“We didn’t talk about shit. Amick told us we have to meet all the other Valtrue’s at the Sanctum, and the High Cocksucker will call each Valtrue up one by one.”
“What the hell else do you want to talk about then, Riven? That’s what’s happening.”
Riven throws his hands up at Creed as he stands from the table, stomps to the living room, and paces in front of the fireplace.
I hide my highly inappropriate smirk. It’s funny to me, though, the four of them gravitate toward my addition to the house when they get to thinking too hard.
You know, I kind of miss our living room beds.
I mean, I love the fact my bed is now big enough to accommodate all five of us, but if the mattresses were still out here, he couldn’t be stalking around like an agitated animal.
“I really don’t understand why we’ve just fucking accepted the fact that we have to get our blood tested. Why the hell wasn’t more done to stop this from happening?”
His cruel glare lands right on Amick and heat spreads through my body.
“What more did you want done?” I ask low, arching a brow at him.
Both a warning and a plea for him to settle his ass down. I won’t be letting this blame game commence when I know all of us are on edge. We’re just hiding it really well.
I release a long breath as I stand and make my way to him.
“We’ve been discussing this. For over a week now. It’s been in bits and pieces, little conversations, because we all know there’s no getting out of this. We knew it the moment he wrote it into law and said refusal would be punishable. There’s no telling the punishment the four of you would face, but we know good and well, whatever he could and would cook up for me would be horrible. I can’t go through that again, Riven.”
His arms wrap around me, and he pulls me tight against his chest. My thumb traces below his slowly, swirling eyes.
“He spent days in Valveilious, rallying the Domain Gods and fuck knows who else behind his decision. Amick told us when he returned, he was bragging about the excitement coming from the gods. They’re all behind the idea of knowing that the blessings us lowly gods have been given are being appreciated.
“He planned this precisely and perfectly, no doubt to get us right where he wanted us. Why? We don’t know yet. What we know, what’s undeniable, is the fact we can’t refuse this without greater consequences. We lost this round with him. Now we have to face it and be ready for what happens after that.”
“What happens if the Beginning Gods come knocking, asking how the fuck we got extra power they didn’t give us?” he asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. We lie. We say this is what the Gods Binding gave us for our Pairing. They have no proof of anything else. Assholes have already checked.”
He sighs, leaning his forehead down to mine.
“This shit has my belly swirling. Not in the fun, chaotic way. I can’t believe out of everyone, I’m the one who seems the most concerned.”
I cup his cheeks.
“We’re all concerned. We’re all freaking the fuck out. I’m scared for us, for Yemi. I can’t let it consume me or I will literally—”
“All of you come to my temple. Now.”
My ears ring and my gaze jerks to Creed, Amick, and Kyzen as they jump from their seats with their fist clenched at their sides. The dishes and cups on the table rattle, some even spill over, but they don’t give a shit about that right now.
“He’s got some fucking nerve,” Creed growls.
All four of them flip their shit and my wild gaze jumps between them.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Little troublling, if you’d be so kind to please tell your men to stop threatening my life.”
“Maybe if you’d have spoken to any of us since what happened, Derivius, they wouldn’t be reacting this way.”
“I will explain my silence once you’re at the temple. Tell them to bring you or I will come get you myself. Those are the options.”
I grit my teeth and pinch the bridge of my nose.
