Page 163 of Gift from the Stone

“Ahhhhhh.” I throw my head back and unleash hell.

I detonate like a fucking bomb.

The full fury of my dragon boils to the surface, and I let her free, spewing a vortex of purple lava as I let all my elements pull the pain, the anguish from my body. My guttural cry turns into a raw, primal scream. Tearing through the natural disaster I’ve created in my cocoon like a thunderclap after lightning strikes a tree.

It’s a cry of desperation, a plea to be released from this ongoing fucking nightmare that’s following me and fucking up my new life, my new world, my new home.

My voice cracks and falters, yet I scream on.

I scream until my throat is sore and raw, just like my mind and soul. My heart feels like it’s splitting open, bleeding out in four different directions. Begging for them to hold the pieces in place.

“Why? Why me?” I desperately shout. Praying, begging for an answer.

“Because, filia mea, you’re exactly what this realm needs. Be strong, Willow.”

The indistinguishable voice of CC penetrates the panic, and my sobs taper off. I want so badly to fucking throat punch them but also hug them. I want to meet them, to know them, but I also want to throttle them for leaving me to deal with what I’ve delt with. And for only showing up now randomly.

The sound of their laugh vibrates through my mind almost as if they heard my mental rant. Then the suffocating thoughts begin running rampant again.

“I don’t know if I can be strong. I’ve come so far, only to be knocked back,” I whisper into the void as I call all but my air back into me slowly.

The anxiety in my chest ceases as I’m frozen in a stasis, wrapped up in a power I’ve come to know as the greatest of them all.

Elementra.

“Ultima unum. The things you fear, I hear. I know where it stems from, sweetheart, but take comfort in this, in my words. Your Nexus will always support you. Your bonds will never break. None of them. This I vow all my power on. Let that worry go and embrace who you are. We will be with you. Always.”

She leaves me before I can even say or ask anything. The comfort she brought lessens, but it grounds me enough to take a deep breath. Pulling my air back into my chest, I let her words sink in.

They’ll support me. They’ll forgive me.

I won’t lose them. Any of them.

“Willy.” Oakly’s voice cracks from a few feet behind me.

“I hate that nickname.” I sniffle, wiping the tears from my face, but not bothering to turn around or get off my knees.

“I know. Are you okay?” she asks as she comes and lowers herself to her knees in front of me.

“No.”

“Is it going to be okay?” she asks vaguely, cautiously.

“Honestly… I don’t know, Oak,” I tell her, finally meeting her tear-soaked hazel eyes.

She doesn’t say another word as she wraps me in a hug and I break down again in her arms. I try to find the comfort and peace Elementra just gave me, but it’s hard to find. So I soak up what Oakly’s offering, holding onto it for dear life.

“How long did they give me before they followed?” I ask, pulling back and cleaning my face again.

“Oh, maybe five seconds. I thought Corentin was going to pop a fucking blood vessel in his eye when he realized you were in here and he couldn’t get in. He called Gaster and demanded he grant him access.” She laughs and I can’t help but chuckle.

“Obviously Gaster said no.”

“Yeah, he said under no circumstance. This is our hideaway and to give you time. So Corentin told me if I came in to get you, he’d let me be Gaster’s aide for the remainder of my time here without having to reapply every year.” She smirks evilly and I shake my head at her.

“So you only came to check on me because you were bribed?” I jib.

“No, I was coming in regardless, but I wasn’t gonna tell him that or pass up his sweet deal.” She smiles.

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