My breath whooshes out of me, and I declaw myself from him. I hold in a yelp when his hand slowly slides from around me and squeezes the shit out of my hip before he takes a step forward.
“If that is your will,” Kelshin, I suppose, grits out.
All the Dark Gods sheath their swords at the same time, then change their formation. Instead of circling us, they now stand on each side, creating their own path for us to walk through. I stare in confusion until Derivius’s voice sounds far closer than it was.
“Boys, it’s very good to see you. Who do you have here?”
My nose scrunches as I scowl at him when he steps into my view. The seriousness on his face, along with his outstretched hand, confuses me.
“This is Thayla Godrun, our Binder. Thayla, this is Derivius, Beginning God of Chaos.”
Understanding dawns on me at Amick’s introduction.
Don’t make it obvious we know each other.
My hand slides into his, and his fingers grip me gently.
“Isn’t this my lucky day? I get to meet not one but two Beginning Gods. Who would’ve ever thought a little troubled girl from Oddian would have all her prayers answered?”
His lips twitch and his blue eye twinkles with the desire to laugh. “It pleases me dearly to make you feel so special.”
He releases me with a small chuckle and pulls both Kyzen and Riven in for a hug. He and Amick exchange a nod, then he lays his hand on Creed’s shoulder.
“Shall we? I’m sure he’s growing antsy by this point, and that’s always a delight.”
His tight smile has me right back on the edge, and I straighten my spine. My eyes scan what’s ahead of us before he closes the gap with his shoulder pressed to Creed’s.
It wasn’t as long of a look as I’d like, but I saw enough. The gods who escorted us here have, in fact, created a path for us. One that leads right past the God of Obliteration’s statue and into his temple.
A dreadful shiver races down my spine despite the impeccable shine of the structure and the chiseled perfection of the stone. Nothing about this place of worship brings me any comfort or peace, like I’ve heard people say they experience when they leave the temples.
I can’t believe that, of all places, this will be the first house of worship I step into.
My stomach is revolting, as are my feet, and I want to turn around and take my ass back home. I’d never make it, though. I have a sinking feeling that if I tried, I’d be causing more problems than we can currently handle.
My unease sinks deeper inside my bones as we enter the large torch-lit chamber, and a dark laugh echoes all around us.
“My sons. Look at how much you all have grown. Come forward and let me see each of you.”
Thayla
2
His voice is—I hate to say it—warm and smooth.
If you didn’t know anything about him or who he was, just hearing him speak would have any god or goddess batting their lashes at him. His weird-ass comment, though, has a frown marring my face and the guys tensing.
Derivius subtly steps directly in front of me as they shake off the strained energy and form a line together. Without so much as uttering a word, their footsteps fall across the stone floor in sync, and my heart skips a beat.
I hate the fact that I can’t see anything, and nausea builds in my stomach knowing they’re within arm’s reach of him.
The way Derivius’s shoulders keep twitching in time with Kirabaddon’s cooing and hums of approval leads me to believe he’s laying his hands on them.
That shit makes my fingers tremble.
Valories, do not let my chaotic power do some crazy shit right now.
“Ah, my favorite son. The stories that’ve come out of Hellveilious have made me so proud. I always knew you out of your brothers would please me the most.”
