Page 76 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

Thayla

It’s been a week since that dreadful night in the Abandon and last night was the first night I slept in my room.

No one called me out about it even though they knew by the next morning my small amount of power that’s settled allowed me to control the lights. I just didn’t want to be on the other end of the house alone.

If I closed my eyes in the shower too long, the water would turn black and a little girl’s voice in my mind would beg me not to leave her.

My soul would jerk painfully in my chest every time I drifted too far away from the guys.

That’s been a confusing and unfortunate side effect of my inner turmoil.

Other than that, nothing life-altering has occurred. No Beginning Gods have starshot into our home to kill or kidnap us. The Godsdawn and the Defenders act like that night never happened. No one even speaks about it.

A shift in my Valtrue has happened, though.

Every day since then, both Kyzen and Creed join Yemi, Lambrit, Rose, and I on our runs. They don’t interfere or really even talk, but they show up in the backyard every morning like clockwork.

Creed now shields me in training at the Court even more than he did before. He informed me the day after the Abandon that, even though he doesn’t know what exact ability Mellcom has, it’s definitely a mental one and for me never to look him in the eye again .

That shit made me want to scream. It was his mind messing with my emotions. He’s always been able to do that. Even without godly power.

If Gladian or any of them really spare me too much attention, he does his whole arm cross and stare you down thing.

It’s endearing but doesn’t make up for the fact he won’t talk about my soul with me again.

The one and only time I’ve brought it up this week was when I waited alone for him outside the Court.

We walked in silence for a second and I couldn’t hold my questions back any longer. He starshot away and left me on the path to walk back by myself. Kyzen and Amick tore him a new one, and I smirked smugly.

Kyzen never did bring up my pitiful-ass breakdown. Thank fuck because I was absolutely mortified when I woke up still cuddled up next to him. I got up, practically ran to my room, and never breathed a word about it.

He’s stuck close to me, though. He comes to see me constantly in the Athenaeum or when I spend too much time hiding in my room while the sun’s up. I added permission to my door to allow him, well, and the others, in like Yemi taught me, but I haven’t told him that yet.

He has a way about him that makes my mornings amazing. The time we spend drinking coffee together every day while the others sleep is relaxing and puts me in a much better mood.

Riven has been…distant.

If I joke or tease him, he’ll give it right back, but he disappears a lot.

When I asked him where he keeps going, he told me to mind my business.

I didn’t mind my business, though, and as soon as I talked Kyzen into walking me to the Veilatara meadows to see Seismet, the first thing I asked was if he keeps coming there.

My meddling companion had no problem telling me that Riven does, in fact, come to the meadows daily to see Verlet, but he doesn’t spend much time there.

The only other place I can assume he keeps going is Godsden.

I’m not dumb enough to attempt to venture around there alone.

Amick has taken my power training as I call it very seriously. I’m proud to say I can cut any light on in his office or in the house at my command. I still have to hold my hands up or point them to make it come out, but that doesn’t bother me. I honestly think it’s hilarious.

Our next big lesson he’s planning is going to be rough. He wants to move on to teaching me how to starshoot, but that’s going to take a while.

First, he wants me to truly understand how power is released from the Gods Binding and what it’s actually doing inside of my body. I can spot my power whenever I feel it. I just don’t exactly understand what it wants when I feel it, so I have to learn how to read that.

Our power is always present and ready for our command, but apparently, there’re times when it makes itself known because it senses it’s needed even before we do. I’m not sure if that’s really the case with me because I feel the sensation of it multiple times a day.

After all that, he’ll explain how to make my power spread and surround me. I also have to learn more locations than just the Godsdawn if I ever want to actually put this skill to good use.

I can’t read a map to save my life, by the way.

Amick is, honest to the Valories, the best educator I’ve ever had, but his hands-on teaching is driving me crazy.

He’s not doing anything wrong in the way he instructs. It’s literally because he’s so hands-on. I’m either touch-deprived or something is seriously going wrong with me. I think about the things my hands would do to that god constantly.

“Ugh, the little burden is horny again. It’s happening a lot here lately. I believe she needs some help with that.”

My face, that was already heating from my thoughts, blazes as I whip my head in Riven’s direction. Nothing about the situation is helped when the other three stop walking and face me.

Yemi is officially a traitor. She dies laughing and continues walking even though I try to grab her hand.

“What the hell is your problem, Riven? I’m not horny.”

“You are. I can sense it.”

I startle and sneer. “I’m sorry, you can sense it?”

“As we all know, sex can get very chaotic. It creates an energy.” He winks, and I just want to perish right where I stand.

“Arousal creates a very distinct type of chaos. Unlike my normal kind that tickles my belly, that kind creates heat with a little bit of pressure. Does that sensation sound familiar? It’s probably what you feel every time you keep getting turned on. ”

My brain malfunctions and all I can do is stare at him. I want nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.

“There’s no shame in being sexually aroused. It’s a very natural response.”

Nope. Not having this conversation with the god I’m fantasizing about.

I walk away from them. Briskly .

Yemi’s waiting near the end of the path and I narrow my eyes on her smirking face the closer I get to her.

“Thayla, wait up.”

“Nope. I’m not having this conversation, Kyzen. I can’t believe that fucking psycho called me out like that. Gods forbid a girl have some private fantasies in her mind.”

“Wait, so you really were turned on just now? We were just walking…”

I close my eyes and continue to march blindly. Hopefully, I’ll run into something and it’ll knock me unconscious.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I won’t bring it up.” He laughs as he laces our fingers together and pulls me back. “I won’t tease, I swear. We’re used to Riven doing that. It gets less embarrassing and eventually it won’t even faze you anymore.”

“Oh, so he’s publicly called you out about the reactions your body’s having?”

“Well, this wasn’t really public. It was just us.”

Yes, just them. The four men I fantasize about.

“But yeah, he most certainly has. He literally did it a few days ago.”

“What the hell were you turned on about a few days ago?” I didn’t mean to sound so jealous, but oh well. It’s out there now and his cocky ass is eating it up. I hold my hand up when he bites his smirking lip. “Don’t. I’m seriously not in the mood now. He’s ruined my day and my fantasy.”

“Oh, come on, don’t let him ruin anything. And it was the other morning when you bent over to repull your hair up after our run. I walked in the house thinking about it and he called me out.”

“Seriously? I was sweaty, panting, and had hair all in my face.”

“Perfection is what I call that look, little goddess.”

I can’t do this.

I attempt to walk away again but forget he’s latched onto my hand. Instead of fighting him or this conversation, I just snatch him along with me silently.

“You know I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I’m pretty positive somewhere in the Attendants’ book, there’s a rule about you leaving me when I need to be rescued.”

Yemi chuckles as she falls in step beside me. “There actually is, but it specifies in a life-threatening situation. You looked very much alive back there. If anything, I may have needed to step in and save one of your Valtrue members.”

I gasp, then give her a teasing grin. “You wouldn’t help me kill one of them, then help hide the body? ”

“Yeah, of course, but honestly, it’d probably take more than us. They look kind of heavy.”

“That’s true, but I’m sure between you, me, Lambrit, and Rose, we could carry them to the waterfall. We possibly could talk Havar into lending us a carriage.”

“You two do remember one of the men you’re plotting death on is right here, right?”

“I’m well aware.” I cut my eyes over to him and squeeze his hand. “So plan for the day. Finally tour the Gods Sanctum while Amick does his thing with the Chancellors, then we’ll go to the Athenaeum later, right?”

“Right, except I have a teensy favor to ask of you.”

“I’m both nervous and interested since you haven’t asked for absolutely anything.”

“Come with me to the dining hall. Havar asked me to meet him there when we were done for a quick minute. We won’t be eating or anything. Hopefully, we catch him outside before he walks in.”

“Ugh, that dreadful place, but of course I’ll go with you. Then we’ll meet you in the Athenaeum or do you need to stay in the Sanctum today?”

“Nope, I’ll go on to Amick’s office. The only thing on my schedule today is giving you a tour.”

“Sounds like a pretty easy—”

A warm hand sliding into my other one from behind me cuts my words off. I peer down at it, then over my shoulder. Amick walks just enough distance back that he doesn’t trample my heels, but close enough he can grip my fingers entirely with his.

“You okay there, Candyman?”

“I’m fine.”

“Well…what are you doing exactly?”