Page 39 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

Kyzen

My sunsetter chimes throughout my room just as my head pops through the opening of my shirt.

I have no reason to set it other than the normality and comfort it brings. My internal alert doesn’t make the ancient melody the pointless tool does.

I had to bribe the Goddess of Sound to make this little tune for me. She was reluctant and stated that revered sounds like that shouldn’t be remade for entertainment or mockery. Neither of which was my intention. I appreciate the hoot from the extinct Vedraya.

It brings both a grateful and a sad smile to my face.

It’s a little depressing, actually.

It’s said those creatures were glorious, and the majestic hum of their call makes me feel alive. My day starts off bright even though there are still stars in the sky.

The vivid white burning balls of fire outside my ceiling’s moon window are the last things I see at night and the first things I see every morning.

The moment I lie down and decide I’m ready to go to sleep, I do, and my powers flow freely. Within the walls of my room, time speeds up, while everything outside carries on as it normally should.

I get what some consider a full night’s sleep in hours.

Every single night .

It isn’t the worst thing in the realm to always wake up first and have to tiptoe around to not disturb my grouchy brothers. They’re the furthest things from morning people.

Unless there’s an emergency, it’s best to just let them get up with their own sunsetters and do their own morning routines without interruption. If not, all of Godsden feels their attitudes.

It doesn’t faze me at this point. I cherish the couple of hours of alone time I get, and it sets me up for a good day. By the time the rest of the Godsdawn is up and at it, there isn’t much any of them can do to fuck my day off.

I pass through my door and instantly fall still when I hear racket coming from the dark kitchen. My eyes quickly adjust, and I silently move through the living room.

“How the fuck do I get the lights to come on?”

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.”

As soon as I say it, the lights grow brighter, then dim back down to how I keep them this early. She looks around and repeatedly nods.

“I had every intention of asking, but our lunch events were a little distracting.” We both snort, then she huffs. “No wonder I couldn’t figure it out yesterday or today. So I’m just supposed to walk around in the dark until my power makes itself known?”

“When did you walk around in the dark yesterday?”

“When I woke up. I just opened my curtains and used the moonlight and fireplace to go through my stuff while I waited to go to Yemi’s.”

Huh. I didn’t hear her make a peep.

“I’m pretty sure Amick has a torch lamp you can borrow until you feel your power enough to learn how to do this. You can also give me permission into your room, and I’ll cut your light on. Or we can leave them off…” I shoot her a wink.

I don’t miss how she presses her lips together like she’s avoiding giving me a smile and her face blushes that beautiful red I’ve seen a few times now. “Do you normally get up this early or did the change of scenery throw your sleep schedule off?”

“I’m always up this early, although begrudgingly this morning I skipped the getting ready part,” she says as she tugs the hem of her shirt, but there’s no use.

It’s not going to reach her thighs. “Like I said, I didn’t mean to wake you with all my noise.

You really don’t have to stay up and drink coffee because of me. I’m okay now that I can see.”

Damn, look at her trying to kick me out of the kitchen .

The whistle of the kettle grows louder, and I pull it off the eye.

She makes her way to the icebox, humming as she looks over the many options.

None of us fix our drinks the same and I grin deviously when she picks Riven’s favorite flavored cream.

He’s going to be smug if he sees that. I grab mine as she steps out of my way, then add my simple sweet splash.

“You didn’t wake me. I get up this early every day. You’re interrupting my quiet time,” I tease.

She whips around so fast she nearly spills the piping hot drink all over herself. “Shit…I’m sorry. I can get my drink and get out of your hair.”

“I’m fucking with you, Thayla. I mean, not about the waking up this early, but you interrupting. This is your house too. You can get up and do whatever you want.”

“You’re sure? I’m not trying to ruin anyone’s routine.”

The hint of sympathy in her voice is a little shocking. It dawns on me, it doesn’t matter how excited she may have been to get chosen to come to Godsden, her whole routine, life, has been flipped around.

“I’m sure. It might be nice to drink a cup of coffee with someone who isn’t a growly six-foot-four man.”

She gives me a little laugh before bringing her mug to her lips. “I take it the others aren’t morning men?”

“Not at all. They’ll sleep for another hour, hour and a half. It’s best to let them get their full night of beauty rest. Couch or table?”