Page 86 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

“She’s…going to be okay. We’ve fixed the major damage, but her new skin is sensitive.

It needs time to stitch itself together and I’m afraid she’s going to scar.

If you can keep her from moving too strenuously, they’ll heal faster.

She also lost a lot of blood. Had her power not settled…

” She can’t finish her sentence as she clears her throat and shakes her head.

Yemi sniffles, but her face is set in a grim line. I smell the rage and guilt pouring off her. She has nothing to be guilty for, though. Mara would’ve done what she did no matter what. Thayla was going to react to that.

“She’s been heavily dosed with multiple powers and even some holistic remedies, but she’s not going to sleep. That’s what she needs most right now, but she’s refusing. She wants to speak with you.”

Her eyes settle on me and all heads turn toward me.

“Me?”

“Hopefully, if you speak with her, she’ll go back to sleep. She woke up the moment one of us touched her and stayed awake through the whole healing process.”

My feet are moving before my mind does.

Stubborn-ass woman.

The healing process isn’t always gentle and comforting. Some abilities don’t have the means to take away or block the pain such as this girl’s do. That’s probably why she was asked to join.

A phantom sucker punch hits me straight in the gut as soon as I step into her room. She’s lying on her stomach and her back has been cleaned up, but the four angry red lines are bright and glistening from the healing ointment they’ve slathered on her.

“We’ll step out and give you a minute.”

I don’t acknowledge the Healers as they go.

Slowly, my feet drag me to her bedside and my fingers flinch with the need to trace those lines. They even hover above them for a second, then they freeze.

Why the fuck is her back already scarred ?

“I’m not dead yet. Please don’t stand above me like you’re reliving all our glorious moments together for the last time.”

I step in front of her turned head and crouch down until we’re eye level. “Don’t say dead yet. Ever again.”

“I’m starting to think you and the Healer girl like playing with my emotions. Her power tried to give me an orgasm again, but it didn’t work. You look like your heart’s broken. I really can’t tell if you’re ready to get rid of me or keep me forever.”

I swallow roughly at her small voice. She’s trying so hard to lighten the mood, but her multicolored, gorgeous eyes don’t look like the stain glass they usually resemble.

If someone threw a brick through our living room window, shattering all the pieces across the floor, then that’s what they’d resemble right now.

“Did I hurt them?”

“Who?”

“Amick, Kyzen, Riven…you. Did I hurt any of you when I pulled on my soul?”

My chest tightens unbearably at the remorse in her eyes. “No, you didn’t hurt any of us. After you get some rest and heal, I’ll explain exactly what pull means what and how to do each of them.”

“Does that mean you’re not trying to evict the pieces of me any longer?”

“I don’t know anymore. Regardless, until we know what’s best for you, for all of us, you have a right to know these things.”

A slow tear travels out the corner of her eye and over the bridge of her nose. She doesn’t move to wipe it away. That shit slices me open.

“Don’t tell them without me. Make sure I’m awake and present for the conversation, please.”

I slowly dip my head. “I won’t tell them without you.”

“Also, don’t leave me here. I don’t want to stay here nor in these clothes. My blood’s pulling tight against my ass where it’s stuck to my pants, and it’s pissing me all the way off. Let Amick change and clean me up.”

Her words are starting to slur, but she’s fighting the drowsiness with all her might. I don’t know if it’s fear of being left alone in here or if she’s still just too worked up. One way or another, she has to sleep.

She has to let her body heal.

Impossibly slow, I reach my fingers toward her face. She doesn’t flinch from me, and her eyes don’t widen in fear. They gently close as I wipe her tears away and lay my palm on her cheek.

“Go to sleep. We’ve got you, and we’re going to take care of you, Thayla.”

“I’m sorry, Creed. I fucked up.”

“No, you didn’t. You did something none before you have ever been brave enough to do. You stood for what was right.”

A small whimper passes through her lips when she moves. I watch as if we’re in slow motion as she lays her hand against mine. I don’t budge, breathe, or do anything until I know she’s finally asleep .

“I’m sorry, Thayla. I’m sorry I didn’t get there faster.

I’m sorry I didn’t put Gladian in his place before this.

The four of us have been living in fear that with any wrong move, our power will be stripped and we’ll end up in his clutches again.

We’ve grown used to watching the wrongness from a distance and not interfering.

We won’t let you down like this again. I won’t keep you in the dark any longer. ”

I push myself up and gently remove my hand. I lay hers back where mine was and watch as her back rises in measured breaths. The want to both run from this room and also crawl in bed beside her is strong.

I don’t do either. I turn from her and head out the door.

“The healing process is different for everyone. Since her power just settled, it could take longer.”

“You’re a fucking Healer, but obviously not a very good one if you can’t just heal it all right now.” Riven grunts at the male Healer I’m vaguely familiar with from rotations.

He does a good job at keeping his face blank and not feeding into my brother.

“If this had been much more minor, such as a broken bone, poison, even surface-level lashes, that’d be the case.

Two of her injuries split the skin to her shoulder bones.

The other two were deep within the tissue and caused her bleeding to intensify.

Stitching the area and growing new tendons, muscles, and skin is no easy feat.

It can’t be rushed, or it could cause even more problems. Possibly even leave her susceptible to reopening the wounds repeatedly.

I assure you, we did everything within our power that we could. ”

None of us miss the importance he put on the word power. He doesn’t have all of his. None of those in the healing villas do. The Healers I know off the top of my head that do spend more time in Godsden than here.

Anger brews in my heart. There should be just as many Healers with the same amount of power as Defenders. What’s the fucking point of having such powerful beings if you don’t have anyone to heal them?

Everyone should just have all their gods damned powers.

“We’re taking her home. Jay, you may come to our home and check her as needed. She’ll heal there,” I declare and they all just now notice I’ve stepped out of her room.

“Is she still awake? What did she say?”

“She’s sleeping. We’ll talk when we get home. Is Havar back?”

“I’ll go check,” Yemi says softly, turning and practically running for the door. She has two fully opened eyes now.

“It’d really be wise—”

“I’ll keep an eye on her and retrieve one of you at the first sign you’re needed, but she won’t be staying in here alone.”

He presses his lips into a thin line. “There won’t be room in the carriage for her to lie comfortably. One of you will need to hold her chest to chest just like she was brought in. It’d be wise to keep her from lying on her back for at least the night.”

“Understood.”

“Then she’s free to go.” He and the other Healers walk away. Jay bows slightly and tells us to please come get her if needed. We each tilt our heads in response, which she seems shocked by.

“Well, I’m going to head to the house and get out of these clothes. The little burden has left me a bloody mess.”

“Riven,” Amick barks, but he just wiggles his fingers and starshoots out.

Fuck. That isn’t good.

He’s deflecting hard right now, and I’m tempted to pray that he doesn’t do anything stupid.

“He’s outside,” Yemi calls as she steps back into the hall.

The three of us nod and go into Thayla’s room. The sight of her catches them by surprise just as it had done me, but they collect themselves quickly.

“Let Amick hold her. She asked that he get her cleaned up and changed when we get home.”

Amick moves right to her side without a word. Kyzen and I step up and help him get a proper hold on her.

“What else did she say?”

“We’ll talk about it when she’s awake.”

“Creed—”

“Drop it, Kyzen. Her specific request was for us not to talk about anything until she was present. I’ll honor that and so will you.”

The blue ring in his pupils flares. His annoyance and concern are obvious, but he bites his tongue as he interferes with time. We step out into the hall and Yemi gasps as she gets swept up in his power as well. The next time she blinks, we’re already seated in the carriage.

She and Havar stare in horror at Thayla’s back while I watch how gentle Amick is. He adjusts his hold on her with such delicacy it makes my throat close. The words that came from him only hours ago run through my mind with a wildness.

He’d be good for her. She’d be great for him.

How am I supposed to take away the thing that’s causing these changes in him?

“Yem.”

“Don’t. Just don’t. This is exactly why I didn’t want her to know.

This is why I told you repeatedly not to say anything.

I didn’t want you, or her, or anyone to face consequences for me.

Now look at what’s been done to her.” She doesn’t remove her glare from Thayla’s back despite the glistening in her eyes.

Havar leans forward, pressing his elbows to his thighs and covering his mouth with his fist. They’re both shaken and it’ll only make things worse when she wakes up.

“When she wakes up and sees both of you, you won’t act like this.

You’ll thank her for what she did, and you won’t apologize for anything.

You acting like this is your fault will make her feel like her response was wrong and it wasn’t.

It also wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.

Your own response wasn’t wrong. You are a God, Yemi, with a secret ability, and it’s time you start remembering that.

“She’s the first Attending God I’ve seen stand up for her Attendant to that degree and I didn’t even actually witness it.

What I walked into in the Court and the condition Mara was left in was proof enough she made many things clear.

So…I don’t give a fuck about either of your feelings at the moment.

I care about her waking up and knowing what she stood for was right. Am I understood?”

Their mouths gape open at me like they’re surprised I spoke. It’s not an unusual response, but it’s one I don’t have the patience for right now. My brow draws down in warning and they straighten their shoulders. They agree just as the carriage rolls to a stop.

Kyzen hops out first, leading and guiding Amick down the stairs as he slowly makes his way forward. None of us look back at the other two.

The house feels just as depressing as we do. The silence is suffocating, and I never thought I’d be looking forward to some smart-ass remark greeting me as I came home.

“Creed, would you make me some tea… please ?”

My head slowly turns until Kyzen and I lock on each other. The shock of hearing please come from Amick’s lips as he slowly lowers himself to the couch with Thayla splayed across his chest has me frozen in time.

I clear my throat and shake my head. “Uh, yeah. Kyzen, you want to help him?”

“Yeah, no problem. ”

We move mindlessly. I get busy fixing all of us a mug, while Kyzen pulls the ottoman closer and helps Amick lift his legs. I’m not sure if Riven is still in the shower or not, but I prepare him one as well.

Kyzen sits on one side of them and I take a seat on the opposite couch. I plan to stay right here until she opens her eyes again.

“I have a discomforting sensation in my chest. It’s been present since our Pairing and it always has to do with her.”

“What? So do I,” Kyzen says as he sits up straight, glances at Amick, then at me. “What about you? Has Riven said anything?”

I take a large gulp of tea and let the heat settle inside of me. “We’ll talk when she wakes up.”

They both stare at me, but I stare at her.

My internal war continues to clash with the forces of the Beginning Gods. Nothing is as it was a month ago. No answer seems like the right one anymore.

To remove her soul from them, I’m afraid would change them in a devastating way. To leave it will leave her as a shell of herself, eventually.

But maybe it won’t. It hasn’t seemed to change her yet.

What happens if it gradually does?

Am I helping or harming her by keeping her soul separate from mine?

I don’t fucking know.

I don’t know, but I know I’m not willing to gamble with her life like that.