“I’m teasing.” He chuckles, grabbing my arm to slow me down. My breath hitches as his power skirts across my skin. “You’re in an awful mood today.”
“Thank you for being the second person to point that out.”
“Well, what twisted your panties in a knot? If you’ve even got panties on. You’re definitely not sexually frustrated again.”
I cut my eyes over to the smirk on his face. He isn’t helping the situation whatsoever, nor am I in the mood for this.
“I’m tired of being powerless, Riven. I’m tired of feeling like the weakest link in our Valtrue and doing absolutely nothing to contribute to what we have going on besides causing more issues.
“The only positive thing I’ve got going on with this power is it now listens to me again when I need the lights to come on. It hasn’t completely rebelled in a while, so thankfully, I can see while showering every day. It’s only a matter of time, though, before it fucks off again. I haven’t been able to make it through or comprehend even one of the books Amick’s gathered for me. I’m not absorbing anything I attempt to read because my thoughts are clouded.
“We’re leaving in less than twenty-four hours, and Amick and I haven’t been able to work on figuring this out because whatever is in that book he’s reading is obviously incredibly important. I can’t even starshoot, so everyone is stuck walking with me everywhere because none of you will let me do shit alone anymore. I’m mentally fucking tired and what I’m bitching about doesn’t even scratch the surface of all the things that run through my mind all the time.”
Like him, his brothers, the relationship forming between us.
Yemi and I haven’t had any alone time with one another to vent because she’s had to stay behind with Sevryn every day after training. Lambrit’s attention is split between spending time with Rose and working with Amick. I don’t want to be more of a distraction for anyone.
My little vent to Riven did what I figured it would. He’s silent the entire walk to our house. His quiet companionship doesn’t do anything but make my blood boil hotter.
I pivot from him and head toward Yemi’s door, but he snatches me back to his side by my hand.
“What are you doing?” I ask as he laces our fingers.
“We’re going on an adventure.”
I attempt to pull away, but he tugs me along through the tree line behind the houses.
My neck cranes back as a hoot rings out and I search the canopy-covered sky for V. My relief over him being here to save me from whatever Riven’s cooked up lasts about a second.
“Are you two ready?”
“Ready?”I ask as he lands on my shoulder and Riven answers,“Yes.”
Neither of them answers me as V’s light surrounds us. The white is so bright, blinding, it’s all I can see for the maybe three seconds it lasts.
I blink repeatedly to adjust to the sudden shift in colors that greets me as his power fades.
Turning in my spot, all I find are thick, towering trees that obscure so much of the sun’s light, if I didn’t know what time of the day it is, I’d be convinced it was almost sunset.
“Straight that way,”V says, pointing his wing to the right.
Riven places his hand on my back, pushing me in that direction. “Thanks bunches.”
“You’re in so much shit with me, V.”
He fucking laughs.“See you later, my Vedae.”
He’s gone once again in the blink of an eye, and I swat Riven’s hand off me.
“Where the hell—Shit!”
My foot catches on a tree root and my scream echoes through the forest. Riven snatches me back by my shirt and laughs as I lay my hand to my heart and catch my breath. I thought for sure I was about to eat bark.
“Clumsy little thing. Watch your step.”
“This isn’t funny. Where the hell have you brought me and how did you talk V into agreeing?”
“I didn’t have to talk him into anything. I asked for a favor, and he said of course.”
