“Nothing was going to happen to him.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Ah, I see. You’re mad I took him instead of you. Is that it?”
“Don’t, Riven. Don’t taunt him right now.”
“Stay out of it, Amick. If the big bad God of Death wants to throw threats of ass beatings out, he can admit what’s made him so sensitive.”
My eyes blaze white as my power ruffles itself out in my chest. I keep a tight hold on it and don’t allow it to seep from my skin. No matter how much his irises swirl, I don’t relent my grip.
“That’s exactly why you should’ve taken me. Because I’m the God of Death.”
“Sorry to burst your big little ego, brother, but snatching Obsidian’s soul wouldn’t have worked. He never would’ve let you close enough to try.”
“It might not have been his soul I needed to fucking…”
I trail off, sucking in a deep breath as I take a step away from him. My hands tangle in my roots as I turn back toward the kitchen.
I can’t do this. I’ll fucking punch him. Then that’ll stress Thayla out if she hears us fighting.
Just cook. Ignore him.
“What the hell are you trying to get at? You would’ve what? Snatched my soul and brought me back from the dead. That’s kind of crazy, you know.”
My head bows and shakes as I grip the counter.
He doesn’t get it.
Honestly, I don’t think he understands at all.
I breathe through the fury burning inside of me. This is a conversation that needs to be had. We should’ve had it already. I just got to keep my cool to get through it.
“If you or Kyzen had died out there, I wouldn’t have been close enough to snatch the sliver of Thayla’s soul from either of you. Or yours, for that matter, if your body could’ve been healed.
“She is sealed to you now, Riven. Sealed, as in her soul is fully infused with yours. If something were to happen to your soul, hers is going to shred off, then enter the realm right along with yours. The only way to prevent that is if I’m there to snatch it out of existence, hold it, heal it, then give it back to her.”
His eyes widen, then snap over to Amick’s harsh breath.
“If you were to do that, her soul would be damaged from ripping from his but not completely destroyed. Eventually, all the pieces living in us would heal it. Just like you explained when you were contemplating removing her pieces from us.”
“Yes, but now instead of wanting to remove her pieces, I want them to remain in us. Strong and complete like it is, but if somethingwereto happen, I know what to do to protect her. I can’t fucking be left out of life-or-death situations.”
I sigh and make my way back to all the breakfast shit I have strung from one counter to the next.
Wordlessly, I finish getting everything ready.
Muffin mix gets poured in a pan. Eggs get whisked. Shit gets put away.
The silence that swarms me is deafening.
“Amick, go rearrange the living room however suits you. Riven, go bring your mattress and mine out here. Maybe if we make a fucking fort in the living room, she won’t lock herself away from us.”
That’s all the motivation Amick needed to get his ass going.
The sizzle of the meat hitting hot butter has my shoulders relaxing and my lids drifting shut.
“Creed.”
