Page 103 of The Gods Order

“The truth is,” I say, facing Mara. “Yes, I did bring you out here for a break from Gladian, but more so, I want to tell you the truth about everything going on. It’s time you knew. That’s also what my men are telling Gladian, then they’re going to find the rest of your Valtrue.”

“What?” She blinks. “We’ve been looking for days. How are they going to find them?”

“That’s where my man comes in,” Yemi says and Mara’s jaw falls open.

“The God of Discovery. Of course.”

“Yep. So, I’m going to take it from the top. Hold your questions and comments until the end,” I say and she nods.

With a deep breath, I let my exhale and the truth fall from my lips.

I meant from the top literally.

My story starts with the day my parents left me. Of course I don’t add every single detail of the years in Oddian, but I do include some important bits. Like when I met Lambrit, when Meridamus left, how that shaped Mellcom’s and my relationship, and how Jeremiah’s and my relationship progressed. Then plummeted.

Their master plan that landed me in the Veiling. Then arriving here. The Gods Veil. My soul being split. My tie to the Messenger. The touch of all seven Beginning Gods’ powers I have. Everything.

I don’t skip an event or information, even those she already knows about. Including her own. I make sure to describe in detail how she isn’t the only being whose Valtrue has been manipulated.

At some point, Yemi silently takes over refilling our glasses because I don’t stop talking long enough to do it myself and Mara’s eyes never leave mine.

Time blurs beneath the warm sun and the breeze blowing through the meadow. The drinks slide down easier, although my throat gets rougher. Mara’s expressions shift from confusion to disbelief to horror to outright offense on my behalf more times than I can count.

“And now,” I say, waving my hand dramatically enough that my drink sloshes from the glass, “the late God of Death’s soul is stuck in Hell and we’re once again gearing up to sneak back into either the Abandon or possibly Valveilious. Who fucking knows. We’ll find out tomorrow.”

Mara stares at me for a long moment before tossing her glass back and downing every drop.

“Your life sounds fake.”

I snort. “It feels fake sometimes.”

“No, because seriously,” she says, rubbing a hand down her face. “I thought I knew most of what was happening and I’ve been piecing things together on my own, but, Thayla…what the hell?”

“Yeah,” I mutter before taking another sip myself.

She leans back and rests her head on the rocky edge, staring up at the sky.

“I genuinely cannot comprehend how you’re all still functioning. I find out I’m really an Attendant, don’t have the power of Strength, but Elevation, and I lock myself away until Gladian drags me out of my room.”

“To be fair, we’d do the same if given the opportunity. Well, actually, that’s kind of exactly what we do when we have downtime,” Yemi says and I grunt my agreement.

“I wouldn’t call locking yourselves away with four men downtime,” Rose mumbles, and I can’t stop the laugh that bursts free from me.

Neither can Yemi.

We both definitely spend any downtime we get wrapped up in our men.

Mara shakes her head in disbelief.

Our mirth fades gradually beneath the weight of everything sitting between us now. All the truths finally out in the open.

Or mostly out in the open.

Yemi glances at me over the rim of her glass as if she heard my thought.

“You’re leaving a few important pieces out.”

I sigh.