This is so much worse than the first time.
I think I pissed the Valories off with my demand.
“Very good, Thayla. Here, this should help.”
My fingers wrap around the glass vial Willow passes me, and I toss it back. My eyes flare as I swear, sparks zap down my throat, clearing the ash and dryness, then it flows through my bloodstream.
“Gods damn it, Thayla Godrun. Get the fuck out of that water and stop putting unknown shit in your mouth,” Riven screeches at the top of his lungs.
My shocked gaze whips between him and the empty vial in my hand.
Fuck me, I didn’t think twice about drinking that.
“What the hell was that?” I ask, narrowing my glare at the smirk on Willow’s face.
“My grandpa’s notorious healing tonic. Truthfully, I have no clue what it’ll do to your powers, but your body should feel glorious,” she says as her smile grows.
For fuck’s sake. I hope Riven’s little friend isn’t her grandpa.
Four splashes send water cascading all over me, and I don’t have a moment to blink before my men snatch me out of the hot spring. Someone grabs the Binding from me, while three other sets of hands tug me around.
Their shouting clogs my ears, making my head spin and my chest cave in.
“Guys, please. Give me one second to breathe,” I yell, tossing my hands out in front of me.
The four of them fall silent and stare at me. I exhale.
“Thank you.”
“Are you okay?” Kyzen asks as he cups my cheeks.
“I…think—”
We whirl around as Willow clears her throat. With a wave of her hand, the water is sucked from our bodies. Hair, clothes, everything. My jaw drops as more confusion tramples through me, and the guys shift on their feet.
She gives us no explanation, only a tight smile as she bends down and sinks her fingers back beneath the surface of the hot spring.
“If you all wouldn’t mind stepping back for me, that’d be great. They’re about to lose their shit, and it’d be best if there’s some distance between us.”
“They who?”
Creed’s question goes ignored as power cascades through the air. We have no choice but to backpedal when V flaps his wings in front of us, hooting, and the energy around the hot spring intensifies.
The gorgeous luminescent blue we’re so used to spins faster than my eyes can track until energy surges from the surface of the water.
What the…
My men jump into position around me, power and even weapons at the ready as four gods charge out of the water as though they had been there the whole time.
“Calm yourselves. They won’t harm you unless you harm or threaten her,”V orders with a tinge of urgency and reverence I don’t believe I’ve ever heard in his tone.
I lay my hand against Creed’s arm, encouraging him to lower his sword. My attempt to step in front of him is futile. He snatches me back to his side faster than I can blink as the others crowd closer to me.
They allow me to stay in the center, though, and my gaze widens at what’s happening in front of me.
The four new men don’t pay us a lick of attention. Their glares stay plastered on Willow.
Okay, so…they won’t hurt us if we don’t hurt her.
