Thayla #2
“Boys, Ms. Godrun, Ms. Andino, Mr. Valadi,” Derivius says with a small bow that we return.
I was prepared for the formalness, but not the…
sad smile he gives us. Fear claws its way up my throat.
“The bodies you’re presenting as evidence, Amick, have already been taken to the Neutral, and the other Beginning Gods are examining them now.
Do you have the rest of your evidence with you? ”
“I do,” Amick says, tapping the breastplate of his armor.
Worry and about a million questions eat away at me. I’m not sure what the hell he could be hiding in there, but I see no bulge or impression of anything. Not even the dagger he used on Harriseen.
“Good. Then shall we?”
Derivius’s gaze scans over each of us. His attention flicks from my arm to my eyes for a heartbeat. The small nod he gives me has my Chaos turning in my belly.
Fuck, I hope he knows what he’s doing.
“High Chancellor Ellian, you’ll hear word from me as soon as this is over. Ms. Godrun, Ms. Andino, since this is the first time either of you has been to Valveilious, I’ll warn you that the starshoot feels a touch different, but it’s almost as quick and painless.”
I briefly glance at Yemi with that fast-ass warning, then the sight of her is stolen from me.
My skin pulls tight as we move through the fabric of the realm. The sensation resembles a normal starshoot, but it also tugs the same way it did when I entered Godsden for the first time.
Whereas when I starshoot myself, it lasts about two seconds, this one lasts around four.
I wobble as Derivius’s power withdraws from around me, but my spine instantly straightens. The silent, bright white room that greets us is gilded in marble and gold decorations.
There isn’t a soul in sight.
Just…sculptures and paintings.
On either side of the carpeted path that leads to double doors are statues of the Beginning Gods. Well, six of them.
Goddesses on one side. Gods on the other.
Their obsidian stone is the exact same as what’s at the Sanctum, but instead of holding the building up, their arms are sculpted down by their sides.
“Aww, no grand tour of Valveilious for our newcomers? Just straight here, huh?”
I cut my eyes at Riven and shake my head at his wink.
The last thing I give a fuck about is touring Valveilious.
I mean, yeah, a moment to get my bearings before popping up right in what’s obviously the Neutral would’ve been nice, but I don’t want or need to go sightseeing.
“No time for gallivanting, I’m afraid. The quicker we start, the quicker it’s all over,” Derivius says.
“Are these trials typically fast, or like an all-day thing?” I ask.
“Typically, fast. Rella doesn’t drag anything out. Even though this is about Amick, she still won’t tolerate any roundabout business.”
“Yeah, because she—”
“Don’t,” Kyzen warns Riven, and Derivius turns from us with a sad frown marring his face.
My stomach rumbles as we march forward. I was too nervous to care about breakfast this morning, and I couldn’t care less about food now, but the emptiness is making my nerves loud and proud, apparently.
Amick’s finger brushes against my knuckles as he peeks down at me. I try with all my might to put on a brave face, but it’s hard. If I could, I’d literally pull a Creed right now and throw him over my shoulder, then haul ass out of here.
On my other side, Kyzen lifts my hand to his lips.
“Everything’s going to be okay.”
His smooth whisper is paired with a caring stroke across my soul. I inhale sharply when three others join him.
Behind me, I can’t make out the soft words Nero’s speaking to Yemi, but I glance over my shoulder and give her as much of a smile as I can when her eyes meet mine.
The air in my lungs stalls as Derivius thrusts the double doors open with no warning. My feet desperately want to stay planted in place, but I refuse to stumble when the guys take a confident step forward.
Honestly, when Derivius confirmed that he and his counterparts get together around a table to chat, I figured that’s the sort of layout we’d be walking into.
Of course it isn’t.
The room is formed in a grand semicircle, and the Beginning Gods’ seats ascend in a deliberate tier. Below them and their wall of judgment, a single podium sits in the center.
It’s very clear that’s where you stand to receive your reckoning.
Amick’s—and whoever else of us has to speak—our voice will carry upward, while their verdict comes down.
Derivius holds his hand out to stop Creed, Kyzen, Riven, myself, Yemi, and Nero, then he rests it on Amick’s shoulder. He guides him to the podium, then in a blink, he starshoots to one of the seats above us.
The silence has me picking at my cuticles and gritting my teeth as I peel a piece of the skin on one too far back. I let the pain ground me as we wait for the others to arrive.
This game of anticipation has every nasty scenario I can come up with blaring through my mind. My body is coiled, waiting for them to pounce on us at any given second.
“Son.”
I hold back my flinch at the unfamiliar voice behind me. Creed’s scowl deepens as he pivots his body.
“Father. What are you doing here?”
My eyes widen, but I keep them firmly on Amick’s back.
“I’ll ask you the same.”
“My presence was requested.”
“You must be mistaken. I received a decree from the Beginning Gods asking specifically for me.”
“The sons requested my presence.”
“And you accepted? Without consulting me?”
“I did.”
The conviction in Nero’s tone takes me by more surprise than his father’s sudden appearance. My narrowed gaze flicks to Derivius, but he genuinely looks as shocked as I am.
“Mr. Valadi, who signed your decree?” Derivius asks.
Nero’s father steps past us and bows. “The Goddess of Accord, sir.”
“Of course she did,” Riven grumbles, and Kyzen immediately leans into him.
“Very well. Given the Valadi family’s reputation, I have great confidence that the two of you can remain impartial although you find yourselves on opposing sides today.”
“Absolutely. I do apologize for our miscommunication.”
“No apology necessary. Amick has as much of a right to a Mediator as we do.”
Mr. Valadi bows to Derivius once again before making his way to the stairs that lead up to the Beginning Gods tier. I don’t miss the look of disappointment he gives Nero before he fixes his face.
Fuck…I’m sure that’s not good.
Light flares through the room and ice runs through my blood as Yemi fails to hold in her gasp. My men straighten their spines as the room falls deadly silent.
From left to right, the God of Obliteration, the Goddess of Seduction, the Goddess of Accord, and the Goddess of Creation stand, staring down at us before taking their seats.
How can I identify the Goddesses I’ve never met?
Well, multiple ways.
One, their statues did an amazing job sculpting their features to perfection.
Two, the Goddess of Accord has striking, very familiar…burgundy irises. The Goddess of Creation has gorgeous blackish-blue hair and citrine eyes.
“Has Suma formally withdrawn from the trial?”
Riven twitches the smallest amount, and I want more than anything to reach across Kyzen and touch him. I expected cold detachment in the Goddess of Accord’s tone, but it’s lacking the sternness I also assumed would be present.
How can a voice so calm and eyes so bright be so…emotionless?
“Yes,” Derivius says, and my attention shifts to him. “Suma’s formally withdrawn from any matter relating to the sons.”
For the first time since arriving, Amick turns his head toward Derivius.
I’m missing something.
Who is Suma—
Oh, you motherfucker.
Sumadirem. The Beginning God of Consequence.
“Very well,” the Goddess of Accord says, apparently taking the reins of this trial.
“Let’s proceed. Amick, God of Knowledge, you stand before us today, claiming the murder of late High Chancellor Harriseen was an act you committed in good faith.
You decree he broke numerous rules under the Law of Neglectful Use of Power and Status. Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“You’ve brought with you evidence to support this claim as well as witnesses and a Mediator who’s reviewed your standing, yes?”
“Yes.”
I’m pretty sure he’s supposed to say yes, ma’am.
Regardless, he’s keeping his tone clearer and more controlled than I would.
“Introduce them at this time.”
“My Mediator is Nero Valadi of the Valadi Family. Witnesses include Yemi Andino, a survivor of Harriseen’s mistreatment. My brothers, Riven, God of Duality. Creed, God of Death. Kyzen, God of Time. My Binder, Thayla Godrun, who is also a survivor of Harriseen’s mistreatment.”
The room falls back into silence and fire flames across my face as the Beginning Gods cast their gazes to me slowly, then back to Amick.
“Your what?” the Goddess of Creation asks.
“I spoke very clearly. Thayla Godrun is my Binder.”
There’s another heartbeat of stunned disbelief.
“Binder? Kira, how could you have not told me?”
“Derivius, you knew of this?”
Repeatedly, the Goddesses of Creation and Accord go back and forth with the two Gods.
My glare stays locked on Sabelline’s green eyes and her smug fucking smirk painted in red.
“Oh, I have no clue when this happened. I’m so incredibly shocked,” she coos with her hand on her heart as the other goddesses turn to her.
My fingers flex at my sides when they turn their attention from her and she winks at me.
I’m so fucking tired of those eyes haunting me.
I’d carve them from her skull if I had the chance.
“Enough!”
Amick’s shout throttles the room into a tense hush, and my fingernails dig into my palms.
This isn’t good.