“Do you want to sleep here tonight or come to my house?” Lambrit asks as he sits beside me on the couch.
I blink out of my staring and fall into his very serious gaze. I’m not choosing either of those options, but I appreciate his effort more than I can explain right now.
“Or if it’s more comfortable for you, we’ll all come have a sleepover at your house,” Rose offers, undoubtedly picking up on the rejection about to spew through my lips.
“I really appreciate that, you guys, but—”
“But nothing. We’re all staying together until we know what the fuck is going on. Pick where you plan to sleep. I’m exhausted.”
I sneer at Sevryn. Even Yemi’s harsh whisper of his name doesn’t lessen the glare I give him.
Bossy fucker.
If Creed were here, he’d tell him…
Oh, gods.
A lump forms in my throat and the backs of my eyes burn as I choke down the fury that rushes me. I haven’t stopped thinking about them. It’s impossible, but the longer the hours stretch by, far past our normal bedtime, the harder it’s becoming to shove my emotions down.
How the fuck am I supposed to sleep in my bed, sleep in general while they’re stuck with that crazy—
“Little troububbllling,” Derivius hiccups and slurs in my mind and I sit straight up. The entire house goes silent at my gasp. “Come to my temple.”
“I got to go,” I mutter, shoving myself off the couch, and V hoots from the sudden movement.
“Whoa, Thay. Wait. Where are you going?” Lambrit shouts as I sling the door open.
“To see Derivius,” I holler over my shoulder as I race outside.
“V. Take me to his temple, please.”
Everyone’s yelling silences as he starshoots us through the dead of night into the even deader tree line that surrounds Derivius’s temple. Dim flickers of light dance with the shadows spilling through the open stone door and I haul ass inside.
My steps slow as the sound of him singing, horribly loud, pierces my ears. A clank of a bottle hitting the rubble ground echoes through the empty space.
“Derivius.”
“Ah, you made it. Come, come. Have a drink with me.”
My eyebrows shoot to my hairline as he raises another bottle in the air. A glass appears in his other hand, and he fills it past the fucking brim. An unhinged laugh pours through his lips as the liquor spills over his fingers.
“You’re drunk.”
“Very. Come join me. It’s so depressing drinking alone. I miss the mortals. They loved to party.”
He sloshes the drink around as he waves it at me, and I stomp toward him and snatch it out of his hand.
“Oops. Party foul on you. You’re wasting the good stuff.”
“The good stuff, Derivius? Are you fucking kidding me right now? You were supposed to be figuring out what to do about the guys. Not…not drinking your fucking issues away in this dilapidated temple.”
My shout echoes around us and the torches along the walls flicker.
A chair appears in front of him, and he gestures for me to take a seat. He can’t even form fucking words through his damn hiccups.
“Sit. Drink. Let me explain.”
I sneer at him and the strong smell of alcohol.
