Page 208 of The Gods Veiling
My command thunders through the air. Not a second later, I’m dropped to my feet and my wrist is released. I don’t know who I want to hit first.
“What the fuck is going on in my Court?”
Jeremiah steps out of the way rapidly and Gladian’s face turns furious.
“I should’ve known it was you. I smell the trouble in the air. What are you doing in my Court right now?”
He takes three purposeful steps toward me, and I pull my shoulders back.
“Don’t you dare come any closer to me.”
He stops moving and his fists ball at his sides. His eyes blaze with an intensity that should have me backing off, but I can’t. His rage fuels my own and I prowl toward him.
“Let’s get a couple things straight right now, you gigantic, selfish, egotistical asshole. First off, this is the Gods Court, not yours. Learn that. Second, keep your crazy-ass Binder the hell away from my Attendant and me. Every time she even looks at one of us wrong, I’m going to beat her ass. Matter of fact, add those two to that as well. The next one of them who touches me, I’m getting the full force of my Valtrue involved.
“Lastly, take a long, hard fucking look at how you run this place. You’ve developed a godawful mentality and habits in these Defenders you’re training. Your methods are barbaric, useless, and build no sense of unity whatsoever. It’s going to hurt them in the end because shit is changing. And it’s going to continue to do so. Grow the fuck up, you ancient-ass child.”
My neck cranes back as I take a final step toward Gladian. Our eyes lock in a battle of wills. The vibrations that had been shaking the blood in my veins seem to pass into him.
The more he trembles, the less I do.
The rage-filled haze I’d been under slowly starts to dissipate, leaving a much more manageable and familiar amount pounding in my ribcage.
My head jerks back as he grabs a handful of hair at the base of my scalp. I screech as my nails dig into his arms and I pointlessly kick out at him. He snatches me so close to him, his hot breath fills my ear.
“You dare step foot in my Court, use your power on my Valtrue, and then on me, the God of Strength?”
I’m positive his bellow ruptures my eardrum, but not before I hear what he said loud and clear.
My power?
No. Can’t be.
I scream again as he jerks my hair until my knees hit the dirt. He’s one more tug away from breaking my neck.
I fucked up.
Fucked up royally.
“Get the post!”
In one hard pull, he has me on my feet. I trip over myself as I attempt to both keep up with him and get free of him. Mentally, I shout at myself to calm down and find my power again. Figure out how to do what I apparently just did again until I can get my ass out of here.
My fight flees me as my eyes fall on the large wooden pole that’s just been set up. My stomach tries to crawl up my throat as I scan the chains and iron rings holding them in place.
No.
Not again.
My days of whippings are supposed to be over.
“Gladian.”
I frantically search Mellcom’s face. That pleading tone has naïve hope rising in my chest. He knows better than anyone what this will do to me.
He’s one of the ones who caused this trauma and pain.
If men can leave scars, what can a god do?
