“Anytime,” I breathe.
I clear my throat and adjust myself on his lap, but the moment I’m settled, I wish I had kept my face tucked into him.
Yemi’s entire Valtrue stares at me like they don’t know what to think of me and I can’t help but squirm.
Amick subtly grabs my hips, but that makes my blood grow hotter.
“So…” I trail off, giving literally anyone the opportunity to say something.
“I have no way to express or repay my gratitude for what you all helped me with today. I also want to apologize to my entire Valtrue for not finding you all sooner,” Doren says.
Valories, he’s too freaking nice.
I wonder if he’s the oldest of the bunch.
I’m also curious if what he’s been through has made him so appreciative.
“Doren, I’ve told you many times now that you have nothing to apologize for. Now that we’ve found Iric, we can return with Sevryn to collect Yemi and have their things moved to my home.”
My body locks up and my gaze whips to Sevryn. His glare is unkind, so that at least tells me this is news to him as well, and not some taurnshit he’s already agreed to.
“You three are more than welcome to go live inyourhome in Valveilious. Yemi and I aren’t going any-damn-where.”
I exhale at Sevryn’s sharp words.
“We can’t or shouldn’t live separately. We’re a completed Valtrue,” Doren says desperately, but I couldn’t give a fuck about that tone now.
They’re seriously considering moving my best friend away from me.
I’ll be damned.
“Doren’s correct. Not to mention, with the two of our standings, it makes the most sense for us to live in Valveilious.”
“Oh, so you’re a pretentious asshole?”
“I’m sorry?” Nero’s forehead wrinkles like he’s really confused.
“You’re about to be if you suggest moving my best friend away from me again. Also, fuck you for thinking you can make decisions for her when you haven’t spoken to her about this. You don’t even know her, her situation, her power, her already established relationships, anything. Not to mention, she actually has a family member in the Godsdawn. And she has me.”
“Are you insinuating she’d rather live in the Godsdawn than Valveilious?”
“I’d bet my life on it that she isn’t going to be willing to move. And I can assure you, you”—I jab my finger at him, so my point gets across real clear—“won’t be pressuring her into that decision. If you try, you better hope Sevryn gets ahold of you before I do.”
Riven claps his hands and kicks his feet as he falls into a fit of laughter. The smirks Kyzen and Creed are giving me aren’t helping the situation.
“Oh man. We should’ve pegged you as a control freak the moment you verified you were a Mediator. All you middlemen crave control.”
Kyzen huffs at Riven.
“Don’t group us all together.”
“Well, yeah, aside from you, but you don’t count.”
“If my opinion matters in this decision, I’d prefer not to live in Valveilious.”
Iric’s voice is so calm and collected, and a smidge of guilt spears through my chest over the fact that I wholeheartedly took over the direction of that conversation.
I can’t help it, though.
