Page 128 of The Gods Order

“Do you think he’ll want to stay in Hell if he’s part of their Valtrue?” she asks Creed.

“Who knows. I didn’t realize how rocky their history was. Barir was the one who fucked up keeping that secret, not Gladian. Unless he really just wants to avoid an awkward reunion, I don’t know why he wouldn’t take the get-out-of-Hell offer.”

She hums, nodding.

“What issues does this cause for you?”

Creed shakes his head. “Depends on if Phoelius says no. He’s already watching his level and keeping an eye on the lower level and Delun. If he doesn’t want to take on another, I’ll ask Faron to help. I’ll probably do that anyway. I have no fucking idea who I’d trust to bring in.”

“I have no doubt Barir will join his Valtrue and Phoelius will say yes. If not, we’ll work it out,” I say.

Creed doesn’t look convinced.

“So, back to your little friend,” Thayla says, giving Riven a saucy smirk. “Do I call him Vulius or Vullie? Or is that nickname reserved for you?”

“Either, but he likes Vullie.”

I’ll be calling him Vulius. That’s his name.

“I wish I could say I’m surprised that asshole Gulliver sided with Harriseen over his own son, but I’m not. He’s a grade-A dickhead.”

Her disdain for the gods rises fast. Riven and Kyzen chuckle. Creed smirks. I stay quiet, but I agree.

“Gulliver will have to pull his head out of his ass eventually and accept his son, or his face can meet my fist,” Riven says, shaking his curled hand like we don’t know what a fist is.

They laugh while I focus on breakfast and think about today.

Depending on where Doren finds this Binding, we have a lot to consider. The ways both the Abandon and Valveilious could go wrong fire through my mind faster than I can stop them.

“So…” Thayla says after a blissful moment of quiet.

“So what, gorgeous?” Kyzen asks.

She huffs and toys with her fork. “Does Mara’s Valtrue make any of you nervous? Not because of their power but because of who they are? Isn’t it strange they were already part of our lives somehow, and the moment Val shows up, their truth comes to light? Like…I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”

I study her brow, Creed’s scowl, Kyzen’s tapping finger. Riven keeps shoveling food.

“You’re worried the Pairings are still being manipulated,” I say.

She gives me a guilty smile. “A little, yeah.”

“I don’t think that’s completely the case,” I say. Her gaze sharpens with skepticism and hope tangled together.

“How so?”

“I think the Valories may have manipulated our paths to cross with these people beforehand. Maybe to build trust or alliances. But I don’t think they paired them in a Valtrue for that reason. I don’t know how the Gods Binding chooses pairings, but the Valories definitely know.”

“Huh,” Kyzen says. “So the Valories are aligning our friendships.”

I shrug. “Something like that.”

“Damn, that’s annoying,” Riven grumbles through a mouthful of food. “Here I was believing I was a great judge of character.”

Thayla chuckles. “I think we’re still good judges of character. None of you are suddenly best friends with Gladian, Barir, or Prath. I hate feeling like the creator decided anything for us, but I have to admit, they put strong allies in our path. And we need that.”

“Never thought I’d hear shit like that come out of your mouth, little burden.”

She grunts at Riven, but Kyzen cuts in.