I’m never confiding in her again.
Only Verlet from here on out.
Granted, he hasn’t been much help either.
We stay silent as we make our way down the steps and out the front gate. As soon as I go to starshoot away, though, he grips my damn shoulder.
“What did you tell her about Thayla?”
“Nothing.”
“Did you tell her about her soul?”
“No.”
“Then what did she—”
“For fuck’s sake, drop it, Creed. You’re becoming as bad as Kyzen. I didn’t say shit that could get back around to the High Chancellor or ol’ daddy dearest, for that matter. Plus, even if I did, we can trust them. We’ve always trusted them.”
I mean, when she blabs to Ellian that I have some stupid-ass fucking obsession with Thayla, that’s not gonna seem out of the ordinary.
I obsess over plenty of shit.
Ellian will think the whole two-boyfriend thing I slipped up about will be me exaggerating.
He runs his hand down his face, and those plump, pinched lips of his say he’s still stressed. “I know that. I’m just on edge.”
“Yeah, no shit. There’s a lot of fuckery going on around here.”
He nods, then glances back at the house. “Is he better now?”
“He’ll be good as new after his nap. My harmony dissolved all the stress in his little body.”
“Thanks,” he grunts and I tsks.
“You thank me for this every time this happens and it’s no less weird each time. You bringing them here from the Abandon doesn’t cause this reaction. Being born in that hellhole with that fucked-up power in the air does. Does it upset you that your power can’t kill their stress then heal them and you feel like it’s your responsibility?”
He sneers at me, then stomps off. “Fuck off, Riven.”
“What the hell? You can question me, but I can’t question you?”
“You want an answer, give me an answer. Why don’t you tell Annalise that’s what you’re doing with the babies? Why do you hide it from her and everyone else that you’re using your harmony to do more than calm them? I’m not an idiot.”
My eyes narrow on him.
“Exactly.” He starshoots away and I remain in my spot, gritting my teeth.
Fucking grumpy asshole.
It’s no one’s business that I can do that.
Not even his. That’s why I haven’t told them what I really do.
I wrap myself in my power—fucking harmony—and starshoot outside the Athenaeum where we were supposed to meet everyone.
To my absolute displeasure, the first sound to pierce my ears is the angelic song of Thayla’s laugh. I’m tempted to burst my own eardrums so I don’t have to hear it.
“Good, everyone’s here now. Let’s go,” Amick demands as he marches away.
