Page 269 of The Gods Order

Seven powers. Seven threads. One command.

It’s over before I even know it and I rub my fingers together as ash dusts their pads. My power floods back into me and for one suspended heartbeat, nothing happens.

Then…

It hits me.

The connection spears through my chest, stealing the air from my lungs. My knees nearly buckle beneath the force of it.

Love so vast it doesn’t feel like one emotion at all, but a lifetime’s worth finally finding somewhere to belong.

A deep, familiar purr thunders inside of me.

Water blurs my vision as I jerk my gaze to Seismet’s bright, glowing white eyes.

“There you are,” I whisper. “I feel you.”

A laugh breaks free from my chest. His answering rumble vibrates through my very soul.

“And I you,” he says. “Now, let us be free.”

Excitement surges through our bond so fast I can’t tell whether it belongs to him or me.

I don’t hesitate.

A shriek of excitement rips from my throat as I grab hold of his mane and swing onto his back. He gives me no warning whatsoever before he rears up and lets out a neigh that pulses through the land.

Countless more answer him.

The instant his hooves touch the grass again, he explodes forward.

One by one, powerful legs pound against the earth as every Veilatara, freed or not, falls into step behind us.

One eventually, though, catches up and I grin at how red Mara’s cheeks are as she hangs on to Fausta’s mane for dear life.

“Can you believe this shit?” she asks, yelling over the wind.

“Yes, yes, I can.”

“This is fucking amaz—”

Her shriek cuts her words off as Fausta really lets loose and charges forward. Laughter tears from my throat, carried away by the wind as Seismet stretches into a full sprint.

A giggle so sweet and wild responds to me.

On my right, Verlet catches up to us, and pure amusement races through Seismet and me. Amick’s arms are wrapped so tightly around Riven’s waist, I’m surprised there’s enough air in my little psycho’s lungs for him to bellow his song. He doesn’t seem to care one bit as he stretches his arm out beside him and enjoys the ride.

Two blurs of motion race beside them and the brush of Kyzen’s power caresses my skin.

“Looks like they’re going to have to share,” I say to Seismet.

“Please, Verlet is plenty big enough for the four of them to fit. They refused to squish together.”

“Never stopped them before,” I mumble.

“Oh, that is foul,” he says, well, gags in my mind. “The first whiff of those emotions and I’m blocking you out.”

“You wouldn’t dare. After all this time and you’re already talking about cutting me off?”