Page 2 of The Gods Order

Rellannaver cast the deciding vote in favor of Amick acting in good faith. I was thrilled it was over. For about five seconds.

Amick invoked his and the others’ right to terminate the agreement made on their behalf and called for a hearing under the Law of Doppia Disaccord. The Beginning Gods argued, but ultimately Calista’s condition—that if the guys spent the day with her, she’d vote in favor of the hearing—won out.

Crazy bitch tricked us.

We went to her home, took her little tour, and mostly behaved. Then she showed us “our rooms” she’d created. She made me a room specifically to separate me from the guys so she could question me about them. When I told her I wouldn’t, she put two and two together—that we were more than a completed Valtrue. She decided I was too much of a distraction and needed me out of the way so the guys would focus on her.

She shoved me through a starshoot, and I landed in the middle of the Court.

She held my men hostage.

I lost my ever-loving mind.

V told me to contact Derivius, so I did immediately. He promised to find out what was happening and let me know. Hours passed with nothing—until he finally reached out and told me to come to his temple.

I found him drunk.

His rambling started with the revelation that Kira, Sabe, and Rella already knew Creation kept the guys. She had twenty days built up, and she had every right to enforce them since the agreement hadn’t been overturned.

I thought I was going to die hearing that. Then he kept talking.

He told me he’d been disowned because he nearly killed the Goddess of Seduction after she tricked—raped—him. She used an illusion to disguise herself as Rellannaver.

After their fallout, he went to the nonmagical realm, where he ended up losing his and Sabe’s Bindings to a magical man. Not long after, the God of Boundaries retrieved him and brought him back to the Valorian Veil because a prophecy had been told. Our prophecy.

Five gods would come. They’d bring ultimate salvation or obliteration.

Very shortly after that, he passed out.

My heart shattered as I kneeled in his dilapidated temple, weighing everything he’d just confessed. My Chaos and Creation rose together in a blaze of power and restored his temple.

I told V to starshoot Derivius to the house and wait for me there.

The desperation to bring my men home shoved me straight into planning, even though my mind and soul refused to calm enough for clear thought. I put up an emotional barrier between myself, the guys, and Derivius.

Standing under his new moon window, I poured my heart out to the Messenger, begging for guidance—asking them to show me whether the plan forming in my mind was the right one.

They answered.

In Amick’s bedroom, I found everything I needed to make my plan work.

The agreement made on their behalf. The Law of Doppia Disaccord. Notes on my powers. Texts on Domain Gods who might be considered “worthy” in the eyes of the Beginning Gods.

I spent the entire night planning and preparing.

The next morning, with the help of Yemi and her Valtrue, Ellian, Lambrit, and Rose, I put my plan into action: gather the signatures, then break the guys out at exactly the forty-eight-hour mark.

Doren and Ellian signed immediately.

Sevryn and I went first to the barrier at the Abandon to get Gladian’s signature. The giant bastard agreed—but only after helping us get the rest. I was pissed, but I tolerated him as an ally. For now.

He and Mara joined Sevryn and me on our trip to Hell.

Imagine my shock when I was greeted as the Goddess of Death.

Still, the title got me through the door unharmed.

We met Delun, the God of Judgment; Phoelius, the God of Redemption; and Barir, the God of Treachery. They weren’t eager to sign. They complained about how Creed ruled Hell—until we learned Delun was the one telling Creed not to free the souls. And he was double-dipping, aiding the God of Obliteration behind Creed’s back.