Page 168 of The Gods Order

A stubborn tear slips down my cheek, and with both my hands occupied, I can’t wipe it away. That doesn’t matter, though. Riven licks it away.

“I love little mess makers so much,” he says, then blows air on the damn different kind of wet streak he left on my face. “What I love most about them is I can give them back to their parents after I sugar them up. Between all of Annalise’s rug rats and however many bestie and her Valtrue, plus Lam-the-man and Rose pop out, I’m going to reign for centuries as the realm’s favorite and coolest uncle. Imagine it; we get to love them with all our hearts, shower them with dangerous—cool—presents, then send them back to their parents. That’ll be epic and we’ll never have to worry about them doing that to us.”

I can’t help the watery laugh that escapes me. He finally releases my hand so I can actually wipe my face properly, but that doesn’t stop the relieved tears that continue to slide down my cheeks.

“So you all are really okay with this decision?”

“Yes.”

There’s no hesitation in their answer. No doubt.

The knot that’s been coiled in my stomach completely untangles and I take a full breath. I didn’t realize until this very moment that the heaviness surrounding me didn’t come from Laney’s question or my answer. It came from the fear that their answers would be different. The fear that we’d be divided and someone, one of them or me, would end up hurt.

“Gods, I love you all so much.”

“We love you,” they all say and I squirm.

“You know what I also love, angel,” Riven murmurs in my ear.

“There’s no telling,” I say, laughing and groaning as he bites my damn neck.

“The process of creating babies.”

A chorus of groans answers him, along with my belly-gripping laugh.

“You walked right into that one,” Kyzen says, running his hand over his mouth to hide his smirk.

I roll my eyes so hard they practically fall out of my head.

“You’re impossible,” I say, booping Riven on his nose.

“And yet,” he says with a grin, “you love me anyway.”

“I really, really do.”

His smile softens instantly.

The stars above us continue to shimmer as the room settles into comfortable silence. Tomorrow we walk into the most dangerous place in the realm, hoping that everything we’ve done to prepare wasn’t a gamble we lose.

Tonight…

Tonight, there are no plans left to make.

No strategies left to discuss. No powers left to master.

Just us.

Riven and I move at the same time. As his lips collide with mine, Amick brushes kisses across my shoulder. Creed and Kyzen move in and warmth surrounds me until I can’t tell where one body ends and another begins.

For the first time in what feels like forever, everything feels right.

Creed

20

I wish I could go back to last night.

To the blissful hours where today wasn’t happening. All that mattered in those moments was my Binder.