Page 64 of Gift from the Stone

“I’ll go get him, Will.” I lean down and give her a kiss on the cheek, placing her back in Draken’s lap, hoping he can calm her down.

Based on his thoughts, her bond is flooding her with awful feelings that are bleeding into him, right alongside her own fear of me reading her thoughts and picking up something from her visions. She’s a ball of unfavorable emotions that none of us are helping with right now.

I stomp my way down the hall, coming up to Corentin’s door and loudly banging three times. When he finally opens, the fucker, he’s in nothing but his sweatpants, hair a mess from where he’s been running his hands through it, pulling at his roots.

“What?”

“Willow’s upset and wants you to come hold her. Come on,” I order.

“What’s the matter? You and Draken are lying with her right now,” he argues back, crossing his arms.

“It doesn’t matter, asshole, she wants you. So come on.” I snarl, daring him to question it again.

Huffing, he slams his door and starts making his way to her room. Walking through the door I left wide open, he stops in his tracks when he sees her cradled in Draken’s arms, crying harder now than she was not even two minutes ago when I walked out. That instantly kicks his ass out of the bad mood he’s in as he charges toward the bed.

“Princess, what’s wrong?” he asks as he pulls her from Draken’s arms and into his lap.

“I want you to stay with me.” She hiccups.

“Shh, I’m here. It’s okay,” he coos quietly over and over until her tears finally stop and her eyes drift shut.

We sit there for a long minute, all of us touching her where we can, but no one says anything as Corentin gently rocks and rubs her back until we know for sure she’s good and asleep. Caspian finally steps out of the shadows and sits on the bed.

“What happened? She’s been doing fine with her bond lately,” Corentin asks quietly.

“I don’t know what’s going on. I could feel a shit storm brewing when I left the lounge and she was acting funny when I came in here but seemed to calm down a little once I held her. She was trying to block me out from feeling her, but I could pick up loneliness, guilt, and dread,” Draken answers mournfully.

“Why would she feel any of those things?” Caspian asks.

“I think it’s her visions and her bond. Her visions are weighing heavily on her, and she’s upset she can’t tell us. She asked me to teach her how to block her mind from me and I told her no, which made it worse. And with the way she wanted Corentin, I think her bond is making her feel like she isn’t giving all of us enough attention or the bond feels like it’s not getting enough attention.”

It’s a half-truth. I knew she felt his feelings and it was affecting her bond, but this was my subtle way of telling them that she wanted, needed, them both here without saying she was afraid to ask them.

I’d give them a small push if it meant making her feel better. I can sense Draken staring at the side of my face. He knows what I’m doing, but he isn’t going to call me out. He’ll agree that if Willow fears being rejected, then the guys need to make the first move and I’ll push them toward that.

“We’ll continue to support her any way we can with her visions. And if she’s okay with it, I’ll start staying in here every night,” Corentin agrees instantly and I run my hand down my face, hiding my small smile, unlike Draken, who’s beaming in victory.

“Caspian, maybe you should let her know you creep in here every night too,” Draken adds, fucking giddy.

“I’ll tell her when I’m ready. She understands,” he grunts, sending his shadows down her body once before drifting back through the walls.

One out of two is better than none.

Eleven

Willow

“I’ll see you in just a few. If you need us before then, call us,” Corentin orders as the four of them drop me off at Gaster’s office.

I know I freaked them out last night, and I’ve let them believe it was just the bond, which it is pushing like a raging bitch right now, but that wasn’t the entire reason for my meltdown.

“I will, I’m fine. A good night’s sleep cuddled up was exactly what I needed. I’ll see you all in a few,” I tell him as I make my way to each of them—well, all but Caspian—getting a kiss and a sweet goodbye.

During my typically peaceful bath time, I was assaulted with another horrific vision. One that I can’t even tell them I had, one just as bad as the two I’ve seen of Lyker. The consequence of this one is far greater if I slip up or if Tillman gets any wind of it. The results will be devastating because he’ll tell the guys and they’ll try everything in their power to prevent the outcome.

“Good morning, Willow.” Gaster smiles at me until he takes a good look, then the smile falls from his face. “What’s wrong?”

I give him a sad smile, shaking my head.

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