“Godrun. Thayla Godrun.”
“Ms. Godrun. This is Lyrica, Goddess of Sound. We had a prior engagement planned for the day before the Prime Veilatara reached out. I figured what better way to impress a lady than to have a stroll around a Veilatara meadow and introduce her to my fine creatures.”
The Goddess of Sound giggles a sweet, musical sound, and I force a smile through my clenched teeth.
I don’t like how he said his.
I see there’s a little romance brewing between these two, though.
“The meadow is stunning and it’s a gorgeous day, so you’ll more than likely see the younglings running around playing.”
“That surely will be a sight to see. So where is the Prime? And why did he want me to see?”
Very good question.
“Seismet? Verlet?”
“We’re on our way. Get ready.”
“Get ready for what?”
Everyone falls still as the ground beneath our feet trembles and my head slowly turns toward the echoing gallops. My lips part as not only Seismet and Verlet charge toward us, but the whole herd.
A quiet laugh huffs out of me as I take a step toward them.
“Whoa, Ms. Godrun. I wouldn’t advise that. The Veilatara are very wary of beings approaching them,” the God of Creatures says as he grips my elbow.
He doesn’t tear his…astonished gaze off the Veilatara heading our way.
“It’s okay,” I mumble, patting his hand rather than prying it off me like I want.
He doesn’t attempt to stop me again as I stride toward the oncoming Veilatara. Every step I take toward them has waterbuilding in my eyes. I slow to a stop just as they do, and when they bow low to me, I let out a deep exhale and mimic the gesture.
“Come to us, Thayla,”Seismet says, and I do so with no argument.
My forehead leans against his, then Verlet’s. They nuzzle into me, and it takes everything in me not to let a tear fall. Their power is so unexplainable and…pure. Anytime I see them all together like this, I understand a little more why Riven gets so passionate when he speaks about them.
“What’s going on? What is this grand show about?”
“The God of Creatures isn’t a bad man or god, but he does hold himself on a pedestal when it comes to us creatures, although he had no part in our creation. He would’ve brushed you off the moment you began talking about us because to him, no one knows us better than him. I was making a very clear point, you are, and always will be, more important to us than he is,”Verlet says with conviction that knocks the air from my lungs.
“Thank you. Both of you.”
“Who are you?”
I whirl around, and my eyes widen as I take in the Veilatara circling us. They’ve only allowed the God of Creatures to step through the formation they’ve made around me.
His narrowed gaze is full of confusion.
“Tell him the truth of who you are to us, Thayla,”Seismet says.
I run my hand down the contraption strapped to his wings.
“I’m the godly companion to this Veilatara. The Prime’s familial second. The Prime”—I stretch my other arm out and rub Verlet—“is the godly companion to my Valtrue members.”
The God of Creatures’ mouth pops open as his gaze bounces between the three of us.
“Impossible. There haven’t been connections since—”
