The bright flash of light forces me to squeeze my eyes shut and I sway.
Thayla’s hand wraps around my bicep to hold me steady, and I slouch over the side of the bathtub.
“You’ve seen its truth.”
“I have. Some of it at least.”
“The Binding is a very powerful tool. You’ve witnessed what could happen in the wrong hands.”
“What could happen? What did happen?” Creed asks.
“Horrible, horrible things. To a lot of people. Was that our fathers’ power?”
“No, but that is what happens when power becomes corrupt.”
I press the heels of my hands into my eyes to try to force away the black spots and the images of beings’ souls being ripped apart and their blood running black.
It was so much like what happens to the beings my father powers completely.
“When were you going to tell us you, at one time, had possession of this Binding?”
“What?” everyone parrots.
“Once it was in your possession. I didn’t have the Binding long. I was instructed on who to take it to and that is what I did.”
“So you really didn’t know where it was this whole time?” Thayla asks.
“Of course not. That answer I would’ve given you to save us some time. Thayla, why don’t you explain everything that happened to you while Amick settles back down?”
Her gaze whips right back to mine and concern etches across her features.
“Are you okay? That didn’t last long but seemed to have taken a lot out of you.”
“It did, which is normal. The more powerful the truth, the more power it uses. That’s the most powerful object I’ve ever laid my hand on.”
I lower myself onto the built-in seat and lean my hand back as I regulate my breathing.
Thayla perches herself beside me and laces our fingers together.
“You all aren’t going to believe who I met.”
My racing mind can’t help but lock in and absorb everything she’s saying. Although I’m not looking at her, my gaze continues to widen on the ceiling.
The God of Discovery.
Never would I have guessed.
“He’s been pronounced dead since before we were even born. It’s easy to assume that the God of the Sea is an ally of his. He was the one who announced he found his body washed up on shore. Did he say that the Messenger was the onewho told him to write the book and somehow get it to Oddian for you to find? Also, did he say if it was him or someone else who used it, which would’ve caused the Goddess of Seduction to sense it?”
“Shit…I’m sorry. Honestly, neither of those things even occurred to me to ask. I was a little overwhelmed and freezing to death. We’ll have to ask him.”
“I can fucking promise you, you won’t be going back into that sea to ask a dumbass question that doesn’t help us now,” Riven warns.
“First of all, I can do whatever I want.”
“Yeah, and I can throw you over my shoulder and walk you around everywhere you want to go or tie you to a bed so you can’t do shit.” Creed huffs, no doubt earning himself a fierce glare.
“Damn, Creed, that’s some freaky shit. I’m down.”
