Page 25 of Gift from the Tree

I really can’t remember how we got here. I know we took a couple different halls and went down some stairs, but other than that, fuck if I know. We took one final left before walking into a room with huge windows, the sun shining through, lighting the room up beautifully. It’s not too hot or too cold in here and the view is absolutely gorgeous. Trees and trees for days stretch out beyond the windows.

A large dining room table sits against the window, with multiple selections of food spread across the whole thing. The side that’s against the glass is made like a bench, easy enough to slide in and look out the window, and the other side has your normal dining, pull-out chairs. The table’s big, but when you see the massive size of these guys, it probably doesn’t feel so big or empty when they all sit down.

“Sorry I’m late,” Corentin announces, walking through the door and sitting at the head of the table. He’s barely a foot away from me, and I zero in on him. I can’t help it; his voice pulls me in like a magnet.

“Not late at all. We just sat down. Where are the others?” Gaster asks.

“I thought it may be best if it’s just the three of us. Willow, how do you like your coffee?”

I’m staring so hard at Corentin, I didn’t even realize he grabbed three coffee mugs and is already pouring them.

“Oh, um, sugar and creamer, please. I do like it on the sweeter side.”

He places Gaster’s mug in front of him and moves his own closer to himself, so I guess they take theirs black.

Gross. Not happening here.

“How did you sleep last night?” he asks, moving my mug toward me.

“Uh, good.” Come on, Willow, use your words, for crying out loud.

“Good. As I was saying, I thought it’d be better if it was just the three of us this morning. I can imagine you have a lot of questions and so do I, so it’ll be easier to start here.” Corentin picks his mug up and takes a large gulp before setting it down and hitting me with his full, undivided attention.

I pick my own mug up, disregarding the heat of it as I take a gulp as large as his. I’m going to need my coffee before we apparently just dive right in. Corentin’s the type to get right down to it. That much is so clear to tell even if I’ve only known him for five minutes. The two interactions we’ve had, it’s obvious that not knowing every little detail is about to drive him up the wall.

“What would you like to know?” I ask. Setting my perfectly made coffee down. Food will have to wait, I guess.

“What caused your powers to come out yesterday?” he asks, straight to the point. With a blank, unreadable face, no emotion, no fucks to give that I showed up here bloodied, battered, and literally passing out right at his feet.

“Corentin, I don’t think—” Gaster starts before I cut him off.

“One, I don’t think I have powers. I have no clue what happened. Second, I don’t know you well enough or feel comfortable with you enough to even begin to describe what happened to me yesterday, so don’t go there again. Where am I?” I ask forcefully. Lovely, I can go from not knowing how to use my words, to using too many words. To be fair, though, his question pissed me off.

“Elementra.”

“Yes, Gaster told me that, but where am I? Why am I here?”

“You’re right outside of the academy grounds, in my brother’s and my home,” he answers vaguely. He has his hands linked together perched over his leg that’s crossed at the knee. His position is calm, cool, collected, but his clipped response screams pissed. He’s not all that happy that I don’t just answer his question. Too bad.

“I’d rather not do this back-and-forth miscommunication thing all morning. Other than discussing what happened to me yesterday, I’d like for us to be able to talk. I need answers and I’m more than happy to be honest with you about anything you want to ask aside from that. So do you want to start over or should Gaster just return me to my realm now?”

I don’t know why he’s got me so worked up right now, but I feel like if I don’t stand my ground with him now, I’ll end up following his every command. Fuck that.

“You’re at Vito Academy. This is where those blessed with the strongest of powers, magic, element, and gift, come in their third and final stages of magical education. Gaster brought you here because something happened and you let out an air blast so strong, his gift picked up the signature, a signature he recognized, from a whole realm away.”

My gaze swings to Gaster because now that Corentin mentioned it, the moment at the willow tree is coming back to me. Other than explaining the academy and its purpose, which was new information, I’ve already been told this but just didn’t understand or process it.

“What does he mean a signature you recognized?” I ask Gaster. I mean, I feel completely comfortable with him, like I’ve known him far longer than the few hours we’ve known one another, but that doesn’t make any sense.

“I don’t have that answer for you yet, Willow. I’m still trying to figure it out for myself. I believe your necklace has something to do with it.” Gaster’s look momentarily takes my breath away. It’s filled with such hope and heartache. It makes me feel so bad, like I’ve somehow caused him pain.

“What necklace?” Corentin asks. His eyes bounce between me and Gaster, seemingly mad he’s been left out of the loop.

“I received a box with a note inside, telling me happy birthday and to not take my necklace off and everything would make sense soon. My necklace is an amethyst. Because purple’s my favorite color and amethyst is my birthstone,” I say proudly. Why I added in the favorite color and birthstone part, I don’t know. Part of me just wants to brag about this mystery person who cares so much about me that they know these personal things, when I don’t even know them.

How sad am I? Jeez.

Corentin and Gaster hold each other’s gaze for a moment, long enough to make me feel like they’re communicating without telling me something. I don’t get the chance to voice my complaint as Corentin turns to me. “May I see your necklace?”

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