Page 13 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

What I do know about it is it didn’t get its name because it’s lost. It got its name because all who enter it are lost to it forever. What happens to the brave or stupid who enters, I couldn’t tell you. They’ve never returned to tell the tales.

I have a better idea why now .

I put some more distance between myself and the edge. “In that case, how will we be crossing? And how long will it take to do that?”

He chuckles at the evident fear written across my face. “The Veilatara. And only a few moments, but you’ll wish it lasted longer once you experience it.”

My eyebrows draw down as his power glides across my skin. I watch his hands land on the contraptions attached to Seismet’s wings, then they slowly, somehow, drag the glowing straps up his body until they wrap around his neck.

Seismet shakes his wings out and I quickly jump out of the way to stand closer to his face. I reach my trembling fingers out and run them down the new collar.

“Why did you place it here?”

My soft question has Seismet bumping me with his head and I turn my glare to Havar for an answer.

“It’s for their protection.”

Lie.

His face furrows, but the words fell from his lips like they’ve been practiced time and time again.

I’m not sure how the contraption works, but I know that it would hurt Seismet somehow if he tried to disobey it. No matter where it’s placed. If it didn’t, there’s no way these revered creatures would allow the gods to restrict them like this.

“If I were you, Seismet, I’d buck the damn carriage clear across the realm. Do it while I’m not in there.”

His deep rumbling laugh settles the heat rising through my body. “That’d bring me enjoyment but wouldn’t benefit the remainder of my kind waiting on my return. Don’t find anger for me at this moment. Rather embrace the experience. There’s nothing I can do about my situation for now.”

It seems Seismet and I have something in common. His words attempt to cool the lingering need to run inside of me, but I force them back to the forefront. I’m not giving up on getting out of this just yet.

He again bumps me with his head, and I take that as his instructions to get back to the carriage. Havar stares at both of us with what I’m taking as fascination in his gaze.

“Guess we should get back in if that’s all you needed to do?”

He’s quiet until I brush past him, and he grabs my arm. “I can see that this bothers you. It’s not that it doesn’t bother me, but it’s what’s best for them. The Veilatara that are at Godsden are all that’s left. They’re safer there than anywhere else. ”

“If you say so.”

“Look, Thayla, I don’t know you, but you remind me a lot of my little cousin.

She’s at Godsden as well and let’s just say, she hasn’t had the easiest stay.

She used to be so much fun and such a spitfire…

” He pauses as a deep sadness enters his gold eyes, then he shakes himself out.

“If I could turn back time and prepare her more for what to expect, I would, but since I can’t, I’ll try to do that for you.

It’s blatantly clear to me that you wear your emotions on your face, and you don’t take things well if they don’t align with what you believe. ”

My mouth falls open to argue and he holds his hand up, shaking his head as he smirks.

Okay, so he sees right through me. Glorious.

“I also don’t think you’ll take well to a lecture, so just take this as a warning and I’ll leave it at that.

Some of the gods, especially the older ones and more powerful ones, don’t take kindly to questions, disrespect, or disagreement.

They’ll make your life miserable just to prove a point.

Don’t let your feelings put a target on your back.

If you do, you’re going to hate every single second you’re here.

“Godsden is what you make of it. For some, gaining their domain and finally being classified as a god becomes their whole personality. Some don’t handle where they’ve been placed in this new society well.

Then there’re those who are in the middle like me.

I’m happy with where I am and my role. Very soon, the rest of my power will be unbound, and I’ll be able to live out my days doing what I need for the creatures of Godsden.

Choose where you want to stand in your role based on how it’s going to benefit you, not by your emotions. ”

I let his words sink in, but they don’t influence me much. It’s a battle not to scoff and blurt the truth.

A betrayal that’s truly cut me straight through the heart is eating me alive on the inside. That hurt is coming out as anger. I can’t help that. It’s an all-consuming feeling.

I really couldn’t give a fuck what my domain is or what my role will be. I have no desire to stand among the gods at all.

“Thank you for the warning. I’ll do better to fix my face.”

He tosses his head back, laughing. “It’s going to take more practice than that. Your nose just scrunched like you smelled a dying animal.”

Damn it.

The humor’s still falling from his lips as he holds his hand out toward the carriage. I give him a tight smile as I pass through the door .

My face falls when I come chest to chest with Mellcom. Jeremiah’s right at his side, staring me down like I’m ruining his fun.

“What were you doing?” The accusation in Mellcom’s tone makes me sneer.

“Excuse me?”

A grunt falls from my lips as my body is knocked fully into Mellcom. I jump back so fast, Havar has to catch me around my waist before I send us both tumbling out of the carriage door.

“Ah, I see. Had to fuck the first god you came across, huh, sweet T?” Jeremiah’s words drip with jealousy.

I want to cuss him out for everything he’s worth, but the anger in his eyes makes me pause. I let a sultry little grin cross my face.

“It was the best five minutes of my life. The stars still dancing in front of my eyes are dizzying.”

His face turns bright red.

Every time he’s accused me of being a whore after our breakup, or all the times he’s made it seem like I was the realm’s worst partner he had, I made sure to hit him back with the fact he always came in less than three minutes.

It was a gut punch to his ego. Especially if I pushed back in front of people. My little comment has him seething.

Too fucking bad. He shouldn’t have tried to hit me so low and make me look bad in front of the first god we’ve met.

Like the good sport he is—apparently—Havar just chuckles. “Everyone in their seats. Take-off is always a little bumpy.”

I shoot Mellcom and Jeremiah a wink as I stroll over to my seat, then plop down and sigh. Lambrit shakes his head with a smirk playing on his lips as their stomping shakes the entire carriage.

I have to hold in my urge to snort in their faces. It’s mental how they can treat me like I’m overreacting for what they’ve done, but they’re about to break a goddess’s creation in their anger at my fake sex.

Assholes.

I ignore the growing tension as the carriage starts to roll backward. My breathing stalls in my lungs and I gradually drift closer to my window when the trees start to blur by in a mirage of green.

“Hold on,” Havar warns, and I glance at his knuckles turning white with how tightly he’s holding his armrest .

My spine attempts to become one with the seat as my stomach bottoms out. It’s as if everything moves in slow motion when the green of the forest fades to blue. The sky seems endless for a breath of time.

Then we plummet.

I swallow down the scream that’s trying to tear out of my chest. My fingernails dig into the luxurious leather, and I cuss the goddess who made it so fine I can barely get a grip.

“Seismet, what the hell are you doing?”

My shriek’s answered with a rumbling laugh. The scream I was holding back finally breaks free as we suddenly swoop up and waves cascade over the side of the carriage.

The thud of my heart pounding in my ears muffles the sounds of the men’s panting. My stomach crawls back into its rightful place and I have to hold back its attempt to empty the contents swooshing inside.

“What the fuck was that?” Garish barks.

My breath rushes out of me. “Holy shit. Look.”

Thankfully, Lambrit’s the fastest to get out of his seat. He blocks my back as all four of the men cram around me to stare out the window.

The white of the clouds comes and goes in waves. One second, it’s so thick, that’s all you see. The next, it clears away like morning fog, leaving a breathtaking view of the mountain.

It’s so massive, there are flatlands scattered about it. They’re inhabitable for beings, that’s for sure, but the grass, rock formations, and caves would create a serene home for wildlife.

Greenery flourishes everywhere my gaze travels. Thriving trees decorate the slope in all sizes, colors, and species. I’ve already spotted a number of kinds we had back in Oddian just on this one side of the mountain.

Streams even flow throughout the forest. Just as I go to ask where the water is coming from, another gasp falls from my mouth. My fingers lie against my lips as I take in what’s in front of me.

A rushing waterfall seems to pour straight from the stars and continues to travel both down and up farther than I can follow. There’s a rainbow of color dancing across the spray of water. The hues make the background of green surrounding it pop even more.

If the carriage didn’t have whatever it does that’s blocking the sound, I’m positive the roar of that water would be thunderous.

I’ve never seen something so beautiful, yet deadly in my entire life .

There’s no possible way anyone could ever make the trek up or down this mountain.

Meaning, I’m about to be stuck at the top.

Fuck.

“Are you all ready?” Havar asks.

I reluctantly tear my gaze away from the window. “Ready?”

A slow smile crosses his face. “Welcome to Godsden.”