“I’ll cut straight to the chase, Thayla, since we don’t have much time together, and the way your lips are turning blue is starting to frighten me.”
He opens the jacket he has on, and my body trembles for a whole other reason as power thrums through my veins. My gaze falls on the object in his hand that is unmistakably, no doubt, the Binding.
“How…where…what the fuck is happening?”
His smile turns sad, and I get second-hand longing just from his look alone. “Many years ago, I was a servant to many of the Beginning Gods and the Domain Gods who are stronger than me. Physically anyway. I don’t just discoverthings. With enough care, concentration, and preparation, I can discover secrets, plans, and motives. If I try hard enough, I can discover almost anything.
“This kind of power is both a blessing and a curse. I’m one of few gods dubbed a Domain God but don’t actually have all their power. The Beginning Gods refused to release it all to me. My abilities were leading me down a path where I constantly had to decide between doing what I thought was right or what was going to keep me alive. I grew tired of being used.
“With some very resourceful allies, I faked my own death, left Godsden, and never returned. I hid among the regions for a long while until godly activity keptpicking up. The possibility of being discovered frightened me enough, I ran here and have been here in the Lost Sea ever since.
“Fast forward some years, a pulse ripped through the sea. I stood on the edge of my island as Starza slowly rose, with this creation in her tentacle. As soon as my hands touched it, I received a message from the same being who sent you one. I was told a prophecy that is beginning to unfold and was instructed to hang onto this until the time came to give it to you.”
He slowly reaches forward, but my hands stay frozen in my lap. One from true fear of touching it and because I’m not sure I can move my fingers.
“I…why me?”
“I can’t tell you everything about the prophecy, but it has always surrounded the five of you. Why you and not them is, sadly, simple. Your Valtrue, the sons of Obliteration, have always had two sides they could fall to. Despite what they faced when in the clutches of their father, the possibility of falling back to the dark side was always an option. The need for revenge, release of their rightful power, many other motivators kept their options open. That’s no longer the case because of you. They will forevermore always choose you. Without you, though, that falls away.”
My soul shudders in my chest when I think about them going back to the Abandon for whatever reason.
No, I won’t let that happen.
He stands and makes his way around a mound of his collectables, disappearing from my sight.
My heart races as I try to uncurl my fingers, and a painful whimper passes through my lips as pins and needles shoot up my arms. Even the breath I release is cold.
“I have one more thing for you before you go.”
My head shakes. I don’t want anything else.
He laughs but stops as he sees how blank, probably pale, my face is. Still, he holds up another object.
“A key?”
“Yes. You’ll know what it unlocks when you’re supposed to. Do you think you can starshoot these things to your ship?”
There isn’t a vibration or tingle to be found in my body aside from the chill. I try to sense something, call it forth, but absolutely nothing responds. I shake my head and his brows furrow for a moment, then he snaps his fingers and disappears once again.
He comes back just as fast with a bronze box tucked under his arm. He kneels and sets it in my lap, completely ignoring the glare I’m shooting him.
I think he’s been away from people for far too long.
I don’t voice my concerns, though, as he lowers the Binding first into the box, then the key.
“Your hand, please.” He holds his out expectantly, and mine shakes uncontrollably. “Oh my, that’s really not good.”
I tighten my lips as he places my hand on the lid. “This nifty thing is an illusion cube. You can change its size to whatever you please, depending on your need. If it’s empty, anyone can use it, but if it’s not, only the being who closed it can open it again. The creation wraps around your essence. I’d recommend you close it to something small enough that will fit in your pocket for now.”
“And I do that how?”
“Oh, right, sorry. You just think about it.”
I release a slow, shaky breath and hold the lid with literally every last drop of strength I possess in my body. My hand falls rapidly against my lap as the cube shrinks down and tumbles to the ground.
“Ah, very good. This will do,” he says as he picks it up and examines it, then attempts to pass it to me.
I literally just stare at him.
