Page 7 of The Gods Order

My realm tilts.

Everything leans to the side, slow and sickening, like my insides have been knocked out of place. My upper belly swirls in an unforgiving pattern as my Chaos begs for freedom. I can’t give it that—not in this room.

So instead of spreading outward, it flows through me, trapping itself beneath my skin. A fierce ringing drowns out everything. Then it fades.

No sound. No breath. No thought.

And then—

I laugh.

It bursts out sharp, sudden, wrong for the moment, wrong for the intensity in the air. Too loud and wild for this silence. I tuck my face into the crook of my elbow like I can block the racket, forcing it back down, but it keeps spilling out.

Gods. I can’t stop.

Tears burn down my face as my laughter twists into something between hysteria and disbelief. An unhinged melody. I toss my head back before the liquid can trail over my chin.

Fingers wrap around my bicep, and my watery gaze collides with the confusion written across Riven’s face.

That makes me laugh harder, curling in on myself.

Of all the twists and turns we’ve encountered, this should be the one that has his Chaos coming through full force.

Right—he can’t. None of us can access our power here.

He would be laughing with me, though.

No one tries to stop the madness slipping from my lips, but the rest of my men step closer. Their tugs on my soul speak to the concern trampling through them, but it doesn’t stop my mirth.

Valories, I can’t believe this. I’m truly losing my mind.

I drag in a breath that shudders on the way down, forcing my laughter to splinter into breathless chuckles.

I make myself look at the God of Boundaries.

His eyes soften in a way that makes my heart jolt painfully.

Riven’s grip tightens as I step forward, but I yank free. Three strides carry me ahead before I spin back around to face him, my other men, and my friends.

“I’d like to introduce all of you to Valthaneus, the Beginning God of Boundaries,” I say, clapping my daggers together like I’m giving him a round of applause.

No one claps along with me. Not even my little psycho. Everyone stares at me, confusion and worry warring across their faces.

I glare over my shoulder.

“Or better fucking known as Thane Godrun. My father.”

I can’t keep a straight face when I say it.

I choke on another laugh that eventually shoves its way through my tickled throat. My body bends forward until I’m resting my clenched daggers against my knees, and I can’t suck in a breath as I lose myself.

There’s no other sound echoing in this chamber but what’s coming out of me.

I believe I just shocked everyone still.

“Thayla…”

My head jerks at his whispered prayer of my name and something akin to a growl rips from my throat as I whirl around, pointing my dagger toward him. All the humor leaves me in an instant.