing smirk. “Will do, little goddess.”
“Race you to your hot spring,” Riven shouts as he hauls ass down her hall.
“Fucking cheater.”
Not a heartbeat later, she starshoots out of my arms.
“Who do you think won?” Creed asks.
I snort and arch a brow. “I’m pretty sure one way or another, she’ll be the winner.”
Once he realizes what I really mean, his gaze narrows at my laugh. I pat him on his back as he grumbles about this being taurnshit that he has to finish dishes while Riven finishes Thayla.
Good thing we’ve learned this little thing called sharing.
I grab Amick’s plate and a fork, then head toward his door. My ear presses against the wood for a moment just to see if I can hear him possibly pacing around.
Pure silence greets me.
I shift from side to side and tell myself I can’t walk in until it passes the time it’d normally take for him to answer my knock.
“Yes?” he asks as he opens the door right on time.
“Your dinner,” I say, passing him the plate.
He passes it back.
“Thank you, but I’m not hungry. Is that all?”
I glance down at the plate and tap the rim a few times before meeting his steady, what would be convincing stare if I didn’t know him so well.
“What haven’t you figured out?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You do, and you’re hiding it from me. Why?”
He doesn’t answer.
“Okay, fine. I won’t push, but just so you know, you’re making it very obvious something is wrong. Putting a knot in your soul really gave that away.”
“Is she upset with me?”
I’d smile at the way his face fills with concern, but this isn’t a time to tease.
“No, she’s worried. So am I. If there’s something—”
“I’ve got it, Kyzen. I appreciate your concern more than I can explain, but I…need to figure this out for myself, okay?”
A long sigh whistles through my nostrils as I tighten my lips.
“Okay. Just know we’re all here for you.”
“I do know that.”
“Okay.”
“Okay,” he repeats as he tries to shut the door. My palm stops it.
“Thayla said she still expects you in bed before her eyes close.”
“Very well. When do you think that’ll be?”
“Well, Riven’s with her now. Taking a bath.”
Confusion contorts his face, and I give him a moment to figure it out for himself. His forehead wrinkles for a whole other reason once he gets it.
“In that case, I have some time before then. Thank you for letting me know.”
My mouth opens to say you’re welcome, but before I can, he shuts the door in my face. I suck my teeth as I stare down at his plate, then turn back toward the kitchen.
“Not hungry, huh?” Creed asks as I slide the food into the icebox.
“Nope. He’s hung up on something and not willing to share.”
“Not a surprise. He’ll figure out whatever it is.”
“Yeah, I know he will, but I hate how he does this to himself. We could help. If the trial has him this stressed, he should let us help.”
“He’s fine, Kyzen. Drop it.”
I roll my eyes and slam the icebox door shut harder than necessary.
“Whatever. I’m going to check on Thayla and Riven.”
“Wait for me. I’m almost done.”
“Not a chance, asshole.”
I call my power forward and wrap it around him. His avoidance of this whole trial was fine until now. Amick’s struggling and needs us, but instead of pressing the issue with me, he’s ignoring that too.
So while I go enjoy my Binder, he can spend a little extra time with the dishes.
“Kyzen,” he shouts.
I smirk as I turn the corner down her hallway and slip through the threshold to her room. The magical sounds of her moans instantly fill my ears.
On silent feet, I approach the open bathroom door and lean against the frame.
Fuck me.
Riven decided to wrap a towel around himself, but not her. Absolutely nothing covers her. Water drips down her naked body and onto her sink counter as she arches back, resting her head against the mirror.
He’s kneeling before her, feasting on her pussy like it’s his last meal.
Every stroke of his tongue has her ass inching toward the edge and her hips moving faster.
The closer she gets to her release, the more labored my breathing grows. There’s no sight in this realm that can compare to the face she makes when she comes apart.
“Ky—”
I whip my glare toward Creed and shake my head at him as he stomps through her room. Then I scoot over an inch so he can watch too.
They’ve yet to realize I’m standing here and fuck, this is a view.
I won’t be greedy.
Thayla’s hand flies to Riven’s hair, and I bite my knuckle as she holds him exactly where she wants him.
I decide against slowing down this moment.
Every muscle that locks up, every twitch of her legs, and bead of water that rolls over her perfect body, I trace with my hungry gaze.
She’s literally fucking hypnotizing.