Page 99 of The Gods Veiling
I lean against the couch and stifle my laugh as Thayla continues to cuss under her breath, run into the counter, and rummage through the drawers. I honestly didn’t expect her to be up anytime soon, and I didn’t bother to tell her yesterday how everything in this creation works.
She’s still got a little more time before she’s going to be able to control anything in here and I don’t know how she’ll receive that news.
Honestly, though, she surprised me with her reactions yesterday.
I’ve grown so used to speeding up time to see how an individual’s going to act during confrontations. It helps me prepare before they can do anything rash.
I didn’t do that to her in the healing villas. I actually slowed our time down so she could get her bearings and give my brothers time to get home and cool down.
I had all intentions yesterday to speed it up, though. I was nervous that an all-out verbal argument was going to commence. At the last minute before lunch, I changed my mind.
I wanted to see real time, how Thayla Godrun really responded to the four of us. Our Binder’s true colors needed to be seen. Would she shrivel in fear like the rest of the Godsdawn does or would she be ready to brawl?
She did neither, to my delight and surprise.
Riven one hundred percent earned the slap she gave him, so that doesn’t count.
It’s blatantly clear she’s keeping things to herself for now, and that’s understandable, plus expected. At least she participated in the conversation. She calculated everything like she was weighing the truth of our new reality. Everything was taken in stride with a hint of nervousness that she attempted to cover up with sarcasm and cute teasing.
Or maybe she wasn’t trying to cover it up, and she’s naturally sarcastic and funny. I don’t know yet.
Many of the new Chosen are so serious their first few months until they’re comfortable. They’re unwavering in their desire to impress the other gods and their fear is potent. She didn’t seem to care one bit if she impressed us or not. Nor did she fear us.
I wonder if that will change when she starts hearing more about us.
I wonder what her Attend—Yemi has said about us.
A squeal passes through her lips as she slides on the decorative rug, almost busting her ass. My face scrunches at the noise. That probably wasn’t loud enough to reach the guys, but it sure as shit wasn’t quiet.
“Who the fuck left a towel in the middle of the kitchen floor? Probably that damn psycho. He probably walks around naked all hours of the night.”
A snort escapes me, and she shrieks even louder. I call my power forward and think of the light coming on. Its dimness appears in just enough time for me to see the spoon heading directly for my face.
Time slows almost to a standstill. With only an inch or so to spare, I pluck the silverware from in front of my face, then stroll toward her.
“Well, good morning, little goddess. That’s some pretty impressive aim for you to not have seen me. Or did you see me that whole time and was asking me those rhetorical questions?”
I laugh as I take in her narrowed gaze and the rise and fall of her chest. She has a fork at the ready, wielding it like a dagger.
“Why did you sneak up on me like that?” She pants.
“I didn’t mean to. I’m just not used to anyone being up this early. You surprised me just as much.” She watches me closely as I take her in from head to toe with a lingering smirk on my face.
To my displeasure, she has clothes on, but the rumpled, just rolled out of bed look is still just as alluring. Her rose gold hair is a lot longer than I realized. It’s nearly at her hips.
It’d look gorgeous wrapped around my…nope.
Her scowl turns from me to the floor and a groan falls from her lips when she takes in the bunched-up cloth. I chuckle as the whole time she straightens it out, she mouths off about how there’s no reason for a rug in the kitchen.
She dusts her hands off on her small pair of shorts, then plants them on her hips. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I was just trying to find the light so I could fix some coffee.”
I flip the spoon in my hand, then place it in the sink. Amick would die if he knew she touched it then put it back in the drawer. I’ll need to keep an eye on that fork she has as well.
“Mugs are here,” I say, opening the cupboard to the right of the stove and pulling two down. “I assume you know how to heat a kettle?” I arch my brow and peer over my shoulder.
She meets my playful stare with crossed arms and a frown. I don’t let her see my smirk as I grab the jar of coffee that Creed ground yesterday. He’s always good about keeping a couple pots’ worth ready so I don’t make all kinds of noise doing it when I get up.
“I didn’t think you’d be up this early, so I didn’t explain yesterday, but the lights are much like our doors. They sense our essence. Except in this case, you have to summon your power, then think about the lights coming on.”
