Page 99 of Gift from the Stone

“How can you see my blade?” Lyker asks.

“You all are asking a lot more questions rather than just following directions. Jeez, you guys say I’m bad at listening,” Draken jokes, slinging his arm over the shoulder of a sneering Caspian.

Shaking my head as the two of them fuss, I turn to Ry. “Can you sense more than one body in there?”

“Nope, that’s all, one small form,” he answers, and that seems to get Lyker’s ass moving.

He still cocks a curious brow at me as he pulls the blade from its halter. Running the sharp edge down the center of his palm, he doesn’t make a sound or even flinch as his blood starts pooling through his fingers.

Damn showoff men, knowing good and well that shit hurts.

I’d be a crying mess if I had to slice my own hand.

“It only stings, but you won’t ever have to do that,” Tillman grunts from behind me.

“Eavesdropping, are we?” I ask playfully.

“Absolutely. And we’re going to talk about those thoughts you’ve been having when we get home,” he whispers.

I’m hoping he’s talking about the sexually charged, dirty thoughts of them all pleasuring me and not the thoughts of Lyker or my horrid thoughts of what just happened to me a while ago that I keep trying to ignore.

His eyes are masked with seriousness, and I can’t tell which of my thoughts he’s referring to, but I got a feeling it’s not the first option unfortunately.

A shuddering in the air draws my attention back to Lyker as the wards come down without a hitch, and he turns to us with a confident smirk on his lips.

“Good shit, it worked.” I say excitedly.

The smile fades from his face as he looks at me in shock. “Wait, you didn’t even know if that was going to work?”

Draken and Caspian let out loud laughs at the guilty look on my face. They both live for mischievous shit like this. Draken’s just more open about it while, when Caspian participates, it’s like looking at a small glimpse into the life of teenage him.

“I was pretty positive,” I say, faking complete confidence as I stroll ahead of the group like I own this cave.

“I can walk ahead a little and give us some light,” Zane says as he tries to come and stand beside me, with a flame hovering in his palm, but one look from Caspian has him dropping back a step.

“Thanks, but it’s okay,” I tell him as I send a flame out, instructing it to light all the torches we’ll pass from here to her room.

“How is it that you have both an air element and fire?” Lyker asks from behind me. Oakly’s beside me on my left, with her guys boxing us in with my Nexus to my right.

“That’s a very good question,” I answer without answering.

“That was a very personal question that no one’s privy to the answer unless Willow says so,” Corentin cuts in just as Lyker is about to ask another question.

His commanding tone, like always, makes everyone pay attention to him, and his words hold a hint of warning, letting Lyker know he’s about to walk into dangerous territory.

Turning around, I look at Kian, Zane, and Lennox. They each were in my visions as well, just not center focused like Lyker was, but I still get that same strange, comfortable feeling toward them as well. I’m starting to think it has more to do with who we’re going to save than them, since I’m technically closer to her than any of them.

“They can know,” I declare, taking the advice of my stranger on my gift. If I can tell how I’m supposed to feel about a person quickly, then I’ll listen to my instincts, and I already know they’re good people.

I don’t bother going into detail about myself or my gifts and elements. The guys will tell them what they’re comfortable with them knowing and if I feel like something should be added, I’ll tell them. Instead, I take in the sight of the cave. Physically being here is so different than when I’ve been here incorporeal. Colors are usually dull, barely distinguishable; there are no smells or textures to touch. Now, I can see, smell, and feel everything.

The slightly cooler air sends chill bumps down my arms as I lightly drag my fingers across the wet walls, their surfaces reflecting the light from my flames. The smell of stagnant water penetrates the air and I follow the sound of dripping to the endless clusters of stalagmites that rise from the cave floor. Above them, stalactites hang like deadly icicles from the ceiling in a multitude of colors.

I can’t help but marvel at the beauty of it, the way nature has sculpted the heart of this cave and to know that it’s an ongoing, never-ending design is incredible. There are only two chambers in this cave, and this is the only one that hasn’t been altered by an elemental gift.

We continue down the smooth passages that twist and turn as we make our way deeper into the cave silently. The only sound is the rhythmic echo of our footsteps. Finally coming up to another ward, I step to the side and let Lyker and the others through.

“Same as last time?” he asks sarcastically.

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