Page 41 of Gift from the Stone

She’s so observant. She may not call me or the others out every time our faces or feelings give something away, but she always notices and speaks up when she feels like she needs to.

“I’ve been trying to find the right time to tell you this. Before you found out about being our Primary, I wasn’t ready for you to know, but when you came back and we had our talk, I promised you no more secrets, and I’ve kept that promise, just this is big and I didn’t know how to tell you without you freaking out, so I—”

She grabs my hand to stop my spew.

I want to snatch it away so she doesn’t feel the sweat on my palms or the slight tremble in my hands. I try to slip my expressionless mask on, treat this as a meeting. Deliver the news, answer the questions, get it over with.

But Willow isn’t having any thing to do with that. She tightens her hand on mine in a death grip, her displeasure written all over her face, warning shining in her eyes that says don’t play that shit with me.

“Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay. It can’t be worse than being sucked into your own unconscious mind by the creator of the realm,” she says slowly.

Just say it.

She can’t run. She’s bonded with Draken, so she can’t leave us.

Well, it wouldn’t surprise me if they ran together and I had to hunt them down and drag them back home.

Control yourself.

“We’re the Vito Nexus, as you know. Me being the oldest doesn’t much matter or determine our Nexus name. Even if it had been Draken who was the oldest, we’d still be the Vito Nexus because of our bloodline.”

Her eyes bounce back and forth, looking between mine, trying to read between the lines, but I can see the denial trying to push its way through.

“My uncle Orien was supposed to be the next ruler, but he was the rare phenomenon, just like Gaster, who was never blessed with a Nexus, so the line of succession fell to my mother. You must have a fully bonded Nexus to rule. It preserves the balance of power, and your line must carry on to stay in power. It’s normal that most Nexuses only have one child due to our long-life cycles. It’s the way nature has worked its way around over populating. But the Vito line has defied that for the most part in the last two generations.

“My grandmother had three children, my uncle, my mom, and my aunt. When my mom had me, it sealed my fate to carry on the line of succession if I had a Nexus. Then my Aunt Tilly—Matilda, was her name—had Tillman, and it secured his place had anything happened to me, until my mother was blessed once again with Caspian, placing him next in line and completely securing our family’s place to continue in power.”

I pause to take a sip of my coffee, hoping Willow will react so I can judge how she’s feeling, if she figured out what I’m trying to say without saying it, but she gives nothing away.

Here goes nothing.

“When we emerged as a Nexus, there were no more backup plans. We are it. And since our Nexus is the next in line to rule, that makes you the next Matriarch of Elementra.”

The seconds pass by in eerie silence. Willow doesn’t speak, doesn’t blink. I’m not even sure she’s breathing right now. It’s like she has completely disassociated from the situation. She’s here, but she’s lost deep in her thoughts, turning this information over and over.

That’s until she bursts out of her chair in a flurry of anger, throwing her hands up, screaming at the sky.

“Are you serious? This wasn’t something you thought may be important to share with me? ‘Oh, by the way, Willow, not only am I giving you the choice to save the realm or not save the realm, but you’re also the princess of said realm. Enjoy.’ Are you kidding me?” she screams and kicks, sending flaming dirt balls flying across the back lawn.

Her elements form a vortex of fire and earth, like a river of lava swirling around her in a protective casing as she hits her knees, tears flowing down her face.

My heart cracks at the sight. My strong, resilient, beautiful, perfect Primary feels like the weight of the world is piling on top of her when all she wants is to be free. I refuse to let it bury her. We’ll hold her up. We’ll do whatever she needs us to do. I’ll make sure of it. Despite whatever comes next, I’ll make sure she’s happy, loved, safe, and free. Always.

The four of us push from our seats, preparing to go to her, when suddenly, her elements drop from around her and something freezes us in place.

A soft breeze travels through the branches of the towering trees of the forest and the air crackles with an energy that seems to vibrate in sync with the heartbeat of the ground itself. The gentle winds tangle themselves around Willow playfully, lifting her hair and ruffling her clothes.

“Yeah, I know, I know. I drop a bomb on them, they drop one on me. Balance, blah, blah, blah. A warning still woulda been nice.” She sighs deeply, her eyes remaining closed. “Doesn’t make it any easier.”

Me and the guys are released from our stasis, and we immediately squat in front of Willow. The wind circles her once more in a loving embrace before fading away, releasing the tension in the air.

“Elementra sends her regards,” Willow whispers, giving us all a teary-eyed smile.

I can barely process her words. My ears ring in sync with the pounding of my heart. That power, that feeling, was Elementra…talking to her…calming her down.

What the fuck?

“My little wanderer is the creator’s favorite.” Draken jumps up, hollering, startling the shit out of all of us.

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