Page 65 of Gift from the Tree

“This morning, Oakly came by my office while Willow was there with me to introduce herself as my archivist aid this year. Willow immediately took to her, and Oakly took to Willow. What I could see that they couldn’t was their magical signatures intermingling. It’s something that hasn’t been seen since before your mother’s time,” Gaster says, focusing on me.

“What are you saying, Gaster?” I ask frustratingly. This sounds like another once-in-a-lifetime occurrence Willow has sparked.

“Willow and Oakly have a Perfecta Anima bond,” he announces dramatically like we should know what that means. I bet Caspian’s ass knows what that means.

“A what?” Willow asks, with less concern and more wonder.

“It’s like a sibling bond. You and Oakly are perfectly matched as sisters, without the blood relation. You snapped the bond in place today when you met, and it’ll continue to grow stronger as you get to know one another, just like that of Nexus members. She’s your soul’s built-in best friend, and you are hers.” Gaster smiles sadly at Willow. When I look at her, I see the hope warring with denial, the need for a connection like that shining in her eyes. Guilt electrifies my whole body. We have a bond stronger than even that, which could give her the connection she craves.

“Are you sure?” she asks as tears begin to flow down her face.

I ball my fist in my lap to keep from going over there, wiping them away, and cradling her in my lap.

“Yes, child, I’m sure.”

Willow breaks out in a sob and Draken immediately scoops her up, embracing her, rocking back and forth, whispering sweet words, and telling her everything’s fine. Doing exactly what I should’ve done, what any of us should do.

“What’s the matter, sweetness?” he asks her softly, stroking her hair. Every stroke of her hair stokes the jealousy burning through my gut. I want that. I want to be the one doing that. I hate that I can’t just give in to this like he stubbornly has.

“I’ve never had a best friend. At least one I can remember. I’ve always been so alone and now I have a sister.” She hiccups and continues to cry. Draken’s face looks like he’s about to crack. Every time she tells him something more personal about herself, it tears him up inside.

“You’ll never be alone again. You have me, Gaster, Tillman, Corentin, Caspian, and now Oakly. We’ll never let you feel alone again,” he says sweetly over her head while shooting me a death glare.

Out of the corner of my eye, Tillman wears an expression not as murderous as Draken, but the message is the same. The longer we continue to hold the truth from her, the harder she’s going to take this betrayal.

Fuck.

Sixteen

Caspian

Stepping back into the shadows, I leave my brother’s office where they all stare at her like she’s their reason for living.

Since Corentin told us about their awakening yesterday morning, I can’t deny it anymore that she’s truly our Primary. I may realize that on a magical level because I have no choice, but that’s the only level I’ll let it get to.

What I really fucking wish I could deny is how hearing about the shit she’s been through makes me feel. I’m still burning with rage and want more than anything to kill the fuckers responsible for it.

I have no doubt my brother knew I was there the whole time and was just covering for me when she asked if I’d be joining. Why the little Primary is so concerned with where I am, I have no clue. I’ve given her no reason to worry herself with me. I’m hateful when I see her, and I keep my distance when I don’t want to be near her.

Well, that’s not completely true. I stalked her from the shadows the entire time she was with Gaster. Making sure she didn’t harm him and using every opportunity I could to find some shit that would contradict this innocent act I think she’s putting on.

Yeah, she may not be a spy like I’ve been calling her, but I’ll continue to feed them this shit for as long as I can. She’s a danger to us, to our dynamic. She’ll make us weak with the need to protect her and paint a bigger target on all our backs, bigger than the ones already there. So if I can’t convince my brother that she’s a danger to us, I’ll convince him we’re a risk to her.

Draken will be the hardest to convince because he’s already balls deep in love with the girl. I wish I could fucking say her sobbing in his lap didn’t affect me at all just now, but unfortunately, this fucking bond that I don’t want is thrumming in my chest to go back to her. But fuck that.

I don’t want a Primary. I don’t want a woman to have that much power over me. I want to fuck them how I please, then get them the fuck away from me.

Transporting back to the mansion, directly in my room, I scour my bookshelves for my book on bonds. I know everything there is to know about Nexus bonds and true Primary bonds but never had a need to dive deep into Perfecta Anima bonds until now. I need to know what kind of power boost this may give the girl. It’s bad enough she emerged as young as we did, which is a telltale sign that she’s already fucking powerful.

Flipping through book after book, journal after journal, I grow pissed as there’s fucking minimal information on the bond. It’s so fucking rare, that there have barely been any recordings. Only one passage stands out to me, that’s of any fucking assistance.

Until recent changes in the formation of true Primary bonds, a Perfecta Anima bond was the rarest of them all. This blessing bestowed upon chosen individuals by Elementra does not come with an increase in abilities like that of a completed True Nexus Bond, but the two individuals bonded grow in unbelievable strengths together as a unit.

There’s a strong emotional and protective connection shared between Perfecta Animas that is very misunderstood due to lack of resources to study. But from information gathered over time, it can be assumed that the emotional connection is instantaneous, much like when male Nexus members meet for the first time. And the protectiveness brought on by the bond is one that can only be compared to that of a Nexus over their Primary.

It’s been said that the bonded individuals are known for exhibiting similar behaviors, preferences, even quirks as well as having an intuitive understanding of each other, being able to predict each other’s reactions or thoughts. There once was a claim that the Perfecta Animas were able to develop their own method of communicating with one another that is only understood by them. Not with use of words, but with actions, gestures, and even just a look, one could signal the other and there’d be complete understanding.

Great, so the Primary has just bonded with a tracker who we know to be powerful in her own right, and they’re going to continue to grow into this bond and become fucking trouble. I know it.

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