Page 61 of The Gods Order

Yeah, same. Sort of. I could puke.

“Kyzen, are you joining them this morning?” Nero asks as he approaches him.

“Yeah, that was the plan since today isn’t a Court day. Why? What’s up?”

“I was just going to seek some advice. I’ve received the most ridiculous request for mediations and was wondering how you decline aiding in those situations.”

Kyzen snorts, gripping his shoulder. “This isn’t Valveilious. There’s no declining.”

Nero looks absolutely baffled, and I do a good job holding in my laugh until Sevryn tosses his head back. Riven, of course, begins giving Nero the worst advice I’ve ever heard, and judging by the concentration on Nero’s brow, I’m afraid he’s taking him seriously. Hopefully, Kyzen corrects that.

“I’m ready,” Yemi shouts, crashing out of her door with her arms full of papers and a shoe.

“Yemi, come on.” I chuckle, getting out of my seat and strolling over to take some of it from her. “What are you doing?”

“Bringing my notes. These are all the observations I’ve made of my power since it settled.”

“And you don’t have all of this memorized?”

“Well, I mean, yeah, but what if he wants to look over them?” she asks.

“How about, for today, we just meet with him and see what he has planned? Then you can ask if he wants to read over this. For all we know, he’s been keeping an eye on you and knows exactly what you can do.”

“That’s both creepy and flattering,” she says, then sighs as I take her shoe from her hand.

“Go put all of this up, come get your shoe on, and let’s get ready to go.”

She grumbles under her breath but doesn’t argue.

It’s adorable how all the men just grin at us. Sweet little saps.

They’re all cute enough to distract me from my racing heart and thoughts.

As soon as Yemi comes out of her room and finishes putting her shoe on, she links her arm through mine and tugs me along. She’s either too distracted by her own eagerness to notice the shift in my energy, or she senses it and is trying to force me to face this head-on. Probably both, knowing her.

Our men trail behind us, and my breath spills out as we exit her door. The two people waiting on the lawn aren’t the two I wasn’t ready to see.

Lambrit and Rose greet us with bright smiles and waves.

“Are you two ready to officially, sort of, meet the God of Boundaries and the God of Consequence?” Yemi asks, and their features fall.

“What?” they ask.

I clear my throat and bob my head. “They should be here any second now.”

“Sorry,” Yemi mumbles. “I didn’t realize they didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. You’re just excited.”

“I’m now realizing how annoyingly so. I’m sorry, Thayla. That’s shitty of me. Of course this isn’t exciting for you, and I’m acting like this is the best day ever.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I’m fine,” I say, firmer than I meant.

Guilt flashes across her face, and I internally curse myself. She’s not wrong for being excited. If my life weren’t such a tangled mess and this were simply two Beginning Gods willingly helping us and pledging their allegiance, I’d probably be excited too.

Before I can apologize, a warm hand laces through mine, and my shoulders slump. Amick’s reassuring caresses across my soul and the pattern he draws with his thumb ground me.

“Considering who’s showing up,” Iric drawls beside Yemi, “I’d say mild emotional instability is the appropriate response.”