His dark voice trails down her spine, lighting a path of desire that renders her breathless. "If only I were in a position of no consequence."
Alia's breath wavers when the pad of his thumb slowly glides across her bottom lip.
"Then I could give in...
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"Know your place, fool." - Ryomen Sukuna
•
Valen sighs and takes a seat next to Alia against one of the training hall walls. She slips a hand around his bicep and holds onto his arm with both of her hands, head resting against the side of his shoulder.
The rest of the Generals point fingers at each other whilst words of criticism leave their lips. One General snaps at another and holds up a picture of one of the corrupt Gammas' faces. "Is your vision impaired?" The General aggressively points at the photo. "Does he look like the Gamma of Rytika to you?"
Valen shakes his head. "This is a complete waste of time," he murmurs. "I can kill them all myself."
Alia looks up at him whilst he remains looking forward. "With a blade?" she asks. "Or can you kill them all like you killed that man in the trials?" She remembers the wolf who tried to touch her mate's mark before the competition began, and how blood poured from his eyes before he dropped lifelessly to the ground. Valen didn't touch him then, and she never really took the time to take it in. Maybe she'd gotten used to seeing strange things, and maybe she thought such things were normal when it came to her mate.
Valen flexes his hand. "I don't need a blade to kill them."
She smiles, remembering another moment in the Trials. "So will you eat them instead?"
A corner of his mouth raises. "I don't think I'd have the time."
Alia looks back at the bickering Generals. One of her hands trails down his arm, fingertips gently brushing against his skin.
"If Sephtis were to attend, he could turn them all into ash before anyone knew they were burning."
Alia's brows furrow briefly, disliking the mention of the God. But then curiosity overtakes her displeasure, and she looks back up at her mate before quietly asking, "What about you?"
Confusion finds his gaze when he looks down at her.
"Death can wield fire and Darkness can wield shadows, but what can you do? What's your power?"
Valen smiles, and then he rests his head back against the wall. "Why do you think Sephtis is blindfolded?" he asks.
Alia shrugs. "I thought he was blind."
He shakes his head. "Sephtis is one of the most dangerous beings to ever exist. He is the only one able to tame the flames of the underworld and reside in that realm unscathed." He interlaces his fingers with hers. "Where do you think the saying 'the eyes are the window to the soul' came from?" He looks at her. "If Sephtis manages to look anyone in the eyes, God or mortal, he will instantly have access to their soul and burn it regardless of whether or not he wishes to. His eyes are his strength, and blindfolding them restrains him."
