“Possibly. The more likely scenario is he’s had the same concerns as us but couldn’t do anything about it until now. Since the last file or information about you shared with Harriseen was that your power was under the Domain of Chaos…”
“Then this makes it seem like that’s the truth,” I finish for Amick. “So…I’m going to wear the bracelet and we’re going to attempt to get multiple lies past the goddess who can tell she’s being lied to?”
Their lips tighten with their clipped nods.
“Very well.” I sigh as I grab the bracelet from Riven and slide it back in place.
Everything within me recoils. Aside from my Chaos.
The sensation of having my powers suppressed is incredibly uncomfortable.
“Time to go. Yemi and Nero are probably outside waiting,” Kyzen says with a small smile as he offers me his arm.
Right.
“You all will call for me if you need anything,”V hoots from his nook and we all tell him we will as we make our way through the living room.
Sure enough, as soon as we walk out the front door, Yemi and her entire Valtrue are standing there, waiting.
Doren’s and Iric’s faces are clouded in worry, whereas Sevryn looks ready to kill someone. Nero seems to be a mix of defeat and acceptance.
“You okay?” I ask Yemi as I step toward her and grip her trembling hands.
Between her pale cheeks and watery eyes, she’s half a second away from freaking out.
“Okay as I can be.”
“We need to get to the Sanctum,” Nero says as he lays a hand on Yemi’s back.
I catch the tenderness in his tone, and I step back to give her some space as she turns to embrace the other three.
“Starshoot to the statues,” Kyzen says, and I release a deep breath.
Light flashes around me as they all take off, and I grow frantic as my power doesn’t respond.
“Thayla?” Sevryn asks.
“I don’t…oh fuck, duh.” I slide the damn power contraption off my arm and huff as everything bursts to life. “I’ll explain when we get back. Got to go.”
My starshoot carries me to the Sanctum and everyone whips around, eyes narrowed as their gazes trace my body.
“We all forgot about something.” I jiggle the bracelet before putting it back in place and their shoulders drop.
As do my powers.
It can’t be good to keep shutting them down, then waking them back up so inconsistently.
“Right.” Kyzen runs his hand down his face, then peers over his shoulder. “Derivius should already be here to escort us. So you shouldn’t have to take it off again, and let’s just not draw attention to it.”
He holds his arm out, gesturing for me to take up a spot in the middle of them.
We make our way directly to the foyer where the podium that starshoots formal complaints to Valveilious is located and find Derivius and Ellian already waiting for us.
Ellian greets us with a warm smile that I know is meant to comfort us, but realistically, nothing is going to make this pit of dread in my stomach go away until this is over.
“Boys, Ms. Godrun, Ms. Andino, Mr. Valadi,” Derivius says with a small bow that we return. I was prepared for the formalness, but not the…sad smile he gives us. Fear claws its way up my throat. “The bodies you’re presenting as evidence, Amick, have already been taken to the Neutral, and the other Beginning Gods are examining them now. Do you have the rest of your evidence with you?”
“I do,” Amick says, tapping the breastplate of his armor.
