Page 192 of The Gods Order

I don’t remember deciding to hum. I rarely do.

It simply…

Happens.

A quiet vibration settles in my chest as Chaos stretches in my belly, delighted by the promise of what comes next.

“Round around the ropes glow,

Ashes drift where dead gods go.

Four boys charge and she hangs high,

Father laughs and all sons die.”

With one swift tug, we’re ripped from the floor. My angel and I soar through the air together for the second time in our short little lives.

My giggle tickles my throat as I pull her head to my chest and wrap my body around hers.

The melody playing in my mind slows. As does everything around us.

I watch, truly mesmerized, as Death launches himself straight at the rope imprisoning her. His exquisite swords slice through the black essence spilling from our father’s palm, and corruption bursts apart like smoke caught in a storm.

Then…

We plummet.

She screams. I laugh.

Kyzen’s power wraps us in a hug, while her beautiful Boundaries places us in a bubble. My ass touches the ground, nice and gentle. No more than a millisecond passes, and Kyzen and Amick jerk us to our feet.

The relief lasts exactly one chuckle.

Across the chamber, our father doesn’t even spare her a glance as we shove her behind us and stand as one.

He merely rolls one shoulder. Then the other.

Like a man loosening stiff muscles.

“Round around the charcoal wall,

Catch her, save her, watch her fall.

Pull the rope and cut it through,

Father’s smiling just at you.”

“There,” he murmurs as his gold eyes drift across the four of us like a man admiring a piece of art. “That’s the welcome I was hoping for.”

My humming grows louder.

“Round around our father goes,

Counting every son he knows.

One for Death and one for Time,

One who laughs and one who’s Right.”