Page 228 of The Gods Veiling
Both turn their all-knowing eyes to me. I jerk my head and raise my eyebrows in expectation of an explanation.
“Sincerest apologies, Thayla girl. I’ve missed my old friend, is all. I’ve waited many, many years for you.”
“You could’ve returned to the meadows at any time. You know this.”
“No, I couldn’t. It wasn’t a part of the path, and I was needed elsewhere.”
My head continues to swivel between the two of them.“I don’t mean to be rude, but can the two of you play catch-up or whatever this is after I’m told what’s going on?”
Again, they both stare at me.
“I always get the sassy ones.”
Seismet laughs at the creature, and I cut my eyes at them.
“What does that mean? What just happened?”
“Do you know what I am, Thayla?”
“As much as I want to say yes, I can’t wrap my head around it. It’s impossible. Despite what you just said.”
“I’m standing right before you, therefore, it’s not impossible.”
I release a deep breath and shake my head. “The Vedarya have been extinct for millennia.”
“All but one.”
His sorrowful tone has tears filling my eyes and my mind continues to deny this. There’s no possible way standing feet in front of me is the last living Vedarya.
The second being created behind the Beginning Gods. In fact, the creature created to guide them and be the center means of communication to the Valories. They are deities in their own right.
No.
“Yes, my dear girl. That’s the truth you’re so fearful of in this moment. I am the last living Vedarya and what we just experienced was our Calling. I’ll be here from now on to guide you. All those important to me call me V. Your journey has truly begun, Thayla Godrun.”
Nope.
My body shakes as I stagger back. I continue to backpedal through the water until my legs hit a rocky ledge and I fall into the nature-made seat. I stare mindlessly into the water as I start to hyperventilate.
“Everything will be okay.”
I lift my head to find V perched on top of the water a foot in front of my face. “How…how could that be remotely true? My life continues to be flipped around, and I don’t have any idea why or what’s going on.”
“If you looked inside of yourself, you’d realize you know a lot more than you believe you do. It has been overwhelming, to say the least, but your mind and heart have already started putting the pieces together. Now it’s just a matter of accepting it.”
A touch of anger bubbles in my belly and I slam my eyes shut. “Why do I have to accept that my fate, my future, my damn soul, everything up to this point in my life has been decided for me? I refuse to accept that.”
“Your fate and future haven’t been decided for you. The Valories quit dictating their beings’ lives for them long ago when they realized the error of their ways. They aligned things, yes, but every decision has ultimately been up to you. I was the only piece of something they set in stone for you. One way or another, Godsden or Oddian, I would’ve come to you. Where we go from here is left in your hands.”
I glare at him incredulously. “I’m sorry, are you trying to tell me right now it was my decision to be put into the Veiling against my will by a meddling god then have my soul split four ways by another meddling god?”
“Those may have not been your direct decisions, but yes, you made decisions that created new outcomes and brought you here. Which is where you should be, if I might add. The night Mellcom devised his plan, had you not originally planned to eat dinner with Lambrit then changed your mind?”
My lips part in shock. “How did you know that?”
“And when you were Chosen, you had the choice to run to the barrier but then decided against it to not bring forth any harm to others in Oddian. Isn’t that right?”
“H-how?”
