Page 152 of Gift from the Stone

“Well, actually, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to stay a few days, go through some more of the archives, and also try some things in the south wing.”

“That cursed wing. Don’t stress yourself anymore with that wing, Gaster. But of course you’re more than welcome to stay,” she tells him, smiling at him warmly.

“We go back to classes the day after tomorrow. Would you like me to do something about your morning class?” I ask, arching a brow at him. Willow is not going to like being away from him more than that.

“Yes. I’ll be back by the day after and I’ll check in,” he says, knowing exactly what I’m hinting at.

“Boys, I was thinking, as much as I hate this. If me and your fathers don’t make as much progress as I’d like in the coming weeks, the Spring Ball is two months away.”

“And?” Caspian asks.

“And I think maybe you should attend. I’ve always kept you out of the limelight and maybe that was a mistake on my part as you got older. Maybe the realm and the elite need to see you,” she says unsurely.

Fuck me. This is my fault. My mouth earlier with the remark about not physically being around the top families. I didn’t mean a ball, though. I was more so talking about us being around the council meetings or business trades.

“If you haven’t found anything useful out and neither have we, we’ll consider. A ball wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, though. A small meeting with the five and their entire Nexuses present was more like it,” I compromise.

Even that’s not a small gathering. It’s twenty-five people just counting their Nexuses.

“The ball will be more social, more relaxed. It’ll give you all a chance to mingle more,” she retorts, and both me and Caspian scowl.

“We’ll discuss it closer to that time, Mom, how about that?” I, again, compromise with her. I don’t want to shoot her down completely, even though the thought of going to that ball is fucking dreadful.

“Fine, fine. So tell me about life.” She pushes again.

For the next hour, we go back and forth, answering our parents’ questions, chatting about our days. Every opportunity Caspian gets, he turns the attention to Gaster, since he has more things he can easily talk about without bringing Willow up.

The longer the small talk goes on, the more Caspian’s knee bounces, and after dessert and another hour of talking, I finally cave.

“We got to get going. Tomorrow is the last day of break, and we got a lot to do before the students resume classes,” I announce, pushing out of my chair.

By our next visit, I’ll tell my mom about Willow, and she can come with us. Then we won’t be in a rush to leave, but I can’t take it anymore and Caspian’s impatience is also wearing on me.

“Aw, already? It’s barely night,” my mom complains.

“I know, I’m sorry. We’ll be back soon, though,” I promise.

She doesn’t push anymore, and she, my dads, and Gaster walk us out of the dining room and through the foyer.

“Please tell the other two I miss them, and you all be careful,” she says as she wraps us up in a hug the same way she did when we arrived.

“We will. Love you,” I say and Caspian grunts it as well.

Stepping out the door, the pitch-black night sky greets us. One glance over at Caspian and I know his ass is about to leave me standing here.

Latching on to his arm so I can dictate the transport, his nostrils flare in annoyance and I smirk in his face. He probably would’ve popped right in her damn room, scaring the three of them.

So instead, I bring us right outside her door rather than the back lawn.

Compromise.

Slowly turning her handle and opening the door, my shoulders sink a little as I see her cuddled between Draken and Tillman, fast asleep. Taking in the two of them, though, they’re half naked with satisfied grins on their faces.

Motherfuckers.

Twenty-Five

Draken

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