Page 342 of The Gods Order

Gods, I’m going to be sick.

Deep breath.

It’s just thousands of people listening to you give a speech.

That sounds so much worse.

“Thayla girl, you in here?”

My head turns toward my bathroom door just as my mom crosses the threshold. The smile on her face softens when she takes in my current state.

“Someone is nervous.”

“Nervous,” I let out a small huff. “That doesn’t cover it.”

Wordlessly, she grabs a rag, wets it with cold water, and blots the back of my neck. My eyes drift shut and I take countless breaths.

“Everything’s going to be okay. This is going to be remembered as one of the greatest days in history. You, your men, your friends, you’re all going to lead the way. I’d be worried if none of you were nervous.”

“The guys don’t feel all that nervous.”

Believe me, I’d know. I’m stalking our bond and their souls.

“Then they’re hiding those emotions from you because their faces and actions are saying something different. Riven just turned down a muffin from Annalise.”

My wide eyes swing to hers, and she nods knowingly.

“Those assholes. They’re blocking me from feeling them.”

It’s taken us this long to figure out how to do that to one another. Those first few months were rough. Half the time I couldn’t tell if it was my emotions, theirs—hell, my Chaos. It was something.

I never wanted to be able to travel to Elementra as bad as I did during that time. Willow’s ass was the one who warned me that our Valtrue wasn’t complete and neither was I. Once we were, I needed some advice on how to manage it.

I didn’t get that, but her also saying that it was a journey we deserved to go on without interference always rang in my mind.

And a journey it was.

Overwhelming at times, yes, but worth every second of learning, growing, and becoming closer to my men.

We’re stronger now than ever before.

“Would it really help to feel their stress?” my mom asks as she runs her fingers through my hair.

“Yes, absolutely. Then I’d know I’m not the only one who’s worried everything about today could go wrong. That eighteen months of nonstop work isn’t about to blow up in our faces.”

Her quiet laugh wraps around my heart as she grips my shoulders and stares into my eyes.

“Did it blow up in your face when you escorted me into the Veil six months ago?”

A genuine smile crosses my lips and my eyes drift shut as I think back to that day.

That was a beautiful day.

Mom gave herself a full year before making her choice.

A year to discover who she was without the Valories’ control. Without the weight of being the Messenger. She explored Godsden, wandered every corner of the realm with Dad, and became inseparable from Annalise along the way.

The two of them spend nearly every free moment together now, whether they’re baking, chasing children through the market, or gossiping over tea.