Page 47 of The Gods Order

“What little faith you have in me. You didn’t think I’d do that?”

“Of course, it makes sense now,” I grumble. “That wasn’t my first thought when you told us when to be here.”

“Patience is not your strong suit, little troublling.”

I purse my lips at him.

“Shall we begin?”

“You’re way too happy right now,” I mutter as he pivots and gestures for us to walk forward.

“Ignore me. You know my power gets excited at the prospect of Chaos.”

Riven chuckles. The rest of us huff.

Might as well get this started.

I straighten my spine, pull my shoulders back, and take the first step. My men stay aligned with me as we cross the space that suddenly feels much smaller. We stop a few feet from the Beginning Gods.

“Thayla. How are you? How was your day?”

Wrinkles form between my brows and I tilt my head slightly. In my peripheral, Amick does the same.

I don’t know how to address them.

Meridamus is Meridamus. That won’t change in my mind.

Calling him Val feels strange.

I can’t bring myself to say Thane. Only my mother ever called him that.

Father…Dad. Not happening. Yet.

“I don’t think she’s interested in small talk, Val,” Meridamus says.

My gaze flicks to him, then back. Val doesn’t push. He lets me examine him.

Growing up, I only ever paid attention to his eyes and bright silver hair. Now that I’ve seen every Beginning God, I’m curious why his hair is that color. I also used to think he was the biggest man in the realm. He’s built exactly like the others.

How many times have I looked in a mirror and never realized where my nose came from?

We have so many similarities and just as many differences.

“Are you and Anylah really my parents?”

The question slips out before I can stop it. Silence slams into the Court. He rears back like I slapped him.

Beside me, Riven chuckles. “Well, that wasn’t on our list.”

I ignore him.

“Yes,” Val says, strained. “We are your parents. By blessing and by blood.”

By blessing.

I hate the way he said that.

“That’s right. The Valories promised to bless you with me if you gave them your unyielding loyalty,” I mutter.