Page 38 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

Not a moment later, he’s being snatched away from me and the two of them fade farther into the living room. I can’t hear a thing Kyzen’s saying over my heavy breathing and Riven’s laughter.

Amick just walks to the table like nothing’s going on around him.

I don’t know what, where, or who to focus on. I don’t know whether to touch my tingling lips, palm, or chest.

Every-fucking-thing is tingling right now.

What in the realm is happening?

I finally settle my attention on the last man who hasn’t said the first thing. He’s still leaning against the counter with his head bowed and his fingers rub at his temples.

He must sense my stare, and I release a shuddering breath when charcoal gray eyes meet mine.

“Creed.”

The word is breathy, and my hand holds the slightest tremble as I stick it out. His steps are slow as he approaches me. He gets as close as Riven did, but I don’t believe he’ll be kissing me.

“That’s me, little troublling .”

The pitch, the delivery, and the grasp on my hand are completely opposite to how those two words cause my body to react. Icy dread rushes through my blood with his warm, low voice.

He’s gone from in front of me before he catches the panic flash across my face, and I shove it down so the others don’t notice. His chair skids across the floor, gaining everyone’s attention.

“Enough, you two. We’ve got a lot to talk about.”

My feet stay frozen in a block of ice while Riven marches to his seat and Kyzen comes to stand a few feet away from me.

Why does he know that nickname?

What was he told?

“I’m sorry about him and I don’t have an excuse good enough for him. This is not at all how I saw this going,” Kyzen says with a small, hopeful smile and holds his arm out like he’s ushering me to a seat.

“You’re serious? You expect me to just sit and enjoy a lovely meal after…whatever that was?”

His face scrunches as he puts his hands in his pockets. “Expect, no. Asking, yes.”

Better .

Except right now, I’m mad, flustered, and just fucking confused.

My chest pulls toward them the longer I stand here and brand each of them in my mind as their own kind of crazy. It’s as if my slivers of soul inside of them are trying their hardest to reach me and make me feel better. I fight back the confusing heat traveling under my skin.

“What’s wrong, angel? Did I leave you speechless? If so, run along if you have nothing to say.”

I sneer at Riven and at the same time, the startling realization that the amazing rush of warmth that came with his uninvited kiss was the pieces of my soul connecting. It’s starting to spread again now just looking at the stupid-ass smirk on his face.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

In two steps, I pick the chair farthest from him and plop down into it. “Angel my ass. I can’t believe the gods had the mortals call them that.”

Amick’s fork freezes midair before he resumes eating without the rest of us and Kyzen chuckles as he takes a seat next to me.

“Would you like to eat or talk first?”

“I’m sure we’re all capable of multitasking.”

“Some of us more than others,” he says as he takes a quick bite, wipes his mouth with a napkin, then his power washes over us. “Do you want to address the oxid in the room, aka Riven, or jump in?”

“Just jump in,” I groan.

“Great. Do you understand how your Deliverance read based on what the High Chancellor explained? Aside from the obvious gaps.”

“Yes.”

He rubs his hands together. “Okay, so normally, the new Chosen would be receiving their schedules with their roles on it today so they could prepare themselves for tomorrow. Due to your situation, your schedule’s going to be different.”

I nod along like I’m following although I already know this as well. “How so?”

“We each play a role within the Godsdawn based on our Designations. The Chancellors have decided the best course of action for you is to accompany each of us on a daily rotation to learn the roles we take on. Everyone has to learn the responsibilities in the five-focused Designations to an extent, so you won’t be much different from everyone else in that respect.

With you having an Attendant, you’ll also indirectly learn that role.

You just won’t have one you focus on primarily like the rest of us do. ”

“So you all have a primary role each within your Designations, which means I’m going to have four primary roles?”

“Not necessarily. You’re not taking over our roles. You’re just…” he trails off as his nose scrunches.

I piece it together, though, and cross my arms over my chest. “I’m just following you all around like a clueless errand girl who’s stuck up your asses all day. Nope, not happening.”

Their words from last night about babysitting me ring in my mind and I refuse to let that be a reality.

He holds his hands up at me and shakes his head.

“No, no. That’s not where I was going. You’re not going to be an errand girl or stuck up our asses.

We just don’t know where you’ll fit in. With you having Equalized Designations…

I mean, it’s kind of in the name. Really, all we can assume right now is eventually, after you learn about everything, you’ll just have to pick a favorite. ”

Pick a favorite…I couldn’t even decide back in Oddian what I liked to do the most.

I’m going to pick wherever Lambrit is at all times.

“Fine. I’m going to be following you all around and learning the way of the Godsdawn as I go.

Am I following so far?” He gives me a nod and I continue, “And this schedule, it’s the same every day?

We go to do whatever it is you all do, then what?

Come back here, go to bed, and do it all over again? ”

“The responsibilities are always changing. It simply boils down to what’s needed the most in Godsden or the Godsdawn at the time.

There’re no timetables for us to follow, per se.

We could have nothing going on, then suddenly be needed across the region.

There’re some days more than one of us end up together doing something, some days not.

“In the afternoons, we have physical training together in the Court. We get one day off from that a week. That’s the only set thing. It rarely changes unless something crucial comes up. Other than that, you can spend your free time however you please, within the Godsdawn.”

Huh, so it’s ever-changing. I can live with that.

Poor Yemi.

My quick acceptance is washed away the second the last thing he said dawns on me. “What are we physically training for and what’s the Court?”

For the first time since we sat down, Kyzen hesitates. I follow his line of focus as he looks at Creed .

I’m momentarily stunned by the light shining through his distant glare.

Much like his hair that seems to shift from black to silver depending on the angle I look at it, his irises that were so dark a few minutes ago are beginning to glow white.

The change resembles a star bursting through a cloudy night.

The scar slashing through his left eye only adds to the dangerous energy pouring off him.

He blinks a few times, then glares at me. “Training is much like I assume or at least hope you did in the arenas. The Gods Court is where training takes place. What’s expected will be explained to all the new Chosen who have to train tomorrow by Gladian.”

Gladian. Which means…

Motherfuckers.

That unfortunate piece of news spurs me right into my next question. “Did I have any power release?”

“Yes,” Amick answers immediately.

“How do you know?”

“There’re obvious signs already. The initial release takes time to settle so your body can grow accustomed.”

“Aww, you noticed my changes from yesterday, Candyman?”

His lips flatten. Both Kyzen and Riven laugh, and I’m pretty sure Creed’s mouth twitched.

Amick doesn’t bother responding or paying me any more attention, but his confident answer makes some of the fear that was creeping up fade away.

“Well, what else should I know this very second? Last night you said you’d discuss your expectations .”

“As of right now, that covers the immediate concerns. There are things…we’re not allowed to share.

That will come with time, I promise. Expectations probably wasn’t a good choice of words, but in all honesty, we’re expected to fulfill our duties and roles.

That’s all we can ask of you right now as well.

It’s a learning game for all of us. We need to get to know you and vice versa.

As you learn about us and the Godsdawn, don’t hesitate to ask what you want. If we can answer, we will.”

If they can…so they may be bound. Doubtful, though. If Deri—you know who—unbound Yemi, they’ll be as well.

So we’re all holding onto secrets until we know each other better…got it. Glad we’re on the same page for now.

“Well then, boys, it seems like you know everything about me, so who’s sharing first?” I ask as I finally pick up my fork and give in to the aroma .

Damn, that’s good. The dining hall has some very talented cooks.

“Share what exactly?” Kyzen asks.

“You all know my name, my age, where I’m from, my hobbies, or well, lack thereof. My domain is Untold, and I have Equalized Designations. I think it’s only fair you at least share what your Designations are, so I know what to expect from whoever I’m with tomorrow.”

They all exchange unsure looks. I honestly feel bad for Kyzen when they all settle on him. It seems the role of Mediator pours into home life more often than not.

I smirk and lay my fork down. “You want me to try to guess? Take the stress off?”

With a devious smirk, he crosses his arms as he leans back in his chair. “Take a crack at each of us. We’ll tell you if you’re right when you’re done.”

I hum as I tap my lips with my finger. I start with him. “I’m going to say Plentiful,” then to Amick, “Guider, most definitely,” then Creed, “Based on what you just informed me, I’m going to go with Defender, and lastly…”

My nostrils twitch as I get to Riven’s crazy-ass smile. Even if it wasn’t for his distracting look right now, I’d honestly be stumped. I don’t have the first idea where he’d go.

He needs to go to the healing villas to be evaluated.

His mood swings are concerning.

“Hold that thought. I’ve seemed to have forgotten my manners.”

About time he apologizes.

“I got you a welcoming gift.”

“I’m sorry?”

“No need to apologize for your poor gift giving etiquette. I forgive you.”

I open my mouth to cuss him out, but all that comes out is a scream when he snaps his finger, and a fucking head falls into my plate of food. Thankfully, my brain catches up quickly that it’s not real based on the glistening white chiseled stone.

“What the hell?” Kyzen shouts while he grabs a napkin and starts cleaning up the wasted goodness.

I carefully pick the head up so he can move my plate, then set it down straight. A small snort tumbles out of me, and I cover my mouth with my hand. The longer I stare at it, though, it becomes impossible to contain.

My unhinged laughter bellows through the house and I try repeatedly to stop so I can speak. The entire table sits silently as I completely lose it.

“I take it by all that cackling, you like it?”

Kyzen snorts while cleaning up the rest of the mess and I turn the little statue around for them all to see. “Where did you get a stone head of the High Chancellor?”

“Come on.” Creed sighs beneath his breath. Not cracking the first smile.

Amick eyes it for a long, silent second. “That’s going back tomorrow.”

“No, it’s not. It’s mine now. You don’t take back gifts.”

“Exactly. I went to great lengths to stea—acquire that. She’s keeping it.”

Amick doesn’t respond at all to Riven nor me. His face stays unburdened like he can’t bother to waste his next breath arguing with either of us.

Candyman is more sour than sweet.

Kyzen plops back in his seat after throwing away all the mess and sets another plate of food in front of me. It takes me aback for a second, but then when I look at the size of all of them, it’s no surprise they’d get extra portions of food from the dining hall.

“Well, that was exciting. As for your guesses, you were close but not completely right. Amick is a Guider, and his role is a Rising Chancellor, hence the pissiness at the High Chancellor’s head at our table.

You’ll be with him tomorrow, so you might want to keep the stolen property to yourself.

Riven is actually Plentiful and his role—”

“Is a surprise,” Riven states, cutting Kyzen off.

That sounds very promising for me…

“My Designation is Ruler, and my role is a Mediator. When disagreements emerge, I step in before things go too far.”

I never would’ve guessed Ruler. When I think of that Designation, I think of someone uptight, very serious, and controlling.

Like Mellcom.

Kyzen hasn’t shown the first signs of that and the smile he’s wearing has been pretty much plastered to his face since he entered the healing villas yesterday.

My attention turns to Creed. “Did I get you right? Defender?”

“I have Equalized Designations.”

I startle. “What? Like me?”

“No. Defender and…Healer.”

My mouth parts and my eyes roam all over him. Nothing about this man says Healer. This is obviously a sensitive subject, and that’s why Kyzen didn’t answer for him. The table’s completely silent .

Other than Riven crossing boundaries and his insanely strange way of apologizing, this lunch has turned out far better than I thought it would. The last thing I’m about to do is ruin it with my mouth.

“Wait, so…” I observe each of them.

“Yes, the four of us make up the five main Designations and your Attendant makes up the sixth. Leaving your ties Equalized.”

Amick states it as casually as I’ve heard anything else come out of his mouth. He’s nonchalant as he finishes his plate, pushes his chair back, then makes his way to the sink. I don’t think he even realizes what he said shocks me into silence.

Well, damn.

I guess there was some calculation to his chaos.