Page 56 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

“I’ll say it. You’re in the middle of it. There’ll come a time when you all must pick the side you want to stand with.”

A deep sigh escapes me and I’m starting to feel like I constantly have to repeat myself. “I don’t want to stand or have a place.”

“It’s usually those who don’t that make the greatest of changes. Your parents were the same.”

My entire body flinches and I blink repeatedly. “What did you say?”

“Your parents didn’t want to choose a side or do what they had to either. Once you make a choice, though, there’s no turning back.”

“Did…did you know them? Have they been to Godsden? Impossible, they weren’t gods. What does—”

“Calm yourself, Thayla. I don’t know your parents personally. I only know what the Valories have shared with me.”

Heat rises through my blood as irritation at these non-answer answers takes hold. I’m so tired of feeling like a pawn and just going with the flow to figure shit out. Not even just this situation I find myself in.

I’ve literally been doing it my whole life.

“It’d be great if they’d share some shit with me. You know, it’s my life that’s been flipped upside down, again, and I don’t have a clue what’s going on. I’m pretty sure the guys are also, mostly, in the dark.”

“Why would they trust to tell any of you anything when you don’t trust each other? What good would it be to share secrets of the realm with five individuals who are supposed to be close but harbor secrets of their own and don’t share what they know with one another?”

I cross my arms over my chest and bite my bottom lip. “We’ve known each other for all of five seconds. Can we have a little time to get to know one another before we start telling each other our deepest, darkest secrets?”

“Sure. I forget sometimes that you gods know the best way to handle these sorts of things compared to us creatures. ”

“That sounded a lot like sarcasm, Seismet.”

“That’s because it was.”

Another sigh escapes me, but its noise is washed away by a painful grunt. “Looks like you know exactly how to handle this situation.”

Ike’s panicked eyes bounce between Seismet and me. I imagine I look pretty crazy to him as I stand here in silence above him. He’s probably really freaking out right now.

A little fear won’t hurt him.

He should’ve thought about that before striking a poor young creature.

“I’m handling it the way Veilatara handle those who disrespect us so monumentally.”

“Do you think this is the best way to handle it?”

“Do you not approve of my choices?”

His question isn’t asked with anger but genuine curiosity like my opinion for some reason matters. His glowing white eyes dive into mine like he’s waiting patiently for my response.

“No, I definitely do. I just don’t trust these gods around here. I’d be afraid of their retaliation. Even though he’s one hundred percent in the wrong, I don’t see them ultimately taking the death of one of their own very well.”

“You realize you’re a god, correct?”

“Meh. I’m not sure about that yet. Other than my looks, not much is changing.”

“You’d be very surprised, Thayla.”

“How so?”

I grow antsy as he doesn’t answer me. His attention shifts to Verlet, who approaches us with Riven and Kyzen at his side. They seem more confused than content.

“What did they decide?” I ask quietly when it becomes obvious the Veilataras are having their own conversation.

“Nothing has been decided,” Kyzen says.

“What do you mean? What have you all been talking about this whole time?”

He briefly spares the Meadow Hand a glance before his eyes first meet Riven’s over my head, then mine. He steps so close to me that my nose nearly touches his chest. I can’t contain the shiver that runs down my spine when he leans down to my ear.

“Verlet only spoke to us and asked how everything was going since becoming a completed Valtrue. He avoided talking about the situation at hand entirely. It seemed more like a distraction to keep the focus off yours and Seismet’s clear conversation.”

“How did…we weren’t—okay, yes, we were, but that doesn’t make any sense.”

“No, it doesn’t but—”

“We’ll spare the god’s life today. He’s never to return to the Veilatara meadows. If he does, we’ll revoke our decision immediately and he’ll be killed on sight. The decision of his punishment will be left up to the gods, not us.”

Kyzen rapidly turns around, making it clear to me that Verlet spoke to at least both of us. “Are you sure? Any other terms, we will honor.”

He speaks out loud, I assume to let the Meadow Hand and the rest of us know he’s being communicated with. No one steps any closer to us, but the silence of the meadow is deafening.

“Riven is to be present while Anastasia is being strapped. That won’t happen today as she needs time to recover and settle. Other than that, no.”

“Of course I’ll be here,” Riven says. The smooth, almost soft tone makes my knees tremble and my mind cloud with confusion.

With that, Verlet bows his head. Kyzen mimics the gesture and I quickly do the same. He strolls away from us and heads toward Anastasia. Her plus the two older Veilatara who I assume are her parents, join him at his side.

It’s a majestic but almost saddening sight to watch them run off farther into the meadow together. It doesn’t necessarily feel like justice was served, yet it feels like that was the wisest choice.

A clear, annoyed huff vibrates through the air and Seismet finally withdraws his hooves from Ike. It only takes the god a second to get to his feet and on trembling legs, then he stammers closer to us.

“Why did it take that long to negotiate for my life? Are you not supposed to be the best Mediator for a reason?”

Oh, this motherfucker…

The sound of cracking echoes through the meadow and the slight pain blooming across my knuckles is a startling jolt back to reality. I shake my hand out and Riven’s laughter muffles the god’s bellows from the ground as he cups his bloody nose.

Oops. Saw red there for a second.

“How dare you? Have you lost your mind?” Ike yells at me.

I sneer down at him. “No, but you obviously have. First, you act ungrateful that your life’s been spared after the atrocity you committed.

Then you have the audacity to speak to the members of my Valtrue, who made that possible, like that.

If your life had been in my hands, you wouldn’t have one anymore. ”

My face must speak more than my mouth does because he blanches. His frightened features don’t change with whatever he sees on Kyzen’s and Riven’s faces.

“Have him escorted to the Gods Court. The Veilatara have spared his life and left his punishment up to the gods,” Kyzen announces and not a second later, a few of Ike’s fellow gods are lifting him from under his arms.

I scoff at the begging now falling from his lips and track his every move while he gets marched away. It’s crazy to me that he’s so fearful now. I’d be a thousand times more worried about the Veilatara than the gods.

A gasp attempts to escape me as Riven crowds me. His lips graze my ear as his chest presses firmly to my back, and I force myself to stand ramrod straight.

My body’s first reaction and desire are to push my ass back into him. I quickly tell myself I’m mentally losing it because I should throw my elbow into his stomach.

“You’re such a good little burden. Throwing perfect punches and defending your Valtrue. What am I going to do with you?”

Obviously, I’m suffering some sort of side effect from him possessing part of my soul.

I, as subtly as I can, clench my thighs together. His words have me both turned on and pissed all the way off. It’s infuriating that I find him an attractive asshole and funny as shit.

While also questioning if I’m even safe in his presence.

I turn around until the two of us are chest to chest. Well, boobs to upper abs, that I can feel through his shirt.

Fuck, this god is ripped.

I crane my neck back until I’m gazing into those mismatched, nothing but trouble set of eyes. I bat my lashes and put on a face full of fake innocence.

“It’s not what you can do with me but for me. Be my good little psycho and go beat him up. His face hurt my fist.”

Trouble was the perfect word to use. A smile that can only be described as that takes over his face. I thought it’d be impossible for us to get any closer, but he proves me wrong. With his hand on my lower back, he tugs me against him even more and lowers his face to mine.

This would be a great time to pull away before he lays another unwanted kiss on my lips, but I know if I do that, he’ll know he got to me .

Again.

“You’re a tempting morsel, Thayla Godrun.

” His voice drops to that smooth tone that I don’t know how to react to, then he chuckles darkly.

“I really can’t tell if you’re an angel sent to set me straight or a burden sent to ruin me and what little I have.

I’m not really interested in finding out which it may be. Boop. ”

His finger taps my nose, and I startle back. Directly into a body I hadn’t even noticed had crept up behind me. Something passes between him and Kyzen, and without another glance at me, he starshoots away.

I stand shocked, staring at the spot he just was. “Does he really think I’m here to ruin him? I don’t even know what he means by that or how that’d be possible.”

Kyzen’s pause is too long for my comfort. I take a step away from him and turn to face him fully. His small, unconvincing smile makes my eyebrows scrunch together.

“Havar has agreed to Yemi’s begging for a tour around the meadows. We can do that, or I can give you the tour of the Gods Sanctum like I originally planned. Whichever is fine with me.” His complete avoidance makes my chest pang.

I haven’t given any of them a reason to think I’d ruin them. I seriously don’t even know what that means. From the condition my poor soul’s currently in, plus the lack of my power right now, I should be the one with that fear.

A heavy exhale falls from my lips and my gaze moves to Yemi. She’s talking animatedly to Havar, who’s smiling down at her like it’s the first time he’s seen her in forever.

A purr draws my attention away from them. “Is that okay, Seismet? I don’t want us to intrude after what just happened.”

“You’re no intruder. You may visit the meadows anytime. Today was a necessary experience for you but don’t let it cloud the opportunity now presented.”

I bow my head at the honor I know that is. I really can’t believe these gods take these creatures for granted the way I’ve witnessed. “Thank you very much.”

“Thank you, Thayla. Until next time.”

He neighs before trotting through the crowd of Veilatara still behind him. Row by row, they follow. It’s a powerful sight and I wish more than anything they didn’t have those straps around their wings.

If they didn’t, we’d be able to witness them fly together. We’d experience the true power of the Valorian Veil through them.

“So Escort turned tour guide, huh?”

I plaster on the fakest smile I can when I focus on Havar .

Kyzen steps closer to me and his hand goes to my lower back. I’m incredibly tempted to step away, but I force myself to stop. I can’t blame him for Seismet’s warning, Riven’s words, or my own. Well, my lack thereof.

The five of us haven’t opened up to one another fully. Other than Creed telling me he wasn’t comfortable with me knowing his domain yet, not oversharing is a silent agreement we as a Valtrue have made.

I understand the motives of all of us in that regard despite what Seismet said. I’m not mad at or even blame them for it. I struggle to open myself up to people completely. I need time for this, and I know they do too.

Really, what’s getting to me is his words were another warning about things going on in the realm we don’t understand.

What if, whatever that means, blows up in our faces before we do learn how to trust and talk to one another?