Page 33 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

Creed

Night brings with it a type of freedom and debauchery these gods would never let the sun see.

The shift from shameful to shameless is insane, and the Assembly is overflowing with alcohol from many realms. The finest of wines, ales, and liquors are only brought out on an occasion such as this. They chant how this was a Veiling blessed directly by the Beginning Gods.

More power released and more Valtrues completed.

Tonight, they bask in their ignorant bliss.

The music from the mouths of those under the domain of the Goddess of Sound barely conceals their moans. If that’s what the ungodly racket coming from them is called.

To my ears, it sounds more like oxids being butchered to death. I don’t know if they’re dancing or fucking, but their bodies move together like waves.

The Veiling celebration night isn’t the only time they let loose, but it’s the wildest. They, for some reason, believe the Beginning Gods and Valories turn a blind eye to what’s happening. All modesty and faithfulness go over the cliff.

Along with their fucking clothes.

Any other time, the Assembly would be treated with just as much reverence as anywhere else in the Godsdawn. Not tonight.

Under the stars and moon, they sully the soil .

I don’t give a fuck if it’s only a drop of sweat, but if someone’s bodily fluids land on me as I pass through here, I’ll suck the souls out of every one of them.

No sound comes from my steps as I make my way down the passageway in front of the Athenaeum. The moon shines on me through each arch I pass, but my all-black attire blends in with the darkness. Someone could pay close enough attention to notice it’s me, but they’re too preoccupied.

This is the last thing I’d consider fun . It’s fake, a waste of energy, and after tomorrow, everyone will go back to gunning for one another. The two going at it against the wall of the Athenaeum will try to kill each other in Court in a matter of days.

I guess a good hate fuck never killed anyone, but they’d be none the wiser if we were attacked right now.

Lucky for them, the beings we battle are stopped from stepping foot in here.

I take a right at the break from this building to the next and head into the true dead of night. The white stone path is illuminated by the moon, but I wouldn’t need its guidance to find where I’m going.

My chest pulls tight with each step, and I clench my fist even tighter. That’s the whole reason for this nightly trip. My entire sense of self is being consumed by another. It’s a damn battle to keep my power at bay.

The last few hours have been some of the most confusing in my existence. If I knew what the consequences were, I’d snatch the unwanted addition out of my chest.

Unfortunately, I don’t know what that’d do to her. I only know how agonizing it is for a god to live without their whole soul. I plan on finding out very soon, though.

I pass temple after temple until I finally reach the end of the path and cross into the undergrowth of dead vegetation. The gleaming green of the flourishing trees morphs into soot black gnarls and fog. The rapid change warns those that ventured this far, you better turn the fuck around now.

The temperature drops drastically the farther into the darkened forest I go. The chill seeps into my skin, and I shiver and sneer at the same time.

The Goddess of Nature and God of Creatures did a miraculous job making this place as disturbing as possible. The red eyes of the undead beast placed here and left to their own devices blink through the blackness.

My first night entering their new territory, I tore six of them apart with my bare hands when they attacked. It was a mercy I gave them after their creator cursed them to this type of reality .

Creatures with no realmly power should never be brought back from the dead and used as feral watchers. They have no sense of threat or innocence the way they do when they’re truly alive.

I destroyed their tarnished souls and delivered their mangled bodies to the God of Creatures’ front door.

They’ve never bothered me again.

The Goddess of Nature’s role in this was to make the forest as unappealing as possible.

If you have to face getting torn apart or getting lost in a sea of black and deadly trees to make it to this temple, why in the realm risk that?

Her creations are typically those of divine beauty, but here is a portrait of disownment.

It’s fitting.

I don’t fear this voided place. This type of darkness is nothing compared to the depths of hell I have to go to. I’d choose to walk this forest every day over one more trip down to Hellveilious.

The crumbling structure I’m in search of finally comes into view. It’s nearly swallowed up by wild ivy at this point. The only reason that greenery has any life left is because of the stars and moonlight.

The gateway to the Valories.

So there’s still hope that one day, this structure may receive prayers and worship once again.

The lively vines wrap around my arm as I rip them from the stone door. I scrape them off me and as soon as they touch the forest floor, they become one with the rest of the dead plants.

Stone sliding against stone echoes into the dead of night and the vermin who had somehow found a way into the abandoned temple scamper out with loud yelps.

Another jerk in my chest has my nose scrunching and my footsteps falling faster across the dusty floor. This new sensation is going to have me ready to snatch my own soul out of my body.

The moon window shines down a perfect ring at the altar in the middle of the room. The crumbled remains of the statue of the god this place belongs to sit in a heap of rocks and pebbles in the light.

No time for offerings.

Not that I’d give them to him, anyway.

I stand within that circle, tilt my head back, and shout at the stars.

“Derivius. ”

Nothing but still quietness greets me. The only motion in the temple is my chest falling up and down. The longer I wait, the more my resentment at his careless decision grows.

“If you care about that goddess you cursed, you’d better come speak with me. I’d hate for something to happen to the fragile little thing I’m taking care of.”

The wind howls outside along with the fretful creatures. The air rushes through the room and the torches on the walls blaze to life one by one. I hang my head as his power surrounds me.

It’s a shame he gave away the fact he has a soft spot for her so easily. That’s not going to go over well for her in the slightest bit if the other gods hear about it.

“Careful, Creed. That sounded like you were threatening my little troublling.”

“Your little troublling? It’s not like you to give out cute pet names to your puppets.”

“None of you are puppets, but I call you all something cute behind your backs. Is this why you called me here after your years of silence? To discuss Thayla? You know, the normal thing to do would be to, I don’t know, have a conversation with her.

Ugh, look at this place. It’s filthy.” He scoffs, running his finger along the wall, then glaring at the dust covering the digit as though it personally offended him.

His nonchalance has me seeing black. My fists clench at my sides and my jaw locks. “Reverse the Pairing. We can’t have nor wanted a completed Valtrue, and you know exactly why.”

“I never wanted to be disowned, but here I am. Standing in my last remaining temple, that by the looks of it, is on its last leg. All while being summoned by one of my most favorite but ungrateful gods.”

“I’m as grateful as I need to be. Sometimes you take the chaos too far. She’s too far. Take her back.”

“There’s no taking her back, Creed. She isn’t an object you purchase and can return. Mind you, all I’ve heard is you demand I take the tie away but not the power that pairing with her has brought you.”

My nostrils flare. I hate to admit that he did release more of our power than any other Veiling has. It’s been crawling through my blood, settling inside ever since the new mark on my wrist took shape.

It’ll take some time for us to feel it in full force.

Fuck, I want to rip it out of me as well .

“Why, after all these years, did you enter the Gods Veil for her, release this power, and risk the wrath of the other Beginning Gods?”

“Aww, you sound like you actually care, my dear boy. Here I was thinking you only cared about your brothers’ and your powers.”

“You know that’s not true. Not for me anyways. And regardless, that power is rightfully ours. It should be given to us without a tie to a Binder we don’t want. You obviously care about her . Why put her in such a deadly position?”

“That you don’t want. Plus, how do you even know you want nothing to do with her? You haven’t even spoken to her.”

My eyes narrow on him. “Stop avoiding my questions, Derivius. I don’t need to speak to her. I feel her.”

“You’re sure it’s her you feel?”

My power flares to life and my eyes darken at the accusation. He throws his head back, laughing, and I rein it in. I won’t allow him to goad me. He’s doing well enough at it already.

Chaos loves to tempt death.

I release a deep breath that’s tainted in hatred. Not exactly at him, but what the other gods have made of him. What they’ve made of us all.

“You know she can’t be attached to me, Derivius. This little slice of soul trying to cling to mine for dear life will never survive me if it attaches. That isn’t a threat. You know that. I can’t fathom why you’d make such a careless decision with an innocent soul.”

The smallest flinch passes through his eyes. He did think about that but obviously changed his mind. It makes no sense to me.

“You really don’t believe you can take care of her soul?”

His question hangs in the air with a heavy silence. You can’t hear the footsteps he takes toward me or the breaths falling from my chest. Just the lingering uncertainty in the answer I don’t have.