Page 12 of The Gods Veiling
That order has me stumbling back and confusion clouding my mind. I nearly fall through the open doorway when Jeremiah stalks forward. The seriousness pouring off him tells me he’s almost itching to follow up on his threat.
My chest heaves as my mind devises a plan. They’ve positioned themselves right in front of the front door, so I won’t be able to get out through there. Either of them could catch me if I made a run for the back. Maybe my window…
“Don’t try, Thay. This Veiling is important to me. I’m asking you to put your differences aside and be there for me. Us. If you and Jer could’ve acted civil for five seconds at breakfast, I would’ve talked to you about it then.”
Cold realization washes over my warm skin. “Did you enter the Veiling?”
The tremble in my voice has him bowing his head and I suck in a shocked gasp.
No. He promised. He swore he wouldn’t enter until his dad or my parents returned. Maybe even never.
You don’t return from Godsden.
“Did you—”
“Go get dressed, please.”
The soft command lands with a sword through my heart.
He broke the promise he made me. His dad. My parents.
We swore we’d never enter the Veiling.
But he did.
And he’ll be chosen. He’s the strongest of us all.
Thayla
2
If not for Laney’s hand squeezing mine and her bubbly excitement, I’d be as rigid as a statue standing here.
I’m trying to hide the fact that I’m internally panicking and so angry I have half a mind to walk up to the platform and flip it over.
“You look like a goddess, Thayla. I’m so happy you came with me.” She pulls my arm up and down as she bounces on her toes.
I muster up as much courage as I can in the smile I give her. When she saw Mellcom and Jeremiah marching me out our door, she squealed in delight. I refused to meet Lambrit’s eyes and told her I decided I wanted to see her again in her beautiful dress.
I tenderly pat her hand. “Thank you. So do you.”
As soon as I glance above her head, I immediately wish I hadn’t. A multitude of questions swim across Lambrit’s face. None of which I can give him an answer to right now.
I’m not speaking the truth out loud.
It’ll only give more power to the possibility of Mellcom being chosen.
My heart hurts from his decision. Despite where this last year has brought us, it’s always been the two of us.
He’s my idol, the big brother I always wanted, and he always took the role seriously. He put the fear in everyone—you mess with her, you deal with me.
No one but him could fight with me unless he said so.
Now it seems all we do is fight with each other.
And he’s about to leave me to become a god.
“Oddian.”
