I can’t say I haven’t had those thoughts, but they hadn’t become loud enough for me to cling to either.
“Riven was the one who broke through to me first around day four. He then went to Creed and I went to Amick. Even after we came to an unspoken agreement that this was reality, everything still felt wrong in a way. That lasted a few more days,” Kyzen admits.
Heat rushes through my body and my nails bite into my palms.
“I’ll still feel confused for a few more days?”
“Hopefully not. We want to be here for you through the rest of it.”
“We do,” Amick and Creed instantly agree, but it’s Riven’s grunt that catches me off guard.
“I do, but I also want to be completely honest with you. This is something that’s about to stick with you for a long, long time,Thayla. This isn’t the type of trauma you get to bury away and forget about it. It’s got a way of sneaking up and biting you in the ass when you least expect it.”
He flips his hands over repeatedly. The muscles in his jaw flex harder with every rotation.
“What is that?”
Amick and I share a glance as the question comes from both of us.
“This is a little parting gift from the God of Shadows. He left his mark before I took his life from him tonight.”
“You did what?” Amick asks, but Riven’s eyes never move from mine.
“You killed a Domain God?” I ask.
“I did. I did it with the intention that his power would never touch you again. Funny how things come back to bite you, huh?”
We both stare at the shadow links.
“How could you do something like that—”
“Don’t, Amick. I was with him. It’s what needed to be done and now it is. Those aren’t his shadows, Riven. They’re now yours. Their touch won’t hurt any of us.”
The conviction in Kyzen’s words has us all falling silent.
We all look at Riven.
Then they all glance at me.
Their gazes have a weight.
It smothers me in the best sort of way.
This is real, Thayla. This is happening in the moment.
They are real.
They are…
“Can I ask you all something?”
My small voice sends a bout of shame rolling through me. I shove it away as best as I can.
“Anything.”
They all say.
I breathe.
