Page 43 of The Gods Order

“I’ll know exactly where to place my blame, Derivius, and it won’t be on you.”

The tension in his posture—that I didn’t even realize he was holding—deflates with his exhale.

“Thank you,” he says, then laces his fingers behind his back. “If there’s nothing else you all want to add, I’ll talk to Val, then go hunt down Suma.”

I snap my fingers and point at him.

“Speaking of Golden bitches daddy, whose idea was it for him to spell his name backward?”

“What?” Thayla and my brothers ask at once.

Derivius laughs.

“You all didn’t catch that?” I ask and they continue to look at me like I’m speaking another language. “Meridamus is literally his real name spelled backward. How did none of you notice that?”

“How did you notice that?”

I scrunch my nose at Amick.

“I don’t appreciate that incredulous tone.”

“Forget his tone and answer the question,” Kyzen says.

“I’ve been leaving messages using the spines of books in the Athenaeum for years. I’ve gotten pretty good at playing with words. After a couple of rounds thinking about both of his names, it was easy to figure out.”

They stare at me, utterly gobsmacked. Derivius continues laughing hysterically.

I really don’t understand why they’re so shocked.

I’m literally a genius. They just choose not to believe that.

“Oh, son. You never cease to surprise me. I love it,” Big DD says as he wipes his eyes. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

He gives them all a second to pick their jaws up off the floor. I scoff and roll my eyes as I wave him bye since they’ve all apparently forgotten their manners.

“You’re all really starting to hurt my feelings,” I say, breaking them out of their stupor.

Thayla shakes herself out and cozies close to me as if that’ll fix it.

It does.

Her body molds to mine so perfectly.

“We don’t tell you enough, but you are brilliant, Riven.”

“I’m well aware, thank you.”

She snorts and lays her head on my chest, releasing a yawn that drags on as if she’s been holding it in all day.

“Let’s get you home, angel,” I say as Kyzen presses in behind her, forcing her body closer to mine. “Your wings need some rest.”

The soft, loving stroke against my soul tells me how right I am.

She’s got to spread them wide all over again tomorrow.

I’m pretty sure from here on out…we all better get ready to spread our wings and fly.

Thayla