Page 234 of The Gods Veiling
“What?”
“You can’t just say stuff like that.”
“Why not? I did see her naked, and she was unconscious.”
I open my mouth to explain the importance of sensitivity when you say things, but Thayla grips my hand before letting it go. “Let’s just get the show and observation over with, okay?”
She snatches her own shirt over her head faster than either of us can say or do anything.
Not that it’d matter.
The sight of her now scarred back makes the hair on my neck stand up. I saw bits of them last night, but her whole back was red and swollen, obscuring them. All that’s to see now is the aftermath.
My eyes trace over every inch of the new markings. There are two that are identical. They stretch from her shoulder blades across her back to the bottom of her opposite ribcage.
The third goes right through the middle of them, directly down her spine until it touches the last one that’s straight across her lower back.
I have to close my eyes and breathe through the rage that boils in my blood. Had that one in the middle been deeper than it was, he could’ve done severe damage to her spine.
There’s no doubt in my mind he fucking knows that, and that’s why he didn’t hit there as hard as he did her shoulders.
I should’ve let Creed…
“Why are there more?”
“What?” My eyes fly open at Amick’s question.
His fingers slowly run along several other scars that’ve been there for enough time that they almost blend in with her skin. The four new ones are so much more pronounced that I didn’t even notice those at first, but now I see them all.
Her back is covered.
Who I fucking think is responsible better not be.
“That’s a tale for another time,” Thayla says softly as she slips her shirt back on. “I need to ask the two of you something, then we’re having a Valtrue meeting.”
Amick and I look at each other behind her back. The switch from teasing to serious is obvious, even for him, but an understanding passes between us.
“We need to talk to you as well. Before the family meeting.”
“About what?” she asks as soon as I move down her bed so I can face her. Amick mimics my position.
“You first.”
She exhales sharply and runs her palms across her blanket. This transition into nervousness is new. She never outwardly shows it this much.
“If someone could find a way to unpair us, take away our Valtrue tie, is that something you’d want? Would either of you like to be without a Binder again?”
“No.”
Our answers echo around us. There was no thought, no hesitation, no need to even consider it.
Just no.
My heart and mind race over that question. The thought of our tie being taken from us almost makes me feel sick. Despite where and why this all started, I’ve grown to enjoy and look forward to every moment spent in her company.
From our flirty mornings together to the way we’re now able to look at each other and joke with just our eyes. No. There’s nothing that would make me want to give up what we have growing.
“I don’t know where that question even came from, but no. I have zero desire whatsoever not to have you as our Binder. Matter of fact, I want you to be more than my Binder.”
