“As I was saying, in the Book of the Gods Binding, there’s a passage that states a Beginning God could have claimed the being rather than have them killed. They’d become their direct responsibility as the mysterious power grew. You all chose to kill them instead of giving them an extra piece of your power and to establish dominance because of the fear of the unknown in how strong they’d develop and so you wouldn’t have to take care of them.
“Whenhewrapped his power around Thayla, he sensed the parts of each of them inside of her rather than a dominant one. He’s planning on claiming her by giving her a piece of his power in two months’ time. If he does that, she’ll have no choice but to go to the Abandon with him so he can take care of her and her growing power of Obliteration.”
The guys all start shouting, but their words are incoherent. My ears echo and pop like I’ve sunk far below the surface of water. Everything becomes cold as I picture living life in the Abandon under his command.
He wants to add me to his collection.
Does he collect goddesses?
I mean, yeah, sort of. He’s built a whole army ofgods.
No.
My lip trembles as I trip over my words. “I…we…fuck no. Derivius, what exactly have you done? What do we do now? Did he slip me power just now when he wrapped me up? He definitely did something.”
His eyes narrow as he holds his hand out toward me. The way his brows continue to draw down doesn’t help.
“His essence is still crawling all over you, but I don’t believe so. I can’t tell you any more than I already have. If I cross him again, he’ll retaliate for sure this time. We aren’t ready for that yet. He’s either hoping I do so he can, or he’s hoping you all fail so he can have you. Which will inevitably lead you all back to the Abandon. Amick, continue on the same search you’ve already started. Inform them of what that is. It’s time you all start acting like the Valtrue I know you can be.”
My fists shake at my sides with the restraint it’s taking not to attack his ass. His stupid, remorseful look doesn’t make it any better.
“What I’m looking for, how many are there?”
Derivius sucks his teeth as he holds Amick’s piercing look. “Two.”
“The Goddess of Seduction’s and who else’s?”
Amick’s neck turns a shade darker as Derivius shakes his head. “It’s safe and won’t be found.”
“Someone better get to explaining in normal fucking language before I lose my shit.” We turn toward the deadly tone that hisses from Riven.
“I’ll leave you all now. Please know and believe me, Sabelline’s Binding’s being sensed was news to me as it was to you. I swear to each of you, this wasn’t information or a situation I knew would happen. I’ve been doing everything I can to keep him in the dark about anything that involves you. It may seem like I’m the reason for all misfortune, but usually I’m just the easiest to blame and I’m always the one to show up. I don’t do anything without the five of you at the forefront of my thoughts.”
He spares us each an apologetic look before he starshoots away. Left behind in the place he stood is a rolled parchment that has us standing statue-still as we stare at it.
Amick’s the first to break and retrieve it. We watch him intensely as his eyes roam over it for a brief second. “Irrelevant for now.”
I sigh and my shoulders slump. “Nothing is irrelevant right now, Amick. Please share what it is.”
“The agreement written on our behalf.”
“We’re definitely going to revisit that, brother, but first you need to explain what you’ve been up to.”
My head’s growing light from everything that has to be addressed. It’s only the middle of the day, but I’m about to tell them good night and take my ass to bed until tomorrow.
“I’ve been working on how to get all our power out of the Gods Binding or one of its creations without the help of a Beginning God. I don’t like to make assumptions and promises before I know with one hundred percent certainty that they’re plausible. For the sake of honesty in this situation, I assume, Derivius just confirmed my theory that I can, in fact, do it. We just need to find the Goddess of Seduction’s Binding.”
Well, shit, I’m no longer tired.
Amick
3
I lace my fingers behind my back and allow them to continue spouting questions at me.
Everything they’re asking, I would’ve answered in a moment had they not started talking all at once.
I don’t have the patience for all the noise. The shouting and yelling over one another, the arguing rather than listening. Nothing makes me want to go to my room and find peace and quiet more than that.
