Page 135 of Gift from the Stone

“Good morning,” I murmur into his chest, inhaling his warm, pine needle scent.

“Morning, child. Let me see you,” he demands as he holds me out at arm’s length.

“Whatcha got in the bag, Gas-man?” Draken asks curiously.

“Oh, just some things we may need,” he answers vaguely.

“What would we need? The castle is stocked for anything that could come up,” Corentin chimes in, glancing at Gaster’s bag as well.

“Well, some extra healing vials just in case. My kettle and mugs so I can make Willow some coffee or tea if she wants either, with all the nonsense she needs to go with it. Those little strawberry pastries she and Oakly eat all morning in my office. My journal. Some tissues in case either of the girls cry today… Just things,” he says nonchalantly, peering into his bag.

The guys all give each other knowing looks. Well, Tillman, Draken, Caspian, and Oakly’s Nexus do. Corentin looks like he’s about to snap because he didn’t think of that first. My eyes mist up through my smile at how sweet that is, while Oakly squeals and asks for a pastry now.

“All right, Rhett and Lucas, you all go ahead and get started. We have to get Oakly’s signature on the ward, then we’ll join you,” Tillman orders, cutting off everyone’s laugh at Oakly’s excitement over food.

I step into my Nexus, along with Gaster, and Oakly steps into hers, and in seconds, we’re standing in the massive forest that conceals the view of Rebel Castle. Me and everyone else whose signatures are already on the ward can see the silhouette of the castle a few hundred feet away, but Oakly’s glancing around, confused, the same way I did when the guys brought me here for the first time a few days ago.

I was utterly lost when we, well, they, were transporting the Mastery shifters. When you first step out, all you see is trees upon trees for miles. It’s a huge forest, full of wildlife, foliage, no trails, and no elemental alteration. Then a feeling filters across your mind that gives you the impression you took a wrong turn somewhere and you need to turn around.

Thanks to my dragon, that feeling only lasted a second before I could sniff out the ward, and as soon as I realized what it was, the feeling slowly drifted away, but I was still a little dazed.

Poor Oakly has no shifter side to rely on to sniff the ward out, and so currently, she’s trying to convince her guys that they shouldn’t be here, and she’s growing pissed because they’re laughing at her.

“Oakly, come here for a second,” I call out to her.

“Why the fuck are they laughing at me? I’m the tracker and we’re lost, and no one’s listening to me.” She huffs, royally pissed.

“We aren’t lost. It’s a ward. Concentrate on it for a minute,” I instruct, putting her out of her misery before she fucks someone up.

She opens her mouth to argue with me, but then it slowly sinks in. Her eyes lose their glossy shine, and she shakes her head out a couple times, looking around the trees, then sending her Nexus a withering look.

“Put your hand here. You can yell at them in a second.” I laugh when I see her about to go off.

When she places her hand beside mine, I drop mine as my guys all lay their hands against the ward, and Corentin begins speaking the incantation to open the ward for her and remember her signature.

There’s no shock like when Gaster’s pocket dimension accepted our signatures. Instead, this process feels like a vacuum has been stuck to your palm, sucking your magical signature up to mingle and mix with its protective fabric. The feeling lasts seconds, then it’s over.

“You’re all assholes. I was seriously worried I got us lost somehow,” Oakly yells at her guys the moment the fog fades and clarity returns to her senses.

I chuckle as they all sheepishly apologize, knowing good and well she was going to be upset thinking she somehow messed a transport up and brought them somewhere they shouldn’t be.

“Look,” I tell her, turning her back to the castle.

The large gray structure is truly a formidable fortress. It looks just like something I would’ve seen in a history book from the nonmagical realm describing medieval castles. It’s breathtaking in size and way too nice on the inside.

I didn’t get a proper tour when I came a few days ago since we were trying to move fast and get shit done, but the guys explained the bottom level is for the E.F. members to stay and it’s set up like a sleeping quarter with bathrooms, a kitchen, a lounge, and space for them to basically exist. Those who are on guard duty don’t leave the structure; they’re here twenty-four seven until their rotation is up, and then they switch, and their Nexus can go back to wherever their homes are.

The second and third floors are for the prisoners. The cells they’re in are very spacious, with enough room to comfortably fit four shifters, six if they aren’t massive, which most of them are. They have a semiprivate bathing area and an enchanted window.

It’s a retreat compared to what they deserve truly, but Corentin explained the castle was originally used as a small school before his family built Vito Academy, and so they utilized the already built structure and turned it into a prison when they began apprehending the rebels.

“We’ll be in the second-floor interrogation room. This is Codi and he’ll stay down here on the first floor if you need us or anything else. Stay in here and out of trouble, princess,” Corentin orders lightly, pulling me closer, giving me a kiss before passing me off.

All the guys give me the same warning other than Draken, who gives me a kiss and a wink, telling me to do as I please, track him and feel him all I want.

I swear he’s been driving me crazy. His mind has been running wild with dirty ideas and group activities he can’t wait to try. At this point, I can’t tell if he does this shit on purpose to rile me up or if I truly take up that much room in his mind. Literally his thoughts go from the sweetest compliments, praises, undying love, to dirty as sin sex positions he wants me in…and eating people.

Sweet, crazy-ass dragon.

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