“I’m so over beings telling me my thoughts are loud.”
“I didn’t say loud. I said aren’t quiet.”
“Same damn thing.”
She laughs as her head pivots from side to side, mapping out the landscape of the meadows in front of us. My annoyed huff has her fighting back a bigger smile.
“Tell me, Thayla. How’s life been since you got your powers and became a goddess?”
“Like shit. Thanks for asking about something you shouldn’t even know.”
My lids drift shut as I scold myself. The murmurs from the men behind me unravel some of the tight tension in my chest and ease some of my mistrust.
If my men can gather themselves enough to carry on polite—they sound polite at least—conversations, then so can I.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so bitchy. This is just…”
“A lot. Overwhelming. Confusing. Tiresome.”
“Yeah.” I sigh. “Every time I turn around, something’s happening. Now I’m just strolling through the meadow witha being from a realm that’s been closed off to us for over a millennium like I didn’t just get stabbed in the stomach with corrupt power less than an hour ago.”
“The adrenaline crash from this is going to be rough, but that’s where your relationship with your men and family comes in. You all will help each other through it. Everything happens for a reason and when it’s supposed to, Thayla.”
I scoff. “That’s taurnshit. I can name three things off the top of my head that never should’ve happened to me but did.”
“They shouldn’t have, but you don’t have control over other people’s choices. Their choices led to that, and they’ll be the ones to reap the consequences of that one day. Not you.”
My gaze searches the side of her face. The distance in her eyes is brief, but I caught it, and recognition pangs through my chest.
“You’re speaking from experience.”
“I am.”
“Why are you so comfortable admitting that to me?” I ask.
“Same reason you’re so comfortable walking arm in arm with me. You—your mind—haven’t realized it yet, but your power and your body already trust me and know I mean you no harm. There’s no reason for there to be tension, mistrust, or fear between us. I’ve known you since before you were born, and I’ve waited what feels like a lifetime for this moment.”
I gulp.
I hadn’t noticed how my shoulders were sagging and my powers were sitting content inside of me. Well, I’m not sure if they have a choice. They’re a little lethargic from what they went through, but not the least bit on edge toward her.
“How is that possible?” I ask.
“There’s a lot I can’t tell you, and some things I will share will only confuse you right now, but I promise, it’ll all make sense soon.”
“Story of my fucking life,” I mumble.
Irritation swells in my chest.
What I didn’t expect to also bubble to the surface was a deep sense of…sadness.
I’m sad that me and my men just went through something horrific, again, and instead of finding comfort in each other, we’re walking through the fucking meadows with a Nexus of Elementrians that shouldn’t even be here.
I’m also rightfully pissed that the Messenger, the Valories, and any of the higher-up gods that may be worth a shit keep allowing things like what happened today to happen.
“The Messenger?” Willow asks, and I narrow my eyes on her. She holds my gaze, then it flicks to my shoulder.
Her glare soon matches mine as she continues to stare at V.
