Page 87 of The Gods Veiling (The Valorian Veil #1)

Riven

“Psst, psst, torch lamps, have you any oil?

Yes, Riven, yes, Riven, three lanterns full.

One for the frontside, one for the back,

And one for every single fissure and crack.

Psst, psst, torch lamps, will you burn so bright?

Yes, Riven, yes, Riven, till the morning light.”

My giggle travels through the air as I skip around Daddy Gladdy’s house. How lucky he and his Valtrue are to have such a secluded area away from all of us poor weakling gods.

Amick’s going to revoke my permission to enter his room when he realizes I’ve stolen some of his torch lamps.

Worth it.

I can’t wait to see this baby go BOOM.

The oil I dump around the perimeter of their house smells dreadful. I have to keep pausing my humming to sneeze. It’s really fucking my mood off and taking the enjoyment out of this.

Never fear, though, I push through it.

“Whipitty, dropitty, drip,

The god pulled out his whip.

The whip struck four,

The angel ran red.

Whipitty, dropitty, drip.

Drip, drop, drip, drop.

The angel’s blood never stopped.

The god touched what’s mine,

So I touch what’s his.

Whipitty, dropitty, drip.”

On my end note, I spin in a circle and throw the lamp on top of their roof. I clap and cheer as the glass shatters to pieces. The shards tumble down everywhere and the remaining oil slithers over the shingles.

I cover my mouth with my hands as I laugh, but the vile ignitor gets on my tongue and takes away the taste of Thayla’s blood I licked off my fingers.

I can’t have that.

I flip my arms around, looking for another spot where I’m wearing her red.

It’s so beautiful.

The perfect shade matches my skin tone.

It’s quite a challenge to get my mouth to reach the underside of my forearm, but no worries, I prevail.

“Now, where was I? Ah, yes, finishing touches.”

My melodies continue to play in my mind as I reach my hand in one of my waist bags for my signature powder. I wore two accessory bags and a backpack for this situation. You can never be overprepared.

My hands become black as I grab my little concoction and start sprinkling it everywhere. I dance and toss.

Dance and toss.

All the while my chaos weaves into the walls, breaking down any barrier they may have in place. Their essence can’t stop me and my tainted bastard child blood.

I’m not sure why the majority of gods look at us Plentifuls as nothing more than animal lovers and tree huggers. Our plants and minerals provide us with the most amazing things that can go boom.

Well, not me in particular. Just because it’s my Designation doesn’t mean I can do any sort of growing on command.

My dick can actually.

Anywhos…I know those who can grow the useful stuff, and they provide me with the best of the best .

Dust in a little chaos to those creations and we have ourselves a party.

I can’t help my pout when I reach in again and find my bag already empty.

I sigh. Even experts make mistakes sometimes.

Nonetheless, I push on.

The steps that lead up to the porch they have are a cute touch to their home. From my other bag, I pull out adorable vials to decorate them with. They each glow different colors and when they blow up, they’re going to make the fire different colors.

It’s going to be gorgeous.

Just like my little burden is.

The nonstop thoughts of her make my eye twitch and my melody becomes daunting. I viciously shake my head and plaster my smile back on my face as I walk up to the door and knock.

It’s not polite to just show up to someone’s house uninvited, but they’ll have to forgive my poor visiting etiquette today.

I rock back and forth on my feet for a second, then knock again.

Still, no one comes.

“Well, I guess they’ll just miss the show.”

Rude. I went through all this hard work.

I spin around, preparing to jump off the steps, but halt as my smile widens and I hold my arms out for a hug.

“Big DD, you’ve come to see my show.”

He beckons me forward with a smirk on his face and I jump into his arms. “Hello, Riven, my boy. Paying Gladian a visit, I see.”

“Well, I was planning on it, but it seems he hasn’t made it home yet. Hopefully, he’ll return in time to see my surprise.”

“I can smell your surprise.”

“Oh, it’s dreadful, isn’t it? I should’ve brought some flowers to cover that up. Next time.”

He squeezes my shoulder and stares into my mismatched eyes. I’m sure the colors aren’t identifiable, but he knows which one usually matches his. “Yes, next time.”

“As much as I’m thrilled for our reunion, pops—perfect timing by the way—I’m not as ignorant as Amick likes to make me seem. Have you come to join me or stop me? I need to know so I know which song to sing next.”

He drops his hands from me and smiles softly. “Neither. I just came to check on you. ”

“Check on me? Why would you do such a thing after all these years?”

“I’ve always kept an eye on you, but when you and your brothers declared you wanted space, I honored that…from afar. Today I just wanted to lay my eyes on you.”

“Eye. We both know that one barely works.” I chuckle when I point to his black eye, then clear my throat. “That was rude. I do apologize. There’s nothing for you to check on. I’m fantastic.”

“I believe you mean chaotic. Your chaos is spreading for miles around, dear boy.”

My lips stretch across my face. “Is it, really? That’s impressive.”

“It most certainly is. I’m very proud, but I need you to draw some of it back in before I do it for you, Riven.”

My eyes narrow. “So you’re here to stop me. Are you even aware of what happened today?”

His face both softens and twists. That’s a new look. I kind of like it.

I’m going to try it out for myself.

“Yes, I’m aware. That’s why I’m not here to stop you. Unless you want all the gods to realize the amount of power I released for you and your brothers, though, you need to pull it back in some.”

My shoulders slump in defeat. “If I pull it back, my other side will shove its annoying ass through, then my fun will be over.”

“I’ll tell you what. You pull your own back and I’ll sprinkle a little of mine in to keep your harmony half at bay until your party is over. How does that sound?”

My smile returns. I’m pretty sure Kyzen got his communication skills from Derivius. They have such a way with words.

“Fine, I’ll agree to that.”

“Splendid. Where would you like for us to stand?”

“Oh, I brought myself a chair,” I say as I sling my backpack off and pull out my folding seat. Nifty little invention by the nonmagical mortals. They had grand ideas. I wonder what they’re up to these days. “I didn’t expect company, though, so I only have one.”

“That’s quite all right. I’ll stand.”

He lays his hand on my shoulder and leads me closer to the tree line. His finger taps me to the beat of my hum, and I smile happily.

Just like old times.

“This should be far enough. I’ll have an amazing view from here. ”

I shimmy my ass in my seat and get comfortable. Big DD nods at me and I pull some of my power back. It’s a little depressing, but as his familiar chaos joins in on my fun, I sigh in contentment.

“Do we want a gradual burn or a big boom? Oh, that’s a silly question. We’re going to blow this motherfucker up.”

Derivius attempts to hold his finger up at me, but I’m already lighting the match to the cloth I stuffed in another one of my mixtures. My laugh has the poor defenseless animals behind me screeching, but my cheering drowns them out.

My flaming bottle goes sailing through the air and I kick my feet as I count the seconds.

My heart pounds in an erratic rhythm when the glass shatters against the side wall of the house. Everything within me comes to life as the flames spread instantly with the impact.

I wiggle my fingers, weaving my chaos around the fire and moving it toward the front.

Blue, lime green, pink, purple, and red explode outward and inward. The crash of the front door bursting off its hinges and all the windows erupting with clouds of rainbow smoke have me standing.

I clap and bow simultaneously. “Bravo. That was—whew.”

I snatch Derivius by his shoulder and duck us down when what looked like a pan goes flying over our heads. It’d seem my explosion hit the kitchen first.

We look toward the forest, then at each other. Then we die laughing.

It’s a chaotic symphony that makes my heart happy.

The sounds taper off after a while as I plop back down in my chair, pull out a snacky from my pack, and watch my masterpiece burn.

“Are you feeling better?”

“What do you mean? I’ve felt amazing this whole time.”

He sighs softly and once again lays his hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t you dare do it.”

“I don’t want to, you know that. You’re hiding behind your chaos right now, though, Riven. If you can’t contain it, I’m going to have to.”

My body trembles in rage and I grind my teeth. “Why do I always have to be contained or set loose?”

“You know good and well that’s not what I meant.” He bends in front of me, blocking me from enjoying my show. “What happened to Thayla—”

“Don’t say her name. ”

He exhales harshly. “What happened to her today is affecting you and you’re responding the way you know how.

That’s fine. To an extent. After Gladian’s house burns down, then what, my boy?

You still have to see him and his Valtrue.

As well as her. You’ll have to face her. Those marks aren’t going to go away.”

“I’ll tell her she’s never allowed to take her shirt off.”

“That won’t make them go away.”

I stare through him.

He’s killing my mood.

I command some of my chaos to come to me and it settles begrudgingly in my belly. “There. Happy? I’d like to be alone now. I vow not to destroy Godsden today.”

“It’s not Godsden I’m worried about. It’s you destroying yourself and her.

Don’t let this side take over.” He squeezes my knee and stands.

“I’ll go cause a distraction for the Goddess of Illusion.

Maybe keep them from having a new house by the end of the day.

I’m only a call away if you need me, son. ”

I flick my wrist at him, dismissing him. “Yeah, yeah. Love you, mean it, bye.”

He breathes I love you back, but I ignore him and stare at my blazing glory. It’s not as spectacular now that he’s yanked me from my high.

Some fucking reunion that was.

Clarity is already finding its place back in my mind and I sneer.

When the chaos is in control, I don’t fret over my thoughts, my emotions. I go with the flow and be one with the moment. When it’s not, and I’m just normal, or even worse, harmonized, I have to face reality.

I don’t want to do that.

She makes me do that, and she doesn’t even realize it.

I’ve already had to do that once today for her. If I let my mind think about it too much, I can still feel her hot blood seeping between my fingers.

I started my run with my hands under her thighs but realized as soon as we made it out of the Court, she couldn’t hold herself around me. I had to adjust.

One arm cupped under her ass so I could balance her and my other hand rested at her lower back right underneath a lash.

Her blood poured through my fingers, down her pants, and onto my arm. That’s how much she was bleeding.

My harmony half shot through me, vying to make her better. Fix her. Her soft sobs were ripping me in two. I’ve never been more grateful than I was when she passed out.

Her quietly cried, “Thank you for saving me,” sent me over the edge .

My two halves collided like enemies at war.

The side that craves her, thinks about her nonstop, fought with a ferocity I’ve never felt before.

It won.

But only momentarily.

My favorite side pushed through once she was out of my arms and I was out of her room. That side is the smart side. It knows no one could ever understand, tolerate, or truly want us.

My own flesh and blood barely do.

Rarely, the two sides live peacefully inside of me. It’s been happening more with her around, and it’s petrifying.

I don’t think I like the feeling of peace.

I did like the way her body felt pressed to mine, though.

No, I didn’t.

Uh, I kind of did.

I call my chaos back out and let it surround me. I’ll abide by what Derivius asked of me and not let it pour out of me, but not at the expense of my own comfort right now.

I won’t sit here and dwell in my thoughts while there’s a beautiful view burning in front of my eyes.

I’ll sit in my blissful, purposeful ignorance, for a little while longer.

“Hey, diddle diddle, chaos and the killer,

An angel flew over the stars.

The two scared gods fought against her pull,

But knowledge and time will heal her scars.

Hey, diddle diddle, chaos and the killer.”