Page 231 of The Gods Veiling
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to judge. I just put my feelings first before I even considered yours. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“I can tell. It’s written across your whole face.”
I tear my eyes from his and look into the depths of the dark forest. “I need to ask you something and if you’ll give me an answer, I’d like it to be as honest as you can make it.”
He hums. “That depends on the question. How serious is it?”
“A soul level kind of serious.”
“Souls really aren’t my domain. Wrong brother for that.”
“Yeah, I know, but I’m the Binder to all four of you, not just one of you. This is something I’ll ask them as well.”
“Now you’ve got me intrigued and I appreciate the fact I’m the first you’re asking, so go ahead.”
My slow, steady breath passes through my lips. This is a truth I need from each of them before I decide what to do next.
“If someone could find a way to unpair us, take away our Valtrue tie, is that something you want? Would you like to be without a Binder again?”
“Is this a real possibility or you’re just being hopeful?”
My chest pulls tight. “This is a real possibility.”
He’s quiet for a long moment and I bite my bottom lip as I stare at the trees I can’t even see. My hand unconsciously rubs at the C branded into my wrist as I wait for his answer.
His fingers wrap around my jaw as he turns my head to look at him. His eyes hold no power as they bore into me. One’s burgundy, the other blue.
“Do you find it strange I really want to lick the tears from your cheeks?”
What the fuck?
My mouth falls open. That’s the only thing I can do. I can’t even produce an answer to that question in my mind.
“There they are.”
I blink. “What?”
His thumb rubs my drying tears in a circle. “I may not put stars in your eyes, but I bring color to your cheeks and ‘what the fuck did he just say’ wrinkles to your forehead. I enjoy those reactions immensely. If someone were to take them from me, well…I’d just simply have to take them back.”
The smirk on his face is sickly satisfied by my silence.
And internally, I’m sickly satisfied by his weird-ass answer.
“Well, all right then.”
He chuckles. “Does that answer your question enough?”
“Yeah, I’ll accept that answer.”For now.
The hand that’s still wrapped around my jaw turns my head to the side and he bends down to my ear. “Good. Now go bother Creed and leave me be. When you get out, walk straight that way. You’ll find him.”
He releases me and I go stumbling forward toward the steps. I catch myself two stones up and glare at him over my shoulder.
“You ruined the moment, asshole.”
He stands statue-still, swirling eyes locked on me but not my face.
“Riven?”
