Page 174 of Gift from the Stone

“Ry,” Oakly shouts, running toward him.

“Oakly, get back in the command room now. Both of you,” he yells.

His tone causes her to stop dead in her tracks. She’s always one to push back, argue when he tells her to do something, but we both know, that tone of voice he just used wasn’t him blatantly ordering her around.

Something bad is happening.

No. No. No.

Anger and fierce protectiveness surge through my chest, to the point I have to take a deep breath and attempt to block it out a little bit. Tillman. His emotions hitting me and the chaos already commencing around the gym is a clear fucking sign… It’s starting.

I quickly search my other bonds and know by Draken’s light, happy, loving vibe he’s giving off, he nor Caspian know what’s going on yet. Checking on the last of my men, anger, fear, and determination pulse back at me with the force of a tornado.

I can always feel Corentin, but never so strongly, never so keenly. I feel him as sharply as I would if we were already bonded. That’s how furious he’s feeling.

I lock my bond, mind, and emotions up tight so they don’t trickle through to the guys. They need to be focused on what’s going on outside of this gym, not on me.

“Oakly, come here right now. Come here,” I frantically shout when I finally focus back on her and see she’s way too far away from me.

Her wide eyes meet mine just as transports open up and piles upon piles of Mastery members start flowing in.

“Ry,” she screams at the top of her lungs when one of them encases her hands and feet in stone faster than she can react. The man snatches her up beneath her knees and hoist her over his shoulder.

“Oakly.” The sound of her name is a war cry falling from Ry’s lips. The petrified pitch of it snaps my ass out of my momentary shock.

I don’t think. I don’t breathe. I just react.

Calling on my earth element, I shoot out a vine just as Tillman’s done and showed me a million times and wrap it around the man’s neck.

With all my strength, calling my dragon forth to aid me, I pull as hard as I can.

The thunderous crack rings through my ears as I watch him fall lifelessly to his knees, landing hard on top of Oakly. Sprinting forward, I use my air to blast a path from me to her. Bodies fly everywhere out of my way until I reach them. Kneeling down, I shove the man off her and command my earth to let her free. She’s conscious and doesn’t seem badly hurt, but she’s freaking the fuck out. Understandably.

“Oakly, get up. Come on,” I demand, pulling her up by her elbow, not giving her a chance to freeze.

“No, Ry. We have to help him,” she screeches, trying to pry my hand off her.

Looking over my shoulder, I gasp. He’s taking a beating from hell, but he’s giving it all he’s got. There are at least eight Mastery members coming at him all at once. No matter the amount of strikes he throws out with his own earth element, they’re striking right back.

“I will, Oakly. I will,” I swear, forcing her back into the command room and swallowing down the bile trying to rise up.

“No, no. What are you doing? We have to get to him, Willow,” she screams at me as I slam the command door shut.

“Listen to me—”

“No, I’m not fucking listening. One of my Nexus is about to die. Get the fuck out of my way,” she yells.

“Oakly, calm down now,” I purr.

Just as yesterday on the guys, my purr travels down my chest through my bond to her. Her shoulders slump slightly, and I can see her panic lessen.

“Willow.” She sniffles.

“I know. I’m going to save him, I promise. I promise I will, but I need you to listen to me, Oak, and listen good,” I demand. Her small nod is all the acknowledgment she gives me, and I’m one hundred percent certain it’s because I have her subdued.

I feel awful commanding her feelings like this, and I would never do this without her consent in a normal situation, but this isn’t normal. She’ll just have to forgive me later when my purr wears off.

“Transport to the secret room. I need you to transport there and do not come out until Gaster comes to get you. Do you understand me?” I ask.

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