Page 66 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

“I should’ve thought about the hands-on lessons before now. She takes well to it in training, so of course it would’ve worked here as well.”

“Oh, don’t beat yourself up about another failure when it comes to her, o wise one. She’s a confusing creature.”

“Riven, don’t give Amick shit right now. This is a huge step, and she’d probably still be way behind had we kept rotating her around like we were told to.”

“Unfortunately, I have to agree with him.”

My head jerks at Amick’s admission. That’s the first time in our lives I’ve heard him agree with Riven. It’s so shocking, even Riven’s silent .

“She’s taken very well to learning the history, the purpose of the Designations, the different gods and their domains, but I should’ve been working hands on with her through the transition of sensing and commanding her power.

I’ve switched up her study methods plenty so she doesn’t grow bored with the routine.

I’ll begin implementing this version tomorrow. ”

Our jaws drop. He’s never one to admit he’s done something wrong. Which, typically, he never does wrong.

Banging on the front door disrupts the shock that holds us all still. The noise thunders through the house and my body heats.

“Who the fuck is trying to knock our door down?” Riven asks, but I’m already heading to find out.

There are only a handful who would dare.

My eyes narrow as I come face-to-face with Gladian.

His stalking-ass Valtrue is right behind him, and I sneer at the God of Strength for his disrespect.

After Amick told us about the stunt they pulled in the Athenaeum with Thayla’s smart-ass little friend, I made it clear he keep his new Valtrue members the fuck away from her and my house.

“Don’t give me that look. Get your things and get to the Court. All of you. Duty calls from the other side.”

Fuck, this can’t be happening already.

“Be there in a minute.” My blood begins to boil beneath my skin, and I go to shut the door, but his hand grips the wood, stopping it from slamming.

“That includes your Binder. We need all the bodies we can tonight.”

I don’t fucking think so.

“Absolutely not. You know her powers haven’t completely settled. She’ll be more of a distraction than help.”

“She can hold her own,” Mellcom declares as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“You don’t fucking—”

“Enough. My men are going, and their powers haven’t settled completely either.

I’m only leaving a few behind tonight. So there’s no excuse for her.

Get to the fucking Court. I’ve already sent word to the meadows for those who can’t starshoot.

You’ll be traveling with them while I man the other Defenders. ”

With that, he slams my fucking door for me, and I ball my fist. If he was referring to the newer Defenders as the ones he’s leaving behind, then there are only three who can’t starshoot.

Thayla, Mellcom, and Jeremiah.

Gods damn it .

I don’t understand why their powers haven’t settled.

“Who was—”

“Go get ready. Trouble in the Abandon,” I bark at Kyzen.

“Thayla?” he asks.

“Has to go.”

I don’t glance at any of them as I stomp down her hallway. They’ll be ready in less than a minute, but I got to get her moving.

My fist pounds on her door. “Thayla.”

Nothing.

“Thayla, open the fucking—”

“What is your problem?” She slings her door open and perches her hand on her hip.

I storm past her, only giving myself a second to map every surface of her room. It matches her soul.

Blissful.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Creed?” she shouts as she follows behind me into her closet.

“Where’s your armor?”

“What?”

“Where is your armor, Thayla?”

She startles at the echoing of my bellow all around us, but her eyes never flinch from their glare. Good. She’ll need her grit. I take a few quick calming breaths, then step toward her.

“I don’t have time to explain it all to you right now, but there’s an emergency and we’re needed. Where’s your armor?”

“At the back,” she says low, pointing her finger.

I cross the massive space and spot the dark steel I need. She has multiple ones to choose from, but for this battle, there’s one in particular that’s made for the Abandon.

There’s reinforced matte black metal both sewn into the fabric on the inside and plates on the outside.

It provides as much flexibility as what she wears in training, but there’s a small bit of a weight difference.

This armor was made with the intention of taking damage from Oblirians and their weapons.

“Creed, I need—”

“A better explanation. Yeah, I know, but I can’t give it to you right now. We have to get ready to go. Put this on as fast as you can and get to the kitchen. ”

I lay the armor on her bed and continue walking out of her room. I don’t stop until I pass through my door.

I allow myself a moment to center myself and calm my soul. It’s both thrumming with excitement for what’s about to happen, but also, there’s a desperate need to connect to hers.

Both sensations disgust me.

I’m disgusted with the desires my power makes me have.

Along with my armor that matches Thayla’s, as well as my brothers’, I grab my most prized weapons. Two swords I was able to infuse with my power prior to them taking it from us.

One hit and your soul no longer belongs to you.

It belongs to me.

The Chancellors and some of the gods tried their hardest to force me to give them up. There’s no revoking power from an ancient object. Which these are. They were crafted and forged by a few Beginning Gods long ago, then gifted to me.

They have to be destroyed for the power to be freed.

The first attack that broke through the barrier from the Abandon happened and they never bothered me about them again.

“Where is she?” I ask my brothers as soon as I step out of my room.

“Right here.”

Thayla exits her hallway looking like the Goddess of Death. Her rose gold hair adds just enough life to the otherwise deadly attire she has on. The stern scowl written across her face, though, promises a vicious ending to any who threaten her.

Perfect.

“Listen to me and listen closely,” I order as I march over to her and spin her around.

Her body tenses under my touch and I grit my teeth at her reaction. She doesn’t even know what I can really do.

I run my fingers along the strappings on her back to adjust them, then spin her back to face me. “This is no ordinary sword. Do not accidentally slice yourself or any of our Defenders. It’s infused with a power that will kill on contact. Instantly. One hit. Do you understand?”

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child. I understand. This sword will kill as soon as I hit someone with it. Why do I need it? ”

“Because you have no power and where we’re going, you need all the power you can get.” I sheath my weapon in the holder on her back and place the second one in mine.

I’ve seen her wield swords. Plenty of them. I know she’ll do fine with it and that’s the most I can do for her right now.

“Let’s go.”

The five of us rush out the front door. We don’t make it but a few steps before a giggling voice calls out. “Thayla…what’s going on?”

We all spin around and find Yemi and her Meadow Hand cousin about to walk into her home. The smiles slowly slip off their faces and Havar, I think is his name, steps slightly in front of her.

“I honestly don’t know.”

“Trouble from the other side. You’re not accompanying us. We have to go.” I grip Thayla’s arm and pull her along.

After the third time she tries to tug free, I finally release her. “Why did you tell her she wasn’t accompanying us?”

“Most Attending Gods would bring their Attendants with them. I knew you wouldn’t want that, but the thought more than likely instantly popped in her mind that she’d have to go. I went ahead and made it clear so we didn’t waste time sitting there talking.”

“You’re still being vague as fuck and I don’t appreciate that, but I got the picture this is about to get bad. And you’re telling me, some of the Defenders bring their untrained Attendants with them?”

“Yes.”

She mumbles quietly, but I hear it loud and clear. “Pathetic fucking gods.”

Yeah, most of them are.

I pick up my pace and start running toward the Court. The longer we take, the more our people holding off the other side are at risk.

By the time the five of us enter the Court, half the Defender Designation is waiting for us.

This is so fucking bad if this many are coming.

“Get ready to move out. Mellcom, Jeremiah, follow Creed’s lead until you join us again. You other three on me,” Gladian instructs.

“Not happening. You know we don’t do this separated,” Kyzen states immediately.

Gladian’s eyes narrow. “There isn’t going to be room in the carriage for seven of you and we don’t have time for this. ”

“We’ll make room. You just worry about getting the rest of them there and ready. That’s final.”

Thayla’s eyes widen on Kyzen at his tone. There’s not much that brings out the true Ruler in him. Threat of the Abandon and us being separated will do it.

“Fine. Let’s move.”

Just as Gladian and his entire force starshoots out, a majestic neigh vibrates the air around us. My head tilts back and I watch the Veilatara glide above us before landing at the other end of the Court.

The Escort hops out of the carriage and bows to us as he leaves the doors open. With my Valtrue present, we won’t need him to come along, not that we have room for him, anyway.

The five of us sneer at Mellcom and Jeremiah as they clammer on in while we bow to the Veilatara. Their disrespect just adds another reason to the list of why I don’t fucking like them.

The Veilatara here to escort us, Fausta, is one I’ve known my entire stay in the Godsdawn. She’s a sassy beast and is ready to jump into the fray at any point and time, although she isn’t allowed to.

I lay my head against her muzzle after my brothers and Thayla before making my way to the carriage. “Thank you for carrying us. I’m grateful for you.”