The way I’ll use my power will be far different from that sick bitch.
“Bardot and Elsher Valtrues, do you remember who you’re following?” Creed asks, and I bite my cheek to shut myself up.
That’s the single piece of Amick’s plan that I wholeheartedly disagree with. I didn’t voice my concerns, although I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs that I refuse for us to be separated.
They all felt my displeasure, though. It still didn’t change their minds.
The Bardot Valtrue will be with Creed, Sevryn, Yemi, and me, while the Elsher Valtrue will be with Amick, Kyzen, and Gladian’s group.
The point, according to the guys, about us splitting up is we need to hit both areas of Seductions at once. The ‘fornicating floor,’ as Amick called it, and the fighting floor.
We can’t risk searching the wrong floor and the Goddess of Seduction move Riven.
He could be on either.
They also wanted to eliminate the possibility of Gladian and the others finding Mellcom, then leaving us high and dry.
We have the advantage of relaying messages through V, so if one group of us finds Riven before the other, we can tell him, and he’ll communicate with all of us.
“Questions?” Amick asks, and everyone mumbles no.
Except for Gladian.
“You explained minimally to me, Creed, about us being in separate groups because we need to break Riven’s restraints when he’s found. I want an answer. How could he be restrained to the point he or even Mellcom can’t starshoot out? I need to know what I could come across, for both their sakes.”
Creed and Gladian stare each other down so hard the building tension sits on my chest like a boulder. My breathing labors the longer this standoff goes on.
It becomes glaringly obvious that Creed was avoiding talking about this for my benefit. The apologetic look he gives me has chill bumps breaking out across my arms.
“Riven will be restrained with chains that our father, the Goddess of Seduction, and the Goddess of Creation have embedded. Their purpose is to block the reach of his powers. He can push his powers out, but they can’t spread around his whole body. One of us will need to destroy the chains.”
My eyes slam shut, and I stagger back, struggling to drag air into my lungs.
Thank fuck my power listens to reason and stays put rather than burst out.
My soul, on the other hand, goes ballistic in the confines I’ve kept it in. I finally give in to its demands.
Three-fourths at least.
The guys step closer, unable to ignore my tug. I try my hardest to keep my emotions from leaking through, but I know I fail completely at that when Creed hisses.
Gladian clears his throat, and I glare over at him.
“If Mellcom’s found first, then what?”
“If their group finds him first, the Bardot Valtrue can starshoot back to the Godsdawn with him. If it’s our group, your Valtrue, the Elshers, and possibly Mellcom, will stay until Riven is safe.”
Amick’s tone leaves no room for argument. Granted, I’ll give it to Gladian. He doesn’t look like he’s ready to put one up. I refuse to give him any benefit of the doubt, but he genuinely looks a little shaken from hearing about those fucking chains.
“Understood.”
“Your power will unbind as soon as we step into Seductions. Keep your eyes peeled and stay behind Gladian’s Valtrue,” Creed says, addressing the Bardots and Elshers. “Ready?”
An echoing of yes responds to him, and I force my back straight and head high.
Wordlessly, Amick, Creed, Kyzen, and Sevryn kick dirt over the fire, and the waning sizzle rings in my ears.
The…finality in them doing that, unspoken, together, makes my heart clench painfully. I stare at the last remaining ember until its light is smothered.
