Page 116 of Gift from the Stone

“It was worth a shot.” She closes her eyes and releases a long, drawn-out breath. Her face is pale, and I know she’s trying to fight the nausea away while the healing vial kicks in.

“Well, little wanderer, Elementra said to trust in your gifts. I guess you’re just going to get a heap of them,” Draken says in a teasing but gentle tone as he rubs her back. He’s trying to calm her with humor, something they both do that infuriates and works on me. It’s hard to keep a serious face when they say some funny shit sometimes.

“But five gifts, really? I think that’s an overkill,” she complains, blowing air out of her mouth forcefully enough her lips flap together. Everyone chuckles but me because I’m obviously the only one who’s put it all together.

“Seven gifts, princess,” I say, gripping her chin to look at me.

“What?” she asks, her laugh still lingering in her words.

“You could possibly end up with seven gifts, if mine and Caspian’s emerge. You’re already showing signs of five,” I tell her firmly, but softly, knowing she could perhaps freak out.

“No, only three. The sight, my dragon, and now this,” she argues, waving her hands around her head.

Gaster sucks in a gasp, and I don’t have to look at him to know he’s figured it out as well. I’d be surprised if Caspian hasn’t either. Fuck, it really wouldn’t surprise me if he’s known this whole time but just never said anything. Damn master of mischief.

“The reason you’ve been able to feel where we are and what we’re feeling so keenly is because somehow, you’re also using Gaster’s and Oakly’s gifts. They were your first bonds to snap in place.”

Her eyes swing to Gaster, and she examines every inch of him as if she’s searching for something, and he chuckles with a tender, knowing look.

“You’ve seen colorful glows, haven’t you, child?” he asks.

“Yeah, and I thought I was imagining it. Reddish orange. You were reddish orange the day you taught me all those spells,” she breathes. The air swooshes out of her like it’s a relief and overwhelming turbulence.

“I was so proud of you for getting the diversion spell, closely followed by the concealment spell, down on your first try. You were so determined and confident, my chest swelled with pride and admiration in those moments.” He beams.

“Holy shit. What do I do? Why the hell am I like this? What am I—” I cut the outburst of questions off with my mouth, swallowing the sound down, forcing her to focus only on me.

I know her well enough that I was prepared for the freak-out, the panic, and I had my distraction ready. I also know she’ll bounce back in a moment. As soon as her mind calms, she’ll be okay.

Her sweet little moans come faster, and she shakes like a leaf as the guys all close in around her. The tiny whimper she lets out as I pull away damn near has me groaning and giving in to her siren’s call.

“Better?” I ask as she glances up at me through her lashes.

“Much,” she says breathlessly.

It’s a gruesome fight to lock my bond up in its cage when she stares at me like that. I see every want, desire, and promise written in those silver pools, and every burning part of me wants to dive in. Tell the responsibilities and the realm to fuck themselves so I can just live my days undisturbed with her.

“Tillman, go let everyone know we’ll reschedule this debriefing for later today,” I order, running my thumb over Willow’s now swollen lips.

“No, no. Don’t do that because of me. If we start canceling shit every time something weird happens to me, we’ll never get anything done. I’m okay now.” She swears. The lust slowly fades from her eyes, leaving behind scorching anticipation and the promise that we’ll have our time soon.

“We can put this off until this afternoon if you want,” I tell her honestly.

“No, let’s get it over with so then we can relax this afternoon and work on figuring out my new predicament. I got a feeling the remainder of this week isn’t going to be much of a break.” She sighs.

Unfortunately, she’s right. Between what Tillman’s going to tell us now, interrogating the members of the Terravile pack, planning missions for the locations we already know could be possible hostage spots for the fuckers already in Rebel Castle, we’ve got a list of shit that’s got to get done.

Giving her a nod, I stand and reach my hand down to help her up. The guys don’t bother taking a step back to give her room to do it on her own, rather they all grab her in various spots and pick her up off the floor. Gaster left at some point, giving me and Willow a little privacy.

Honestly, he probably left because it’s awkward for him. I’m sure it’s weird to see boys he helped raise, kiss, touch, and flaunt over his basically bonded granddaughter.

“How do you feel, Primary?” Caspian asks, running a tendril of shadows down her face.

“I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m ready to accept this just yet, so I’ve shoved it down. I believe I have my mind locked up like Tillman instructed, though.”

“If the noise starts coming in again, do the same thing you did. Command the volume down and push the voices out. If you can’t, we’ll get you out of here,” Tillman declares, staring at her intently.

“I can feel you trying to push in, but I have it blocked. Is there a way I can learn to block out everyone but you four?” she asks.

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