I always pay attention to him despite what he thinks.
“Shit, I thought I lost it and got scared there for a second.”
“You were scared you lost a rock? Did you pick it up off the sea floor?”
An oomph falls from Riven when Creed and Kyzen punch him in the ribs.
“Don’t make fucking jokes like that,” Creed grunts at the same time Kyzen says, “Too soon for jokes like that.”
I stare at the small square item pinched between her finger and thumb.
“It’s not a rock,” she says, then exhales.
Thenot rockexpands right before our eyes, transforming into a perfect cube.
“An illusion cube. How in the realm did you get that?” I ask.
“I’ll explain everything in a second. Do I open it the way I closed it? Just put my hand on it?”
“Yes.”
She nods, then lays her hand on top of the box. I watch in utter fascination.
The illusion cubes were created prior to the time that beings had the power to starshoot their items. Once that ability manifested, these creations became a thing of the past.
I’ve only ever laid my eyes on one and it’s in the High Chancellor’s office.
I’ve had a dark desire to ask Riven to steal it for me, but I’ve never allowed myself to utter those words. Only keep the fantasy locked in my mind.
Now I’ll never have to worry about it. My Binder has one and I know she’ll share with me.
That thought is proven true when the sound of a lock clicking echoes around the bathroom, and without lifting the lid off, she passes me the cube.
“Oh, Amick, wait. You might want—”
I gasp and almost drop the precious package in the bath as power erupts through the room.
It pulses, syncing with my heartbeat and amplifying it tenfold.
My eyes swirl glittering gold as I peer down at the small globe that’s protectively surrounded by bronze casing. My hands carefully, slowly, grip it as I pull it free from the cube.
My power pushes forward and I dive headfirst into its truth as my gaze falls into the white essence of the Beginning Gods that swirl within it.
I grunt as the images and actions of this Binding roar across my mind. Vile, vile, unspeakable acts were committed with its power.
The capabilities, the possibilities with this are as endless as they are enlightening and endangering.
A strangled gasp falls from my chest as the Binding decides that’s all it wants me to see.
I pass it to Kyzen, who’s standing before me, concerned and ready to assist. He sets it back in the cube as I get to my feet and place my hands on my knees, then I draw in as much air as I can.
What I can and can’t speak of the truth settles over my mind and bile races up my throat. These aren’t necessarily secrets I’ll be keeping from my Valtrue, as none of it truly affects us, but it’s a devastating secret to keep all the same.
Water slooshes over the side of the bath as Thayla jumps to her feet and makes her way to me.
“Are you okay?”
“V,” I call out loud. “Get in here, V.”
