Page 54 of The Gods Order

Amick pulls me forward while Creed, Kyzen, and Riven cover our backs. I send a much nicer mental goodbye to Derivius.

Fuck me. This went in so many directions I didn’t see coming.

I am absolutely not looking forward to training with my father and godfather.

Kyzen

7

Time has always fascinated me in the quiet moments.

Not the catastrophic ones or the realm-ending ones where every second feels sharpened into a blade against your throat. Those moments are easy to notice. Easy to remember. It’s the smaller ones that matter.

The ones people don’t realize they’ll carry with them forever.

I’ll never forget that after meeting with the two most elusive Beginning Gods, we came home and baked fucking cookies.

I lean back in my chair at the dining table as warmth from the kitchen settles around me. Behind me, a cabinet slams, Creed swears, and another laugh immediately leaves Riven.

I smirk despite not turning to see what’s happening.

“Get the fuck out of my kitchen,” Creed barks.

“Come on now, Death. I’m helping,” Riven singsongs.

A snort leaves me and I glance over my shoulder enough to catch the scene unfolding behind me. Creed has flour smeared across one side of his jaw and is absolutely seething. Riven—fucking Riven—is leaning against the counter, eating pieces of chocolate straight from the bowl.

“You’re not even pretending to contribute,” Amick comments mindlessly from the living room where he’s scribbling away on some parchment.

“I’m moral support and encouragement.”

“You’re a damn parasite,” Creed growls, glaring at Riven as he tosses his rag at him.

“A charming parasite.”

A slow grin pulls at my mouth as I turn back toward the table, letting the noise settle around me instead of adding anything.

That’s the thing people misunderstand about peace. They think it’s silence and stillness. It isn’t.

Peace is this.

The scent of sugar and chocolate in the air. The sound of your brothers playfully—somewhat—arguing over stupid shit. The absence of screaming. The absence of fear.

I truly enjoy moments like this.

My attention lifts instinctively toward the new smell that reaches my senses, and my soul warms, then settles low in my chest. The others don’t notice the shift yet. They’re still too busy bickering.

I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with the freshly showered scent drifting from Thayla’s hall. Her soft footsteps follow seconds later. I keep my attention there just so I can watch her reaction to what’s unfolding in here.

It doesn’t disappoint.

Her gaze is cast right toward Creed and Riven, and her brow arches as a slow smirk crosses her lips. My eyes trace over her body covered in a large T-shirt. She may or may not have anything on under it. Her smile widens when she catches me staring, and she shakes her head as she crosses the space to the side of my chair.

“Cookies? Really?” she asks.

Her warm lips meet mine, but before she can pull away, I grip her hips and perch her on the table in front of me rather than letting her go to her seat. She doesn’t protest. She’ll get a front-row seat at the show behind me, and I get to stare at her.

“You always need cookies after Chaos, little burden. You should know that,” Riven calls and Thayla’s chuckle breaks our kiss.