Page 63 of Gift from the Nexus

“Fuck no.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Over my dead fucking body.”

The guys’ overwhelming answers trample across my mind as Corentin’s, Draken’s, and Tillman’s are spoken directly to me, while Caspian drops his block long enough to broadcast out as loud and clear as he could.

“Calm down. I’m not dumb enough to just easily agree to some shit like that.”

“Why would I do that? What would you have us vow to one another?” I ask.

“I’ll vow to tell you everything I can that isn’t trapped away, and you’ll vow no harm will come to me. I’ll be set free and won’t have to look over my shoulder every moment for the rest of my life for an assassination by the E.F.s or royals. I get what I want, and you get what you want.”

“You’ve committed the highest form of treason against the realm, Trex, and there’s no doubt the Mastery will be after you as well. Based on the runes we’ve come across so far, there isn’t much any of you can give us before your hearts fall out. I’m notmaking that kind of vow with no guarantee either. I have no way of knowing if you even possess anything that could be of any use to me. Tell me why you joined the Mastery, and I’ll think about the vow,” I counter, hoping he gives me something.

I don’t foresee the guys agreeing to a vow no matter what, but maybe, just maybe, his reasoning is enough to convince me that he isn’t truly loyal to them.

“I was given an ultimatum, and I made my decision,” he says nonchalantly.

“Does it have to do with your brothers?” I boldly ask.

His entire demeanor changes the moment I ask the question. The seemingly bored composure melts away to tension as tight as coils, and his eyes hold a level of hatred I’ve never seen on him before. It’s not directed toward me, at least not completely, but my mention of them just roused something in him.

“Do. Not. Talk. About. Them,” he grits out, punctuating each word with malice.

“We’re coming in.”

“No, Corentin, wait. Give me a minute. He’s fine, but this will lead to something. Trust me.”

They don’t stampede right in, nor does he respond so clearly they’re honoring my request…for now. I know if Trex doesn’t cool down, though, that will change.

“So you joined the Mastery willingly, but under coercion, I assume?” I ask gently.

“Yes,” he answers, clipped.

Nodding, acknowledging his answer even though he can’t see me because he’s looking down at the table where his fingers beat against the surface in a nervous tick, I try to piece together what I can say now since he’s drawn his brothers in the sand as a hard boundary that he isn’t going to speak about. That makes me assume one of two things.

One, the Mastery’s holding his brothers over his head for whatever reason, and he wants to be free to find them. Or two, the Mastery killed them anyway after he agreed to their ultimatum, that’s why he won’t speak of them, and he wants to be free to enact some vengeance. We can help with that.

“What else can you—”

I go to ask what else he can tell me about his position in the Mastery when the sight sucks me in rapidly with no warning.

Trex is standing in the middle of three other men.

It’s a joyous reunion and I can feel their happiness like it’s my own. Some time passes as two of them embrace him, deep, elated laughter falling from their lips as they look him over like it’s been years since they’ve seen him. Then they move their attention to the fourth man…

Oh shit. Oh shit.

Elementra.

“I’m not telling you anything else, Willow, until you give me something.” Trex’s voice startles me as I come flying out of the vision. He hasn’t bothered looking up at me, so I know he didn’t notice my eyes change, but based on the feelings from the guys, they know.

I have to regulate my breathing from the excited, nervous, overwhelming feelings coursing through me from what I just saw and my eyes snap over to the corner my guys are standing in.

“What guards have been on duty for Trex since he got here?” I ask.

“Blaze and the other four you saw,” Tillman says.

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