“Speak where she can hear you,”Seismet commands, and I curl my lip between my teeth to stop from smirking.
“I gave you my word, and I intend to keep it. I’m sorry for how long it’s taken, but I still swear to you, I will fix this.”
“Then if your goal already aligns with Thayla’s and her Valtrue, what is your resistance to helping them?”
He tears his gaze to the side. One rumble and stomp of his hoof from Verlet has him whipping his attention back to him.
“You and I know what all he’s already taken from me. Each creature that falls extinct…” He shakes his head and flexes his finger. “This, signing my name, signs where my favor lies. What if he retaliates against you?”
“The God of Obliteration is going to act however he sees fit no matter what you do or don’t do,” I say, gaining his attention. “But if he were to try to step into this meadow and harm the Veilatara, he’d have to go through hell to get here.”
That pulls his focus back to me fully and his measured gaze roams from my head to my toes.
“If I sign this, I’m not just supporting the five of you. I am setting a precedent for others to challenge what’s been for a long time.”
“They should challenge it.” I shrug.
He stares at me for a long moment.
“You’re a brave one, Ms. Godrun.”
“I don’t have the luxury of being a coward.” I take a step forward, not aggressive, but intentional as I starshoot the parchment to me and hold it out between us. “You aren’t the first to question this decision and I’m sure you won’t be the last.”
He reads over the writing and the moment he gets to the signatures, his eyes whip back up to mine.
“How did you get these signatures?”
“I walked through the gates of Hell.”
He lets out a quiet laugh before tentatively taking the pen from my other hand. When the familiar glow lights across the parchment, I release my breath.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Ms. Godrun.”
I don’t, not entirely anyway, but I’m going to figure it out.
He gives me a tight smile as he passes the parchment back to me, then bows to Seismet and Verlet. The Veilatara part for him, and the three of us follow him through the opening.
I can’t help the smile that takes over my face as I catch the hope in Havar’s eyes. He attempts to cover his excited laugh with a cough as I give him a nod.
“Thayla—may I call you Thayla?” the Goddess of Sound asks before anyone else can speak to me.
“Uh, yeah, of course.”
“Wonderful. May I speak to you for a moment?”
I arch my brow at Yemi, and her shrug doesn’t help my confusion.
“Sure.”
My slow drag of the word doesn’t deter her.
The Goddess of Sound links her arm through mine, and we take a few purposeful steps away from the others. She hums a nervous little melody as her fingers tap on my damn bicep.
“You’re freaking me out.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I tend to sing when I’m nervous or keeping secrets,” she whispers. “I’d like to sign your parchment as well if that’s okay. I just wasn’t sure what I could and couldn’t say in front of everyone.”
“How did you—”
