Page 184 of The Gods Order

No one argues.

With Yemi’s help, I take a step forward.

Gentle, familiar hands settle against my shoulders and every hair on my body stands on end. Warm breath ghosts across my ear.

“Welcome home, Thay.”

My blood freezes.

Yemi’s fingers slip from my arm.

“Thayla!”

My realm lurches and charcoal swallows my vision.

Then…nothing.

Thayla

22

Air tears into my lungs and I lurch upright with a violent cough.

My chest burns as though I’d been held beneath water for far too long. Another ragged gasp follows, then another, each one scraping my throat raw.

What…Where—

The realm spins around me as soon as I attempt to turn my head and take in my surroundings. I throw out my hands, shifting myself on all fours as dizziness crashes over me. Loose dirt grinds beneath my palms, cool and familiar against my skin.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

Breathe. Just breathe. Think.

What’s the last thing you remember?

Hands. A voice. Obliteration’s Veil.

The realm slowly steadies as those moments come back to me.

My fingers flex and the dry sand slips between them, then…dissolves. It doesn’t crumble or blow away. It simply unravels into wisps of charcoal essence before reforming beneath my palms.

My breath catches and I jerk my hands to my chest as I fall back on my heels.

“What the…”

My pulse hammers against my ribs as my gaze lifts and finally observes the scene around me. Haze stretches in every direction, disorienting but not obscuring what’s surrounding me.

Clay walls. A wooden post. Multiple weapons racks.

Recognition slams into me.

No.

“I was kneeling right where you are that night.”

I whirl around on my knees too fast, hitting my ass painfully. That doesn’t stop me from attempting to crawl backward as fast as I can.

My frantic movements slow as Mellcom watches me.