Page 46 of The Gods Veiling
I completely disregard Gulliver as I don’t break the High Chancellor’s stare off and take my first unsteady step. He catches the mishap, though. The tilt on his lips turns into a snarling smile. One I return with equally measured distaste.
The power that surrounds the Volreen steals my focus. Instead of shoving my hand in like everyone else did, I take two seconds to observe the swirling white within the bowl.
It resembles the early morning fog after a night of rain.
Ominous yet soft.
I lower my fingers in sync with my slow exhale. The warmth that gathers around my nails has a hum falling from my mouth that quickly morphs into a grunt when power sucks my hand the rest of the way through before I’m ready.
The jolt that travels up my arm causes me to gasp. The smoke-like essence swirls just above my wrists and that heat cools to a surprisingly comforting embrace. The sensation reminds me of the breeze against my skin after I get out of the hot spring hidden in the meadows back home.
A smooth velvety texture lies against my fingers, and I pinch it softly. No part of me wants to pull the parchment out and reveal my Designation, but I won’t get away with refusing to do so for long.
I’m desperate to take a peek before I pass it over to the High Chancellor. Since none of the other Chosen even dared to, though, I’ll be pushing luck I’m positive I don’t have if I do.
I tilt my head up and practically fling what feels like my fate at him.
He makes a dramatic show of clearing his throat and ruffling the parchment before he starts to read it. I hold my breath as the more his eyes devour whatever is written there, his eyebrows draw down and his lips thin out.
“Can’t be,” he mutters more to himself than me.
“What can’t be?” I had all intentions of bowing to keep the peace, but his angry glare pins me in place.
So you know…fuck that.
“You have an Attendant. Yemi Andino, step forward,” he barks.
“And my Designations?”
“Will be revealed after your last test. Do not bring it up again.” His tone is deadly, and I have to bite my lip to stop myself from doing just that.
I have every right to demand I be told, but his anger gives me pause. Maybe the Volreen sensed I’m not supposed to be here. It very well could know I didn’t enter the Veiling willingly. What if I don’t have a Designation at all and now they don’t know what to do with my ass?
Maybe I can go home…
The High Chancellor does a double take at the girl I didn’t realize approached us. The pissed off scowl on his face gives way to that smug satisfaction he had when I first stepped up.
“What a fitting choice. Yemi here has a domain that cannot be spoken nor has she shown any abilities.”
Well, I wasn’t planning on accepting, so that doesn’t much matter…
My thoughts die out as I take in the girl standing before me. She’s the same height as I am but thinner. There’s still some lingering definition in her arms, which tells me when she first arrived, she was in a more muscular, fit shape than she is now.
Her shiny, long, black hair cascades down her tense shoulders in beautiful, soft waves. Something within me pinches painfully when I sink into her blank stare. Her irises are a stunning shade of familiar gold that I’ve seen already today, but they’re broken.
Shattered to pieces by whatever it is that’s happened to her here.
They’ve treated her like shit. Probably worse.
Damn it…I know a thing or two about that.
My heart pounds in my rib cage with the understanding that seems to tear through me.
“I accept my Attendant.”
Shock filters across her face and her body shakes slightly. Apparently, it takes even the other Attendants by surprise. Their collective gasps make Yemi flinch, and I give them all a scathing glare.
“Go join the others.”
