Page 169 of The Gods Veiling
“You’re one to talk about someone failing someone else, Mellcom.” Venom drips from Thayla’s words.
“I understand you still feel that way. In your eyes, I failed you, but in my heart, I know I gave you everything. What I didn’t do is load you into a carriage without explaining the truth of what you’re about to face. I didn’t perch you in here on my lap like a glorified whore we’re taking on a lovely night flight when the reality is, we’re about to arrive at the gods’ war zone.
“A division made because there’s a Beginning God who’s fighting for control and the right to rule the entire realm. The Abandon is what it’s called. On the other side, monsters and undead gods are waiting to tear us to shreds and takeover the Godsdawn. Your Valtrue knows all about it. It’s where they’re from. Yet they didn’t tell you the first thing. They didn’t warn you. These…creatures we’re about to face are incredibly difficult to kill.”
Her glare meets each one of ours until it settles on mine. The questions are clear. Is this what I meant when I told her I go places she can’t go or know about? Is this what I was trying to protect her from knowing about?
I nod.
It isn’t just the Abandon I didn’t want her to know about yet. The time for her to know was coming fast. This incident just sped it up. She’s far more observant than she leads on to be, so she’s always known there was a deeper reason for our secrecy. She doesn’t push, just like Kyzen made us agree we wouldn’t push her for her secrets either.
Ours, though…I don’t think she could tell us anything that will match the level of fucked up our history holds.
She’s going to learn our truth now because of this and realize she’s been tied to four abominations that never should’ve existed.
“Not another word, Mellcom.”
Her voice is low, deadly, and he chuckles.
“Sure, Thay. Don’t worry, though, I’ll take care of you out here. Just as I always have.”
The carriage wheels touch down and each of our backs straightens. As soon as we stop rolling, the seven of us stand as one.
“Go,” I command to Mellcom and Jeremiah.
The second they exit the door, Kyzen speaks, “Thayla—”
She holds her hand up. “Not yet and not here. If what he said is true, I got to get my mind right. I’m fucking livid you all didn’t tell me about this, but if this…this place plays that large of a role in your lives, I sure as fuck don’t want to hear it from him. If I survive this, then we’ll all start talking.”
I grab her arm as she tries to walk out of the carriage. “I swear it on mysoul, you will survive this. Stay close to us and don’t be afraid to use that sword. On any who threaten you.”
She looks down at my fingers wrapped around her forearm, then she bats her lashes at me. A deadly smile creeps across her face, and I have to restrain myself from snatching her closer to me.
One by one, she plucks my fingers off and a sultry little laugh falls from her lips. “Careful, Creed. That almost sounded like you care about me.”
She finally removes my thumb and turns from me without another word or backward glance at any of us. I don’t know whether to be turned on by the vicious energy pouring off her or worried.
I honestly can’t tell if the mood is directed at us, the two fuckers who just left the carriage, or this situation. Fuck, it’s probably everything.
“She’s about to lose her shit. This is so fucking exciting. There are Veilatara flying around in my belly right now.”
You can’t always tell the difference between Riven’s laughs. But there’s one that’s higher pitched, much like a giggle.
It always means chaos.
That’s the noise that leaves him.
“Wait for me, little burden.”
Amick, Kyzen, and I follow him out. Mellcom and Jeremiah are standing in front of the shimmering barrier, observing it closely. Riven’s laced his fingers with Thayla’s, and their opposite hands hold their swords.
They look like a couple.
Ready to rain fucking chaos.
“There’s an army of them tonight. Four of our gods have already been taken to the healing villas. They’re about to break through the stronghold lines. The rest of your group has already gone through, and we only have one Valtrue on this side.”
“Thanks, Mika,” I say, then turn to the three who don’t know, or I suppose they don’t know what he means. “Our stronghold is one hundred feet from the other side of this barrier. We cross and get over there as fast as possible. You two find your Valtrue.”
