Page 56 of The Gods Veiling
My focus stays on the swirling white wall behind him.
I won’t lie. I stew with jealousy as I stare.
They get to embrace that raw power for a blip in time. If they’reworthyenough for a god to show up, they get to bask in their full strength for a while too. Ugh, I wouldn’t care if anyone showed up. I’d just roll around in the essence of the power that once was and one day will be mine again.
That’s a promise I’ll concoct a fuck ton of chaos for.
Other than us sensing the shift in the air, most Chosen don’t reveal if they were visited or not, or by who. Some are bound and can’t. Some don’t want to tell their personal experience.
What the Chancellor doesn’t tell any of them is that your Beginning or Domain God decides how much power they’re going to give you in this initial releasing.
Typically, they all stay pretty level based on your Designation.
Then if you’re unlucky enough, in my opinion, you get paired, and that grants you a little extra boost.
The idea of being marked and paired with some stranger for the rest of our lives sounds dreadful. The completed Valtrues among us don’t make it seem like it’s pleasurable or exciting.
What if you get paired with some gods fearing stuck-up who wants to abide by every rule and go to every temple gathering?
Gross. No, thank you.
I find the chaos of the unpredictable matching enjoyable, but from a distance. My brothers, I can live with. Some strange woman that I got to dull myself down for, no.
My brothers and I being paired was a sweet little shocker, though. We figured we’d be sticking together of our own choice. Obviously, the Beginning Gods had enough sense not to separate us when we were brought here at fifteen. They were wise to be afraid we’d act like a fool.
We would have.
I groan as the white wall blazes to life again. I want to be back in there badly. I need to feel that pure, raw power coursing through my belly and fingers once again. Fuck, it was so incredible.
Until they took it away.
One of the gods, any of them, needs to give it back before I show my ass. My brothers would probably disown me if I fucked off our long-term plans.
Amick cuts his eyes to me, and I’m tempted to shove my finger in his curled nostril.
“This is ridiculous. I have a plan. We’re—”
“Not a good one,” he cuts me off, but I carry on as Kyzen raises his eyebrows.
“On three, we’re going to rush the High Chancellor and jump in the Veil. We’ll hold hands and do it together.”
“That’s your grand plan?” Kyzen asks.
“Yep. It’s perfect. Creed, you on board?”
My chatterbox of a brother stares right through me. I grunt repeatedly, then try to lace our fingers together, but he snatches his hand away.
“Amazing. Creed had great input and is completely down for this.”
Amick’s face turns a dusty pink and my smile slices across my face in anticipation. My insides grow warm with giddiness, and I prepare for the snap. It’s so rare and it tastes so good when it happens.
Come on, give me your worst, brother.
“Riven—” He starts but stops as Kyzen places a hand on his chest and I pout in disappointment.
“I know with the power floating all around us right now, it’s got you feeling…adventurous. Your creative imagination is flowing, and I really appreciate that, but let’s think a little logically. We wouldn’t be at the mercy of the High Chancellor in there, but the gods. They might not take too well to another rebellion from us and decide to take all the power back that they’ve returned to us. We should probably think this one through a little more.”
I hum in thought, but clarity seems to return to me when the breathtaking white of the Gods Veil becomes dull. That hypnotic swirl releases the grip on my mind, and I scoff at myself.
