Page 17 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

Thayla

My name has never sounded so detested falling from someone’s mouth. Both the High Chancellor’s and Chancellor Gulliver’s nostrils twitch like it had a scent to it.

Pins and needles shoot through my fingers as I untangle my hands from behind my back. My blood flowing through them so fast sends a small pinch of pain down my wrists that grounds my fury.

I completely disregard Gulliver as I don’t break the High Chancellor’s stare off and take my first unsteady step. He catches the mishap, though. The tilt on his lips turns into a snarling smile. One I return with equally measured distaste.

The power that surrounds the Volreen steals my focus. Instead of shoving my hand in like everyone else did, I take two seconds to observe the swirling white within the bowl.

It resembles the early morning fog after a night of rain.

Ominous yet soft.

I lower my fingers in sync with my slow exhale. The warmth that gathers around my nails has a hum falling from my mouth that quickly morphs into a grunt when power sucks my hand the rest of the way through before I’m ready.

The jolt that travels up my arm causes me to gasp. The smoke-like essence swirls just above my wrists and that heat cools to a surprisingly comforting embrace. The sensation reminds me of the breeze against my skin after I get out of the hot spring hidden in the meadows back home .

A smooth velvety texture lies against my fingers, and I pinch it softly. No part of me wants to pull the parchment out and reveal my Designation, but I won’t get away with refusing to do so for long.

I’m desperate to take a peek before I pass it over to the High Chancellor. Since none of the other Chosen even dared to, though, I’ll be pushing luck I’m positive I don’t have if I do.

I tilt my head up and practically fling what feels like my fate at him.

He makes a dramatic show of clearing his throat and ruffling the parchment before he starts to read it. I hold my breath as the more his eyes devour whatever is written there, his eyebrows draw down and his lips thin out.

“Can’t be,” he mutters more to himself than me.

“What can’t be?” I had all intentions of bowing to keep the peace, but his angry glare pins me in place.

So you know…fuck that.

“You have an Attendant. Yemi Andino, step forward,” he barks.

“And my Designations?”

“Will be revealed after your last test. Do not bring it up again.” His tone is deadly, and I have to bite my lip to stop myself from doing just that.

I have every right to demand I be told, but his anger gives me pause. Maybe the Volreen sensed I’m not supposed to be here. It very well could know I didn’t enter the Veiling willingly. What if I don’t have a Designation at all and now they don’t know what to do with my ass?

Maybe I can go home…

The High Chancellor does a double take at the girl I didn’t realize approached us. The pissed off scowl on his face gives way to that smug satisfaction he had when I first stepped up.

“What a fitting choice. Yemi here has a domain that cannot be spoken nor has she shown any abilities.”

Well, I wasn’t planning on accepting, so that doesn’t much matter…

My thoughts die out as I take in the girl standing before me. She’s the same height as I am but thinner. There’s still some lingering definition in her arms, which tells me when she first arrived, she was in a more muscular, fit shape than she is now.

Her shiny, long, black hair cascades down her tense shoulders in beautiful, soft waves. Something within me pinches painfully when I sink into her blank stare. Her irises are a stunning shade of familiar gold that I’ve seen already today, but they’re broken .

Shattered to pieces by whatever it is that’s happened to her here.

They’ve treated her like shit. Probably worse.

Damn it…I know a thing or two about that.

My heart pounds in my rib cage with the understanding that seems to tear through me.

“I accept my Attendant.”

Shock filters across her face and her body shakes slightly. Apparently, it takes even the other Attendants by surprise. Their collective gasps make Yemi flinch, and I give them all a scathing glare.

“Go join the others.”

Amusement colors the High Chancellor’s tone, and I hold in my scoff as I turn my back to him. I follow Lambrit’s noble lead and don’t let Yemi stand behind me, but beside me. The wrinkles that form on her forehead make me shrug my shoulder.

“Chosen and their Attendants will follow me. All other Attendants return to the Assembly.”

One more.

You’ve got this.

Instead of leaving the same way we entered, we follow the High Chancellor out a door that’s in the back of the room. Also, unlike when we came in, this time, the five of us from Oddian are closest to the door, so we have to exit first.

I still can’t see what’s in front of me as Jeremiah’s and Mellcom’s big-ass bodies block my view. It would’ve pained me to lead the line of us, but I would’ve so I didn’t have to constantly see them peer back at me.

Yemi’s observation of the interaction is loud, but she doesn’t voice anything. I’ll gladly tell her—hell, whoever wants to listen, how much I hate them.

The next room we enter is nothing like the one we just left.

There are no fancy decorations, statues, or Attendants waiting for us. It’s bricked walls rather than marble, windowless, and even more dimly lit than the last. The only light in here is from two torches and whatever the massive, glowing wall is that the Chancellors are standing in front of.

My stomach sinks to my feet.

“Your third and final test. The Pairing. You will be paired with your domain and hopefully, your matches. This wall behind me is the Gods Veil. It is infused with not only the Beginning Gods’ power, but their creation, the Gods Binding.

The Binding holds all the essence of power in our realm.

Multiple things will happen when you pass through the Veil .

“First, you will enter a subconscious state. Where that state of mind leads you is undetermined because it varies from being to being. Some appear in the stars, some lying in bed. It’s a place of your own mental creation.

“Second, you may or may not be visited by a god. This god can be whose domain you are under or the one you worship the most. Which in most cases, that is the god whose domain you have. Your prayers have power, and you usually connect even unknowingly to the being your power stems from. You will learn more on that when you join your peers and roles within your Designations.”

Oh, fuck me.

“Third, while you are in there, the Gods Binding will be doing multiple things. It will know immediately what domain you are under, even without the appearance of a god, and it will be binding your knowledge. Meaning what you learn in Godsden and the Godsdawn will stay within it. There will be things you can speak about and things you can’t amongst your fellow gods.

“Last, it will be sifting through the stored essence of all the beings in the Godsdawn looking for your matches.

Just as the Veiling is set up, you are placed in a grouping called a Valtrue.

Four men, one woman, better known as the Binder.

The five of you together create a power balance that functions best for the region.

“Some will get a completed Valtrue, some only partial. Some no one. Partial pairings will be identified with the names of those they are paired with on the parchment you will receive upon leaving the Veil. That is called your Deliverance. A completed Valtrue will have both the names of their matches and you’ll be marked by the gods.

A unique brand will be seared into yours and the rest of your Valtrue’s wrist. That is a binding from the gods that will tie the five of you together for eternity. ”

No.

Not happening.

I could be tied to not one but four men forever?

What does that even mean? What in the hell is the purpose of this?

What if I hate them?

Oh shit…what if it’s Mellcom and Jeremiah?

A hand gently grabs my wrist. My head whips down toward it, then back to the Gods Veil, then back at it. The roaring in my ears muffles the sound around me and I miss everything the Chancellor is saying.

Panic grips my heart as I look at Yemi for an answer. I know she doesn’t know me at all, but she’s been here for a little while. She’ll tell me how bad this is, right ?

Another hand, this one soft and cool, wraps around my forearm. “Hey, everything’s going to be okay.”

Rose’s words are smooth like honey. A long sigh falls from my lips and I slump a little. Lambrit’s moved his body to partially block us and finally the Chancellor’s voice pierces my ears again.

“It may feel like you are inside the Veil for hours, but rest assured, out here, only minutes will pass. In a very short time, you will step out on the other side of this wall and unite with the gods here awaiting you. Remember, the Valories nor gods make mistakes. Whatever they decide is the way.”

With that, he turns his back to us. The other Chancellors standing around him bow as he walks through the Gods Veil himself.

My breathing is just starting to regulate when the calm swirling white suddenly intensifies.

I squeeze my eyes shut from the brightness and only open them again when the backs of my lids go from bright red to black once more.

“Albert DeWalsh.”

Silence falls over the room as the Chancellors bow to him. With confident, excited steps, he disappears into the Gods Veil without a backward glance at any of us.

Quiet murmuring filters through the air as the tension in the whole room deflates when nothing crazy happens. I feel like I suck it all in as my muscles lock up tight.

“Are you okay now?” a quiet voice asks from beside me.

“Oh.” I peer down at Rose’s hand still holding me. She quickly releases me and places her palm on her chest. “Thank you for whatever that was you did.”

“Oh, um, you don’t have to thank me. I saw you were…” she trails off and drops her eyes from mine.