Page 1 of The Gods Veiling
Thayla
Prologue
10 years old
If I can make it before they catch me, I can leave them before they leave me.
Everything burns. My lungs, the tears falling down my cheeks, and the sun beating down on my shoulders. I don’t let any of it slow me down. I burst through the tree line and finally reach the meadow hidden away on the outskirts of Oddian.
I crawl the rest of the way through the tall grass to the hot spring when my numb, wobbly legs crumble beneath me.
I’m not supposed to come out here. At least not alone.
It’s too close to the magical barrier that separates us from the Unclaimed region. If you cross that line, there’s no coming back out.
That’s all I can think about doing right now.
I want to be as far away as I can be from the sadness in my mom’s and dad’s eyes. The soft understanding on Meridamus’s face and the eager smile on Mellcom’s.
If I just ran through that unknown barrier, then they wouldn’t be leaving me.
I’ll be leaving them.
But then what?
I send one of my shoes and socks flying over my shoulder, then wipe the disgusting mix of snot and tears from my lips. There’s no stopping the panting or sobbing.
A scream I hardly have the breath for rips from me as my other lace gets knotted to the point I can’t get it undone to take the shoe off. I give up my battle and fall to my side.
My bare foot slips into the hot water while the other dangles on the edge.
Much like my life.
It’s dangling on the edge, getting ready to tip over.
My arms wrap around my stomach as I give in to the tears that won’t stop.
“Oh, my little shooting star.”
I knew they were right behind me.
My dad’s voice causes my sniffles to morph into sobs. He doesn’t force me to look at him or even move. His strong arms that have carried me my whole life pick my head up and lay it on his lap. His fingers tenderly stroke my hair out of the stream of my tears.
Another set of hands, these warm and soft, lifts my leg. With just a few tugs, my mom has my shoe and sock removed, and she massages my aching foot.
“We know you’re upset with us, Thayla girl. Do you want to talk about it?”
My mom’s loving tone wraps around my heart, and I agree with no thought. I’ve never, ever, gotten into trouble for speaking my mind to them. They’ve always told me to be honest with them and they’d never be mad at me.
Now it’s no different. Except for the fact that I’m very mad at them.
My body shakes from the foreign feeling.
“I thought about running to the Unclaimed region so I could leave you before you left me.”
My dad’s fingers flinch in my hair before they resume their soft caresses. Mom’s hands never stop running up my leg and around my foot. Neither of them fusses at me for my tone, and guilt floods my chest.
“I’m sorry. I only thought about it and said that so I could hurt you.”
