Thayla #2
He doesn’t tear his…astonished gaze off the Veilatara heading our way.
“It’s okay,” I mumble, patting his hand rather than prying it off me like I want.
He doesn’t attempt to stop me again as I stride toward the oncoming Veilatara. Every step I take toward them has water building in my eyes. I slow to a stop just as they do, and when they bow low to me, I let out a deep exhale and mimic the gesture.
“Come to us, Thayla,” Seismet says, and I do so with no argument.
My forehead leans against his, then Verlet’s. They nuzzle into me, and it takes everything in me not to let a tear fall. Their power is so unexplainable and…pure. Anytime I see them all together like this, I understand a little more why Riven gets so passionate when he speaks about them.
“What’s going on? What is this grand show about?”
“The God of Creatures isn’t a bad man or god, but he does hold himself on a pedestal when it comes to us creatures, although he had no part in our creation.
He would’ve brushed you off the moment you began talking about us because to him, no one knows us better than him.
I was making a very clear point, you are, and always will be, more important to us than he is,” Verlet says with conviction that knocks the air from my lungs.
“Thank you. Both of you.”
“Who are you?”
I whirl around, and my eyes widen as I take in the Veilatara circling us. They’ve only allowed the God of Creatures to step through the formation they’ve made around me.
His narrowed gaze is full of confusion.
“Tell him the truth of who you are to us, Thayla,” Seismet says.
I run my hand down the contraption strapped to his wings.
“I’m the godly companion to this Veilatara. The Prime’s familial second. The Prime”—I stretch my other arm out and rub Verlet—“is the godly companion to my Valtrue members.”
The God of Creatures’ mouth pops open as his gaze bounces between the three of us.
“Impossible. There haven’t been connections since—”
“Since they were strapped, but it isn’t impossible. I can assure you. We just haven’t been able to solidify our connection because of the contraptions.”
There’s no hiding the heat in my tone. He picks up on it easily.
“I had no say-so in their entrapment, and I spoke out adamantly about it. There’s only so much I can do.”
I believe that. Unfortunately.
“I understand. The Beginning Gods do as they please and what they believe is right, even when it isn’t. I don’t fault you for that, but I do promise you, I will find out how to remove these restraints.”
He blinks as if he isn’t sure he heard me right.
“And how do you plan to do that?”
“My men and I are still figuring it out, and we will figure it out.”
The God of Creatures studies me like an animal stalking its prey.
“You speak with a great deal of certainty about something you don’t fully understand.”
“I don’t need to understand it fully to know it’s wrong.”
His attention jerks to the restraints, then back to me.
“You’ve brought me here for more than to deliver a declaration of intent.”
Seismet and Verlet shift their hooves. The movement wasn’t…threatening exactly, but a quiet warning about his tone. I latch on to their unwavering support and square my shoulders.
“I need your signature.”
“For what purpose?” he asks as he cocks his head to the side like I’ve completely confused him now.
“To end an agreement. One made on behalf of my Valtrue members when they were children.”
His expression hardens just a fraction as his eyebrows draw down.
“Who are your Valtrue members?”
A beat passes as I gather myself. Seismet’s comforting rumble settles into my chest.
“Riven, Creed, Amick, and Kyzen. The sons of the God of Obliteration.”
His face pales as his head scans around as though he’s afraid Kira may pop up somewhere. Then his gaze sharpens, searching my face.
“You’re asking me to help strip a Beginning God of his authority over what’s his?”
My glare darkens and I take a purposeful step forward. Seismet and Verlet move with me.
“They. Aren’t. Possessions.” Each punctuated word claws through my clenched teeth. I suck down a harsh inhale and will my fury to simmer. “I’m not stripping anything that was rightfully given. I’m undoing what never should have been done in the first place.”
“You’re asking me to involve myself in a matter between a Beginning God and his blood.”
“I’m asking you to acknowledge that being someone’s maker doesn’t give them the right to control every aspect of their existence.”
That stuns him more than I expected it to. Granted, Seismet and Verlet neighing and tilting their heads up definitely adds to the certainty.
“Otiero, you swore to me after these straps were placed upon myself and my herd that you’d find a way to fix this. That’s been more years ago than either of us cares to acknowledge.”
The God of Creatures’ eyes soften, almost plead, as he stares at Verlet.
“Speak where she can hear you,” Seismet commands, and I curl my lip between my teeth to stop from smirking.
“I gave you my word, and I intend to keep it. I’m sorry for how long it’s taken, but I still swear to you, I will fix this.”
“Then if your goal already aligns with Thayla’s and her Valtrue, what is your resistance to helping them?”
He tears his gaze to the side. One rumble and stomp of his hoof from Verlet has him whipping his attention back to him.
“You and I know what all he’s already taken from me. Each creature that falls extinct…” He shakes his head and flexes his finger. “This, signing my name, signs where my favor lies. What if he retaliates against you?”
“The God of Obliteration is going to act however he sees fit no matter what you do or don’t do,” I say, gaining his attention. “But if he were to try to step into this meadow and harm the Veilatara, he’d have to go through hell to get here.”
That pulls his focus back to me fully and his measured gaze roams from my head to my toes.
“If I sign this, I’m not just supporting the five of you. I am setting a precedent for others to challenge what’s been for a long time.”
“They should challenge it.” I shrug.
He stares at me for a long moment.
“You’re a brave one, Ms. Godrun.”
“I don’t have the luxury of being a coward.” I take a step forward, not aggressive, but intentional as I starshoot the parchment to me and hold it out between us. “You aren’t the first to question this decision and I’m sure you won’t be the last.”
He reads over the writing and the moment he gets to the signatures, his eyes whip back up to mine.
“How did you get these signatures?”
“I walked through the gates of Hell.”
He lets out a quiet laugh before tentatively taking the pen from my other hand. When the familiar glow lights across the parchment, I release my breath.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Ms. Godrun.”
I don’t, not entirely anyway, but I’m going to figure it out.
He gives me a tight smile as he passes the parchment back to me, then bows to Seismet and Verlet. The Veilatara part for him, and the three of us follow him through the opening.
I can’t help the smile that takes over my face as I catch the hope in Havar’s eyes. He attempts to cover his excited laugh with a cough as I give him a nod.
“Thayla—may I call you Thayla?” the Goddess of Sound asks before anyone else can speak to me.
“Uh, yeah, of course.”
“Wonderful. May I speak to you for a moment?”
I arch my brow at Yemi, and her shrug doesn’t help my confusion.
“Sure.”
My slow drag of the word doesn’t deter her.
The Goddess of Sound links her arm through mine, and we take a few purposeful steps away from the others. She hums a nervous little melody as her fingers tap on my damn bicep.
“You’re freaking me out.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I tend to sing when I’m nervous or keeping secrets,” she whispers. “I’d like to sign your parchment as well if that’s okay. I just wasn’t sure what I could and couldn’t say in front of everyone.”
“How did you—”
I have a desperate desire to lean back as she leans close to me.
“A little creature hooted in my ear.” She winks.
“Oh,” I say, then bite my bottom lip.
“What did you do, V?”
“Nothing nefarious. Just informed her the imitation she’s been doing of my kind was wrong.”
I fight off a snort as I pass Lyrica the parchment and pen.
“I hope he didn’t startle you too much.”
“No, of course not. This is the best day of my life. Do you know how many tunes I can make from the pitches of his hoot? I can’t wait to return home and practice.”
She gives me a large smile, then shocks me still as she wraps her arms around me. There’s no one in my line of sight that I can ask for help with my eyes.
“Lyrica, shall we?”
A breath of relief flees me as Otiero steps up and offers her his elbow. With another wink and a giggle, the Goddess of Sound releases me.
“Ms. Godrun,” he says, tilting his head.
“God of Creatures.”
With that, the two of them starshoot off and my shoulders slump as Yemi, Havar, Sevryn, Doren, Seismet, and Verlet surround me.
“Did she just sign as well?” Yemi asks.
“Yeah. Did you all see V talk to her?”
They all shake their heads.
“She kind of wandered off singing and skipping through the grass and we let her be. I never would’ve guessed she was so…”
“Whimsical.” I finish for Havar and everyone chuckles. “I’ll take whimsical over evil any day, anytime.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, our next stop is going to be smooth sailing,” Doren says, raising his eyebrows. “Get it, smooth sailing?”
There’s a beat of silence before everyone bursts into laughter. The sounds settle inside my chest like a comforting blanket.
I do hope he’s right, though.
The closer to tomorrow morning we get, the harder it is to keep up this fake-ass brave face.
I stand at the edge of the shore with my eyes closed as the last warmth of the setting sun brushes against my skin. The tide drifts in and out in slow, steady breaths. The sound wraps around me as the realm quiets.
Salt lingers in the air, grounding and familiar.
For a moment, I let myself sink into the calm, into the rhythm of something that doesn’t demand.
It just exists.
Yet, it’s damn deadly.