Page 328 of The Gods Order

“Not fucking funny,” I growl. “Don’t call him my brother.”

“It’s a little funny.”

I’ve got half a mind to leave his ass down here.

We make it out the door, then all three of us fall still as the wailing shriek pierces our ears. Riven’s damn bent over, losing his mind in laughter as Mellcom spins in place so fast I can barely see him. Thayla leans against the wall between Amick and Kyzen, with her arms crossed, but she’s wearing a satisfied smirk. So is Mara.

“Oh goodie, you’re all back,” Riven says, snatching his Chaos from around Mellcom.

Within a second of his spin stopping, he throws up all over the floor.

“You’re fucking cleaning that up,” I snap at Riven. “Where’d the damn thing on his mouth go?”

“I took it off so I could hear him scream,” he says, gagging.

“Let’s go,” Thayla says, pushing off the wall. “We got something far more important to take care of today. Are you going to remove the permissions so we can starshoot right there?”

“I will,” I say, then do just that. “Straight to the fighting rings.”

She grins, then grimaces as she grabs Mellcom.

The ability to starshoot other beings and each other was a surprising new ability that emerged as soon as we left the Gods Binding. Given the fact we got wings like the previous Beginning Gods, it shouldn’t have shocked us.

It’s already come in handy a couple of times, though.

The starshoot to the fighting rings takes less than a second and my glare lands on Mellcom as we surround him in the center. Gone is the arrogance that’s followed him all the way up to this point. In its place sits something far more satisfying.

Fear.

“Have you enjoyed toying with me this whole time, Thayla?” he asks, narrowing his eyes. “You didn’t have to drag me all the way to Hell to kill me. Just fucking get it over with.”

She lets out a humorless laugh as she steps forward.

“I meant every word I said, Mellcom. Death is too sweet for you. Too easy. How can you learn anything or pay the price for all that you’ve done if you’re dead?” she asks, not really looking for an answer as she glances around the arena she fought and survived in. “This will be your home for the next five hundred years.”

His gaze snaps to hers.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I’ve never been more serious,” she deadpans. “After those five hundred years are up, you’ll then move to the mid-level. After that, another five hundred in the lower level. Only then will you return to the realm. Powerless.”

His face blanches, all the color draining from him. Even his black eyes pale.

“Powerless?”

“Absolutely. You will spend the rest of your life without power.”

His knees give out beneath him as the reality of his punishment finally settles against his shoulders. She strolls up to him and grips his jaw.

Her power coats his body and he jerks under her grip.

“What you sense locking in place is an emotional barrier. It’ll keep those pesky little thoughts about killing yourself quiet. You don’t get to manipulate my emotions or your way out of this, Mellcom.”

She slings him away with enough force that he face-plants the dirt, and we all chuckle as he spits wads out.

“I’m done,” she says, marching toward the exit.

“Thay, pleas—”